Okay - confess

mwild31 · December 2003

Who went shopping the day after Thanksgiving & how early did you get up?

I went, for the first time in my life (really) this past Friday & had a blast! My sister and I got up at 5:30 a.m., stopped at Starbucks and other than lunch, didn't stop until about 1:30 p.m. I scored BIG time deals & had about the best shopping experience of my life - no horror stories to report & the longest line I had to stand in was behind this women with three items to purchase - literally, cashiers were standing in front of their registers saying things like, "I can help you over here ma'am", etc. The only downside was the guilt trip my boss inflicted on me when I told him that I actually shopped at Wal-Mart (got a huffy bike for my son for $24.88 - love, love, love OR - no sales tax). Any other stories?

marc · December 2003

Stayed home. Cooked a second thanksgiving dinner since friends invited us to their house last minute. Then they came to our house the next day.

Good company, lots of tequila at both places. I was sorely tempted to carb-out on stuffing, potatoes and gravy, etc. but was a very good boy the whole time.

ray a · December 2003

Got tricked into doing some shopping on Friday. We were visiting my son in Ohio and Friday we planned to visit a niece nearby to see her new baby. Well.... when it was time to go back to my son's place, my wife said we were going to stop at a few stores on the way back to help another niece pick out some gifts to send back to NY to her brother's kids. {SIGH} OK, I did my duty and it was my favorite niece so I couldn't really refuse.

HRsage · December 2003

I work in retail so I was WORKING on the day after. I normally don't work on the sales floor, but the day after is different, we need all hands on deck, so I was out there selling everything from leather coats to jewelry to men's cologne.
The day went really smooth and we got a lot of compliments from customers on how quickly the lines moved. th-up

That is so funny you mentioned the guilt trip at shopping at Wal-Mart. Yesterday's newspaper had an article on how Wal-Mart guilt is a growing phenomenon. People don't like Wal-mart, but they like the low prices and will shop there regardless. I just heard on the news that Wal-Mart did 1.5 BILLION on the day after thankgiving. That's a lot of guilt! x:D

Next for me is the day after Xmas. Here's a tip for everyone. DO NOT return items the day after. Wait a few days or weeks. It's okay really. For some reason people feel compelled to do returns the day after, when everyone and their mother is doing the same, and then they complain about the long lines! x:o

mjindra · December 2003

I have to confess something . . . I was in the mall on Friday and not only did I run into a store and spend about $200 in about 15 minutes flat on children's clothes, when the lady asked me if I had the store charge card, which I didn't, she said I could get 10% off if I applied for it right there. With the long line behind me, I said YES! Saved myself $20 and almost got my butt kicked. Can you imagine? What a dope!

I still feel horrible, really, and I know those bickering ladies behind me are still talking about me. Sorry ladies!

Rockie · December 2003

A few years ago I found myself really hating the holidays because of all the stress, hussle and confusion and the commercialism. I made a pact that I would NOT continue to feel this way. So...I have all my shopping and decorating done by Thanksgiving so that I really can enjoy myself. I can then take the time to enjoy sitting in front of the tree and all the other events that go along with Christmas other than shopping. Works for me!

Dan · December 2003

Shopping??.... Never... I went and hid in the hills. Chased elk all day, never got close to a store.

sonny · December 2003

I did run out (NOT at 6 a.m.) for a couple things, but had my 85 year old mother with me so didn't do a lot. K mart had people tripping over each other to help you, no long lines, great! Returned last night to pick up two more of the holiday pillows I had bought. Two lanes open, 15 people in each.. I walked out. (the pillows weren't on sale anymore anyway x:-) I am not quite as organized as Rockie but aspiring to her theory. Have my tree up and almost all shopping done. I love to relax and just enjoy it.

System · December 2003

We went bowling. Summer is fishing season and winter is bowling season. The only person we shop for is my SO's son. We stopped shopping for eachother when it was discovered that whatever gifts we gave eachother were really about our own interests. Now we just relax and enjoy. Family is far and wide scattered so phone calls and catalogues suffice.
Bowled with a 19 pound bowl this time. I am still sore!!!

ritaanz · December 2003

No way. In Phoenix, we had helicopters flying over the malls and telling us how full the parking lots were. At 9:00 am most were 75% to 80% full.

I have my list done and usually hit one or two stores on my way home from work. I find it much easier then trekking the malls alllllll day.

Human Resources Manager · December 2003

I actually missed the day-after-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy because I spent most of the day on planes returning from my vacation to Hawaii. You have no idea how close we came to not coming back at all. If anyone knows of any HR opportunities on Oahu please let me know!

Whatever · December 2003

One of the joys of being Jewish is we don't do Christmas shopping. The joy of living in a big city and not having a car is using catalogues and the computer. Spent the day after Thanksgiving removing wallpaper and other fun stuff around the house (it does burn up calories).

JudyT929 · December 2003

Couldn't go shopping since I have a broken foot and boy was it hurting after cooking all day on Thursday! but I did start my xmas shopping via the internet, much more relaxing. Is easier for me anyhow since my family lives elsewhere I can just have gifts shipped to them.

Parabeagle · December 2003

And we Oregonians just love, love, love, all you Washingtonians coming across the river and leaving your money with us, Mwild. x;-)

I never shop the day after Thanksgiving. In fact, I'm lucky if I have my shopping done by Christmas eve most years. I just slept in until 9 a.m. and watched the news reports on all the shoppers beating each other up to get a couple pairs of socks.

mwild31 · December 2003

Is that true? On Saturday, I took my son into the Fred Meyers in Hillsboro (I think) & as he and I were cruising through the aisles, I had to tell him to keep his voice down as he was exclaiming how wonderful OR is that there's no sales tax. I kept wondering - do Oregonians hate it when Washingtonians come down to buy? I know it helps the economy, but don't Oregonians resent that it costs them money in the form of state income taxes?

Parabeagle · December 2003

It's a love-hate thing, Mwild. Yes, we appreciate the shot-in-the-arm from a retail perspective, but we resent the fact that Washingtonians are reaping the benefit of the high income and property taxes that we residents pay. What can you do, huh?

PS - Just don't let anyone see the Washington plates on your car as you're loading all your big-ticket purchases in your trunk. You might get egged. x;-)

ray a · December 2003

It's kind of like NY and PA. NY has higher taxes and PA has more tax-free shopping. Many NY'ers go south of the border to PA to shop.

mdm · December 2003

Same with MA and RI. MA is 5% sales tax and RI is 7% sales tax. I live and work close to the MA border so I do most of my shopping in MA.

Whatever · December 2003

IN NYC, you go to NJ to buy clothes.

mwild31 · December 2003

See, that's what I thought. In my county in Washington, we pay 8.6% sales tax & the rate varies county to county. We pay higher taxes than that for 'sin' items & gas - we're getting taxed to death up here, so going to Oregon is like going to Disneyland for children and adults. Thanks for the future head's up though Parabeagle, and just for the record, my sister drived. x;-)

Rockie · December 2003

>And we Oregonians just love, love, love, all you
>Washingtonians coming across the river and
>leaving your money with us, Mwild. x;-)
>
>I never shop the day after Thanksgiving. In
>fact, I'm lucky if I have my shopping done by
>Christmas eve most years. I just slept in until
>9 a.m. and watched the news reports on all the
>shoppers beating each other up to get a couple
>pairs of socks.

Speaking of that PB - what about the lady who got trampled in Wal-Mart trying to buy a $29 DVD player. Wal-Mart, in the spirit of the season, called the hospital and offered her a free DVD player. Sam Walton must be spinning in his grave!

mwild31 · December 2003

HRsage - yeah, the Wal-Mart guilt is huge! My boss had me read a bunch of articles about Wal-Mart's business practices & treatment of suppliers. All I can say is xflash 'gallon jar of Vlassic pickles' (fastcompany.com has a big article on Wal-Mart & business practices).

Of course, he did get off his soapbox a little bit when I told him about all the similarities between WM's practices and our local, HUGE, aerospace manufacturer as well. ;;)

We do business with that local, HUGE, aerospace manufacturer - and right now, the guilt doesn't stop us from cashing the checks x;-)

Parabeagle · December 2003

Yeah, but I don't think Sam Walton (or whatever his name is/was) was ever asked to step down because of ethics violations. x;-)

bamahr · December 2003

My husband, son and I were going to visit Old Navy in search of a jacket for the little guy. We pulled into the parking lot - which also has the Toys R Us. I looked at him and said "I'm afraid" - he laughed said me too and we went home. Went back the next day - one person ahead of me in line and parked two spots from the door. My hats off to you brave shoppers - I chickened out.

cebudragonlady · December 2003

Finally got smart this year to avoid the MOBS at the store..we did all of our shopping the Sunday BEFORE Thanksgiving. The gifts were wrapped last Friday , and will be mailed by the end of the week.

Chari

WOCO Frank · December 2003

I went through all the ads after I ate Thursday, and made a list, separated by store. I guessed which "limited supply, no raincheck" items would be gone first, and prioritized the stores based on that.

I got up at 4:30 and left the house at 5, driving to St. Louis. I was in line at Store 1 at 5:50, and hit Store 2 by 6:20.

At 9:30 - after Store 7 - I was on my way home, completely finished with all my Christmas shopping.

It feels good.

Leslie · December 2003

I was going to go shopping, I really was. But my SO and I are leaving Saturday on a cruise to be best man and best woman (too old to be maid of honor, too young to be matron of honor!) for our friend's wedding in Jamaica. I decided I probably need to get out my birth certificate as I have no passport. Panic strikes :-S as it is not found. Hours of searching and then paying an exorbitant amount of money to Lake County, Illinois to have a duplicate Fed Exed this week and xpray ing that it gets here. And then of course, it was found...the file box was somehow stored away with my Christmas decorations. x:o. My, my, what a way to spend the day!

ladyzuesse · December 2003

I did just about the same thing, WOCO - except that at the Birmingham Galleria (AL) the stores opened at midnight - so we went shopping from 12-2am getting all the specials along the way. First time I've ever gotten all of the really low priced specials at RadioShack that I needed for the nieces and nephews. Home by 2:30am to sleep and then got going again from 9am-2pm. (for the stores that weren't open that early) My mother and I went and had our hair done and we were home by 6pm to a dinner the men prepared for us. (and it wasn't leftovers! I was so impressed) All the shopping is done, most is wrapped, and now I can enjoy my holiday season while not having to run back and forth to the malls in DC (where I live)

Tammy

rad · December 2003

You are brave. I tried shopping early on the Friday after once...I'll never do it again, I hate crowds. So I spent this past Friday lounging around all morning, went to the gym, then went to a couple of stores late in the afternoon when the crowds had cleared out.

eddice · December 2003

Best of all - late Wednesday night we decided to abandon the turkey and take a road trip down into Mexico. Went to a beautiful town in the mountains - Los Alamos and had the most wonderful time. We ate fabulous pork tacos off the street and drank margaritas while listening to some local boys sing to their guitar music. Aside from the 2 1/2 hour wait to get back across the border on Sunday night I had more to be thankful for this holiday than any other.

ritaanz · December 2003

Don't want to rain on your parade eddice. But last summer we too, ate " fabulous pork tacos off the street". Five or six days later got the worst stomach infection from hell. Took 2 weeks to diagnose and 2 more weeks on medication before I felt human again. Smile.

Okay - confess

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