Black Friday how I love thee....

I have been black friday shopping for about 11 years(I started at 14....and I am still young enough to admit my actual age to strangers....don't get me wrong DH will get a lot of use out of the #2 and #5 candle we bought this year because we'll just keep celebrating anniversary of my 25th bday :) ). Even though this was something I always do with mom and sister, I was home and away from them this holiday, keeping tradition made me less homesick.

So late last night we got home from my in laws and realised there was a 3rd football game(YAY JETS). So we stay up to watch. I took a 1 hr nap, DH woke me at 11:50pm. I then went to walmart while everyone else remained at our house to eat leftovers and clean out my fridge. The line at walmart was outrageous but I got the dvds I needed. I must give credit to Walmart staff-they had my store organized for excessive lines by cordoning it off, they were passing out water bottles and OJ for free and they let me check out in lawn and garden where there was no wait. :)

I got to Target at 2:15 (opened at 4) I was #175 in line but they ran out of the buy $100 get $10 deal per their store manager. Check out was easy though and I stopped at the coffee shop on my way out to get a pick me up. I am disappointed to say there was nearly a riot because many people waited in their cars despite the unseasonable warm 50 degree weather and tried to cut in line. This happened at this store last year with lots of injuries so they opened only 1 door this year, then as people tried to sneak in they had to create a shopping cart wall and the police had to start arresting some people. I was disappointed as my fellow shoppers who I'd spent the last few hours joking with ended up getting violent and vulgar......gone was their holiday spirit. I still had fun though. As I exited there were over 500 people in line.....the fire marshall had to control flow into the store....most people were fighting over 5 tvs....ironically one of them was damaged in the scuffle and an arrest for destruction of property was made. Then I went to Dicks Sporting goods in the same plaza, it was 4:15, they opened at 5. There were only 4 others waiting and we had to help a few of the young female workers to pull the heavy door open so she could get in to start her shift. I was pleasently surprised(after the crazy Target scene) to see the gentlemen helping her. The kind employees open the doors at 4:30 and proceeded to assist people with all purchases. I was back in the car by 4:35am and all smiles I got DH's sister a jersey for holiday. I headed to Macys got some great deals on pans, a casserole dish, and sweaters for DH. I ran over to Home Depot at 5:30 (they opened at 5) and the kind workers loaded 2 rigid shop vacs in my car and I got a great deal on duracell double AA batteries. 30 pk for $5 so I got 2. All in all I finished 90% of my christmas shopping and I've spent only 50% of the christmas budget. That's a pretty good feeling.

I hope everyone is having a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.