November 23, 2007
black Friday isn't even gray
I used to take Black Friday as a personal shopping challenge. The parking, the crowds, the lines, the frenzy. It was all part of the challenge to Purchase Holiday Gifts That Aren't Awful While Your Eyeballs Are Being Squeezed Out To A Ridiculous Extent By The Ginormous Marketing Machine That Is Christmas Shopping, and Black Friday is the challengingist day of the year. The over-the-top decorations at the mall, the Christmas music, the cheery shopping bags, the bustle and hum, the Salvation Army bell ringers, the sales, they all just add to the fun.
Sadly we haven't been home for Black Friday in quite some time. Well, not really sadly since we are generally on vacation. I can't complain. To commemorate my absence on the first day of the season we sat in traffic not once but twice today. We also overspent on lunch and dinner. It was a good attempt, but no trip to the mall. I do miss Black Friday.
Black Friday is not even gray-ish in the Caribbean. It is blue and green and white, just like most other days.
Ok, I don't miss it all that much. But I hope you went out and bought something today. Come on, throw me a bone. The only things I got to buy today were yogurt and bottled water and some overpriced fish (fish was ok, if expensive, salad dressing (if you can call it that) was vile). What did you buy?
Posted by grrlTravels at November 23, 2007 8:36 PMI did some Christmas shopping online, as work was DEAD today. I also got a flat iron, but it wasn't on sale or anything. I got feline anti-depressants, but they weren't on sale either. (Black Friday does not, apparently, reach the vet. Heh.)
A co-worker went out before work and got a good deal on a GPS, how about that?
Posted by: Jess at November 23, 2007 9:48 PMI bought three bras for myself and a party dress (and OMG shoes with HEELS) for the dotter. We went at about 1 p.m., and they were already clearing out the sale tables and re-hanging all the dumped-and-trampled-upon clothes.
Posted by: OmegaMom at November 23, 2007 10:10 PMWow, that is a beautiful view.
Posted by: Shelba at November 23, 2007 11:05 PMMark and I went to Circuit City at 4am, and got a great laptop for about 1/2 off.....it's my first and last time doing that. The line wasn't bad, it was the line to PAY that was a nightmare!! Your vaca looks amazing!
Posted by: Stacey at November 23, 2007 11:25 PMOh I want to be there, it looks beautiful!
This is one of the few Black Fridays when I haven't been behind a shop counter. We don't have Black Friday at home so it was all new to me when we moved here. Soon became one of my favorite days at work, lots of families out shopping together, having fun and kicking off the Holiday season.
Posted by: Debberoo at November 23, 2007 11:59 PMI hit T@rget this morning and it wasn't too bad -- I got a bunch of CDs and DVDs for next to nothing and managed to knock six people off my list in under an hour... not too shabby!
Posted by: Lisa at November 24, 2007 1:53 AMOk, I would feel worse for you, but you posted that picture and my sympathy is pretty well gone. We stayed home getting ready to put up our green plastic tree. We realized we were out of lights, so we went and bought Christmas lights. Woohoo!
Posted by: Katie J at November 24, 2007 9:44 AMAfter swearing I would not go out on Black Friday, I ended up going out for a few hours with a a friend of mine. I bought a cool address stamp because I waste so much time writing out my return address on all my envelopes. My friend, however, was a shopping maniac. She bought: a fur trimmed jacket, 3(!) pairs of boots, Christmas china, matching aprons for her and her son, lacy underwear, Christmas cards, and a picture frame. She did not, I repeat, not buy a single gift! I think I am just jealous.
Posted by: prettydecoratorgirl at November 24, 2007 11:14 AMI want that view. I wonder if there are any synagogues in the Carribean? I can go New Year's weekend if it's not tooo expensive. But it probably is.
Posted by: PinkDevora at November 27, 2007 10:21 PM