Black Friday Memories

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I always say shopping is cheaper
than a psychiatrist. 

 ~ Tammy Faye Bakker

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Ah, Black Friday shopping.  By now, I'm sure most everyone has read an article, seen a news story, possibly even watched a You Tube video that shows the insanity that consumes some shoppers on this day in the hunt for the really good bargain.  It's pure insanity at its best! 

My family has been black Friday shopping for some time now.  I know we didn't always do it and I can't quite place when exactly it started.  We don't always go for a deal (sometimes we do).  We don't always sleep before we go (certainly didn't this year).  But most of all, we go for the entertainment value it brings.  We've been known to sing songs, show customers where to find the product they are looking for, hold a place in line while someone runs for that one item they forgot, even fake labor.  No, we didn't do that last one, but sister-in-law of the year did encourage it one year. 

Since we most often go for the fun, this year I decided to create Black Friday Bingo.  It was completely spur of the moment.  There wasn't much thought put into it and everyone got the same card.  Of course, everyone wanted to know what they would win, but I didn't even think that far.  We've already discussed many ways to improve this game for next year. 

However, since our shopping excursion is more about the fun, here is a list of my top 5 memories from Black Friday shopping 2011:

5.  You're a rhino without horns!  Ah, this one actually came before the shopping began but during some impressive cheating in a game of Hedbanz, niece of the year's friend shouted this out.  What's more disturbing is niece of the year shouted back "I'm a hippo" and that was actually correct.  Mmm..'kay.  It did become the joke most used for the evening.  Thanks to my nieces for consistently proving to me throughout the night that perhaps blondes do have more fun! 

4.  The espresso machine broke at Starbucks.  Really, the line was 10 thousand miles long.  We were at a very full Target and it was about 1 am at this point.  For the person who missed the $2 waffle maker deal at Walmart, this could have been the straw that broke the camel's back.
 
3. Never, as long as I live, will I forget the sound of Walmart shoppers attacking a cardboard display.  Precisely at midnight, that is the sound I heard coming from behind me as a herd (I use that term with reason) of people attacked a display of Blu Ray players.  However, I'm firmly aware of why Walmart puts all their specials in cardboard now.  One drunk Black Friday shopper falling into a plastic displayer just screams lawsuit. 

2.  When the mall security guard tells you to keep moving while you wait for your shopper who has to use the restroom, just walk in a circle.  The way I see it, if you are a mall security guard and the one you work for decides to open at 12:15 on black Friday, you have until precisely 12:14 to quit.  I'm quite sure the look on my face when that guard told my group of shoppers to "keep moving because the mall was rather full of people" was priceless to say the least.  Really?  Really??

1.  Shopping is best when approached with a healthy dose of fun.  If you saw any of my Facebook posts, you'll know we definitely had a lot of that!  While I wasn't the first to shout bingo, it made the night fun.  Shouting and cheering over a shopper wearing a Santa hat just so you can be the first to shout "BINGO" is all about pure fun.  Perhaps if more people approached shopping on this day with a little less pepper spray, bad attitudes or (for shame) handguns and instead with, as my family does, the hope of just having a really good time, who knows how far into the black retailers could go! 

For those of you who braved shopping on this day, I applaud you.  It isn't for everyone, that's for sure!  However, knowing that I did not bring my children out with me in the middle of the night made me just a bit more secure in my placement in this race toward mom of the year. 

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