A Few Great Reasons To Shop Black Friday
My reasons for shopping on Black Friday, or more recently, Black Thanksgiving, are different than most people’s. Believe it or not, they don’t have anything to do with shopping.
First of all, my 5 children are getting older, and I want to soak up as much fun time with them as possible, before they get married and have their own families. My youngest is 10, and my oldest is 23. Once my oldest child graduated from high school, I realized the brevity of my time with them.
Our rule has always been, you have to be 12 to go Black Friday shopping. But this year we’re lowering the age to 10 so that everyone can go. We take boyfriends and girlfriends along, and even some of our kids’ friends. The more the merrier. As long as we can fit into our 2010 Dodge Journey (which my son named “Steve” because of the rock band Journey’s leader, Steve Perry), all are welcome.
Another reason I love Black Friday is because my husband drives us. I’m not a big fan of driving an hour away in the scary dark, but he is a great sport, and having Dad along makes it more fun for everyone.
When the kids were younger he wasn’t such a happy driver. A minivan full of screaming children, with a wife on the way to the mall to spend money, wasn’t something he enjoyed. Like all things, he has become mellower with age.
For my part, I’ve learned that it’s not a good idea to take 2 hours to choose one pair of pants, or to spend $350 in one day, especially when my husband is with me. Also, if you’re shopping with men this holiday season, make sure you feed them. That makes it all worth it; sort of anyways.
Last of all, I shop on Black Friday to make it a family tradition. The younger children wait for years with great anticipation for their turn to go. We tell them stories of Christmas-carol filled outlet malls, full of excited shoppers and twinkling lights. Tales are recounted of discounted toys, sneakers, and Yeti cups.
When the big night arrives, everyone dons their gay apparel, and we hop in the car to kick off the holiday season with a bang.
Tips to Help Everyone Have a Lighter, Brighter Black Friday
Black Friday doesn’t have to be stressful. Use the following tips to make your shopping trip lighter and brighter:
*Go to one specific location, preferably one with lots of stores. Driving around to 4 different stores just makes everything more stressful.
*Enjoy the atmosphere, and don’t get too upset if you can’t buy a specific item. For many people, getting a certain big-ticket item is the thrill of Black Friday shopping, and that’s alright too, if scoring deals is your thing. For me, I will try to get a big item on my list, as long as it isn’t too difficult. After being squished while waiting in line for a PlayStation controller at Target one year, I’ve learned that some things aren’t worth the hassle- I can look for an online deal later.
*If you can go on Thanksgiving night, there is less parking and shopping competition. Since I cook Thanksgiving lunch, everything is cleaned and put away by 3pm. The outlet mall where we shop opens around 7pm on Thanksgiving night. We can shop, get coffee at Krispy Kreme, and be home (in bed) by 11pm.
I realize that some people are conscientious objectors to shopping on Thanksgiving, and retail employees having to work on Thanksgiving Day. I completely understand that viewpoint! It just works well for my family to shop Thanksgiving night, so that’s what we do. It doesn’t mean that we’re not Thankful for our blessings, because we truly are blessed AND thankful.
Have a beautiful Thanksgiving with your family! I’d love to hear about your Black Friday traditions!
To read another Thanksgiving post, use this link: https://lovemycottage.wpengine.com/becoming-holiday-meal-matriarch/
This post is linked to: Our Crafty Mom
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