What are some of your Black Friday traditions (besides shopping)?

[ChristmasShopping]

What are some of your Black Friday traditions?

Ours starts out the night before when we all gather around the table and plot our game plan. We always have our pumkin pie and hot cocoa -- ads all spread out on the table!

Our actually Black Friday ALWAYS starts out with going to Wataburger at 11 pm and getting breakfast burritos! Then we head out to get in line where ever we are going to spend the evening. Though this may have to get changed to much earlier if the trend of lining up earlier and earlier continues!

We also ALWAYS eat lunch at Red Robin!

Then once we get home on Friday.. we always have friends over that were also out shopping, have pizza & beer and talk about our deals!

[dustysky]

I wish we had a red robin :(

Not much for traditions but my teen son and I pack a big duffel back full of pillows, blankets, playing cards, portable dvd player and some snacks and we head to BB at around 11 - 12 Thursday afternoon.

[msl94]

The only tradition that my wife and I have are to meet up for either breakfast or lunch once all of the "doorbuster" deals have concluded and we will share our notes.

[zoemariesmamma]

thursday is always a planning day with two papers..one is very organized and hole punched for the binder..the other is for whoever to look through..last year my sisters boyfriend picked up the punched ad and everyone started yelling "No put it back!!" then they told him i would've freaked out if I saw that!! Maybe that is what ran him off this year!!!;)

[Kandy]

We eat at cracker barrel after we done shopping.

[mgmckny]

No real traditions except that I like to make our Christmas tree decision (if it's not already up from the year before LOL)

[zim05]

Our traditons include a lot of the same types of things already noted!
On TG, after the dinner, we spread all the ads out (usually have 2 copies of each). My younger siblings look them over to see if there is anything in particular they want and they circle them. We figure out a game plan/timeline and put it to paper, it includes the stores in order and what we need at each store in the order from 'definitely needed' to 'if we see it/if there are any left.'
On BF, we all assemble into one or two cars and head off with a Christmas CD in. On the way we share the stories of the BFs in the past and explain to any newbies what they can expect. Once we get to the stores and they open we divide and conquer, everyone has a particular item they are after and if they see anything else we want on the way they grab it. After the grab we meet our mom and the cart in the area previously decided on, figure out what to keep/put back and we pay.
After all the stores (which usually are only 3 or 4 - Walmart, Target and Best Buy) we are done around 10am and hit up McDonalds for breakfast. Then go home and stare at our loot and then take a nap. Sometimes I will go to a different (smaller) town next to us that has a Target and Walmart and go through to see if they have anything we missed.

[dealluvr]

i go alone all the time and while shopping i always buy something for myself then get something really yummy to eat before going home

[love2beurwifey]

going out to breakfast the morning before and afterwards to a restaurant

[StephanieD]

My husband and I we usually make our plans t he night of Thanksgiving. We the head out early the next morning. It depends on what stores we need to go to as far as how early we leave. We usually go to about two stores and then we go get a quick breakfast at McDonald's. We then go to a couple more stores just to look around and then we finally go to the mall and look around there until we get tired. We used to go to Cracker Barrel, but since my husband and I have move away from family, we go to Cracker Barrel for Thanksgiving and then go to the movies. So we just pick a restaurant to eat at before we go home.

[snakeswiff]

My BF's started when my son was born, 14 years ago, with DH and I hitting TRU when they opened. Then we would go to breakfast and head home so I could wrap everything. The past I would say, then a few years of that, he had enough and I started going by myslef.
When I moved to FL my sister and I decided to go together, so after Turkey dinner we look over the flyers and map our plan of attack and then go. Last year my mom and my sisters friend went with us....NEVER again. It was my worst BF EVER!

[General MarioXx]

i usually spend quite a long time waiting infront of my local BB, but the last 2 years we made it a tradition to go and hit up sheetz for food on midnite rite when it turns BF =)

[hockeyfanamo]

DH and I decide what store to start at the night before. We decide on a budget and get some sleep. After hitting a couple of stores we head to breakfast. Always a fun time together.
:rwb:

[mccabefamily29]

Pretty much the same for me. My husband and I finalize our plans and budget...never sleep though. We head out to get in line and then get some breakfast when we are done.

[Miss Star]

Wake up around 4am on turkey day to go to Meijer's and whatever other stores have good deals that day, go home finish getting everything ready for thanksgiving dinner, go over BF plans for the millionth time lol spend all night on gottadeal since I can't sleep from excitement and then leave for our first store about an hour before they open lol

[arci122]

thursday is always a planning day with two papers..one is very organized and hole punched for the binder..the other is for whoever to look through..last year my sisters boyfriend picked up the punched ad and everyone started yelling "No put it back!!" then they told him i would've freaked out if I saw that!! Maybe that is what ran him off this year!!!;)

I LOVE this idea of the binder one. That would make our van so much neater! Hey, I'll add a sheet of my son's baseball card holder and sort the coupons you need for some of the stores in it as well!

[Illinoismom]

I use a binder dividers, I print all the adds off here, make my game plan then replace those ads with the ones from the paper. I lst everything in the binder, kids are divided as on line sale reciepts, I also keep all reciepts in the binder

[zoemariesmamma]

going out to breakfast the morning before and afterwards to a restaurant

I am a mean girl...if you don't bring breakfast with you..you starve! We stop to eat around 11..before then we just bring snacks in the car.

[zoemariesmamma]

I LOVE this idea of the binder one. That would make our van so much neater! Hey, I'll add a sheet of my son's baseball card holder and sort the coupons you need for some of the stores in it as well!

we do this too...usually coupons for a couple of games..last year the polly coupons were around...between me, my mom and my sister we had tons of pollys. we are actually using them as favors for my little girls birthday in a few weeks!! also batteries...usually on sale and you can almost always find coupons.

[sns128]

Our tradition is like most people here, we go over ads after dinner on Thanksgiving. The difference is that in our town it's pretty much just Wal-Mart, JCPenny and Walgreens so I don't have to go to a million different stores. Thankfully my Wal-Mart will price match pretty much everyone on BF so I just make a list of what I want to price match and make sure I have the ads with me.

We don't even get to the store until about 3 am, then just walk around and see where everything is (ours is a 24 hour one), then we stake out the most popular ones. Last year was great because there wasn't a ton of people there so we got everything we wanted.

After we do the shopping, we normally go out to breakfast.

[sbwolfer]

My tradition varies every other year. On the years that my DSD is here she goes shopping with me. We spend all Thanksgiving evening pouring through the ads (even though I've already seen them on here) and we revise our lists and make our attack plan. My friend comes at about 1 am to pick us up and we head out to a convenience store to grab some snacks and coffee and then we're off to the first store. We hit up all of the stores on our list and then grab something to eat before heading home.

When she isn't here my friend comes Thanksgiving night and stays the night here. She usually sleeps for a bit and I try to but never can!

[Heather_0617]

Every year I make two loaves of Cranberry Nut Bread. We have one for dinner with everyone and then we take the other with us in the morning with our coffee! YUM!

[cassgurlie04]

we make our plan after dinner and just stay up all night til its time to go, we stop at 7-11 for coffee and a snack, hit the line, after doorbuster sales we meet for breakfast. and then of course we put up our christmas tree every bf evening.

[mgmckny]

Every year I make two loaves of Cranberry Nut Bread. We have one for dinner with everyone and then we take the other with us in the morning with our coffee! YUM!

ooh, now this is a tradition I could get into!:)

[4xmom]

I always go by myself on TG night to wait whereever I am going (last year was BB at 1pm). After doing all my shopping, I stop at Bojangle's and get breaksfast for the family. I come home and wake the kids and hubby. We all eat breakfast in my bed and then I crash!

[Kaarak]

We go through all the adds and make our game plan the night before. We attempt to sleep and then go through the dunkin donuts drive through and get in line. Then we SHOP, SHOP, SHOP. We stop to eat at some point, and like to go to dinner with friends that night.

When the whole day is said and done I like to unpack and organzie every thing I've bought.

[Yakyma]

Everyone that is going to shop that day with us, shows up around 7pm and we spread the ads out on the table, everyone has a notebook, to list what is on their list and then we decide who is going to which store and give them the job getting for everyone, it has worked very well for us. Some places get two people sent to that store to get it all. Then we all meet up at the mall and finish shopping, breakfast is whever you can grab it. Last year I got a free breakfast sandwich...I was front and center for the digital picture frames at WM, one of the managers from the Mc Donalds inside the store walked up to the crowd and started talking to us, she made the comment that they would all be gone before she could grab one.... I told her I would guarentee her one in exchange for breakfast...she couldn't get back fast enough with my mcmuffin...LOL...We all stop and eat together for lunch, last year it was Chilli's. Then onto another store.

[carolannec]

This will be our first year being at home for BF, so we don't really have any traditions. I'm thinking though that when we get back from shopping, we'll start to decorate for Christmas and watch movies. :)

[LondonAtDark]

I usually go out for breakfast when were done. Usually by 9-10AM I am pooped and ready for breakfast then home...

[Spotted1]

Before heading out to the stores, I drop my oldest daughter off with my sister. They spend the day cooking and baking together while I'm out shopping. :D When I pick her back up, I'll call the store back home and order a pizza for lunch so that it's ready for pickup by the time we get back to our town. Once we get home, we chow down on pizza and while the kids take naps I bring in the loot and get it stashed away, while simultaneously pulling out the Christmas decorations. That night after dinner we put the tree up, and then once the kids are in bed the wrapping extravaganza begins. :D

[Gporter34]

Thanksgiving dinner at our house with my parents. Then we go over the ads and make our final plans. We usually leave the house around 2 or 3am, but we have been known to stay out all night, lol. Then WalMart first, JCPenney(because I have to have a snowglobe, lol), Bath & Body, Radio Shack, Hasting's, and when it's all done, we go to Denny's for breakfast. After we eat, we go home and I wrap presents. Depending on the sales we may add or remove a store from our list, but we live in a small town without alot of choices.

[ogadoga]

After Thanksgiving dinner my sisters and I pull out the ads to look at them. Then I go get in line whenever I can get my husband out the door. After shopping we go back to my parents make Almond Roca and watch Christmas movies.

[dad2trips]

Plugging in and trying out all the new electronics I get from BB!

[dad2trips]

Plugging in and trying out all the new electronics I get from BB!

And then repacking them back up for Christmas :(

[Azzycat]

The last couple of years I've stopped at Chik Fil A and used a free breakfast coupon and bought a sweet tea to go with it. This is the only time of year I eat breakfast there and I deifnately need the caffeine by 8am since I wake up at 3:30 or so. (I know, I sleep in compared to most of you, but I still haul kids around with me to the stores...)

[AuntJamelle]

DH and I will plan out our "schedule" the night before - although we've been talking about it for weeks! :D

We try to get to bed at a decent hour, but that doesn't always happen, of course. In the morning, our first stop may be a store, may be Starbucks, depends on which is open first. :tired:

We usually shop pretty steadily, until about 11 AM - then we stop and go to Hacienda (local Mexican restaurant chain) for a huge lunch. Then we go home and sleep.

Then I wake up and start decorating the house for Christmas while DH continues to sleep.

[wx4svr]

I always end up being the "runner" for my friends and head to the Starbucks near BestBuy to pick up warm drinks. lol.

[lucyismycat]

We usually have the gameplan figured out a couple of weeks before BF, but we still pretend to "finetune" it on T-day. I usually go to Meijers on Thursday morning to pick up some deals and a bag of candy. When I leave the house Friday morning, the outside Christmas lights go on for the first time. I take the bag of candy with me and pass it out to checkout clerks and store managers.

This year we have a new little one in the house, but my plans probably won't change. DH isn't much of a BF shopper, although I have been known to call him in when the lines are way long and getting longer (usually at the cutting counter at Joann Fabrics). He'll come and stand in line for me while I keep shopping. I typically only hit 5 or 6 stores, then go home for a nap and then we head out for a late supper together.

[Princess7915]

After dinner on TG we always finalize our gameplan and let DH's look through the ad's and make their "wish lists". On BF we get up early and head out to our first store before opening usually Kohls. We shop til we drop!! We normally take left over turkey buscuits with us for breakfast and eat in the car between stores. We unload the car around lunchtime and decide where we want to eat. After lunch it's time for the second round of shopping!!

[mgmckny]

I always end up being the "runner" for my friends and head to the Starbucks near BestBuy to pick up warm drinks. lol.

Can you come be my friend?? Please.

[ajburlingame]

I go with my sisters and mom and we meet another family that we are extremally close friends with at The Olive Garden at around 3:00pm. We discuss the great buys we have bought so far and work on our lists of where we need to go yet. I love black friday for the deals but love the quality time with my family and friends. Black Friday is my vacation day from my husband and kids each year..........I LIVE FOR BLACK FRIDAY.

[harrispizza4]

The biggest tradition in our family is after everyone is done shopping we all meet at the mall around 11 for lunch and all the girls get a picture taken with santa. Santa loves having his pic taken with 10 grown women. LOL We have been doing this for like 7 years now and it's so much fun!

[suunflowrr]

lunch at Denny's with Mom and my sisters! :)

[katkat777]

Well I usually have a good idea for a game plan thanks to the Black Friday boards here. TG I fine tune my plan and on BF armed with my many ads I head out super early. I go alone because I dont want anyone to slow me down. Last year a friend asked to go..she is notortiously late for everything..I told her I was on a strict schedule and she could meet me at the store..of course she showed up late and I had moved on to the next store. Usually a stop at Krispy Kreme head to dads and we have some donuts and he checks out what I bought.

Edited to add:
Oh the binder thing is such a great idea!! Will have to do that this year!! I am getting tired of my car looking like I live out of it because of all of the scattered newspaper ads!!

[MountainMommyO]

Thanks to finding this site a couple of years ago, I now have a much better game plan than before :) It all starts on TG by leaving the kids with my Mother to spend the night, bless her! my dh and I usually go home and spread out the ads get on this site and formulate the plan, hit bed early. We started packing some food and a cooler of pop for me and a thermos of coffee for him. We have to cover a lot of ground around here b/c there are 2 separate shopping areas about 30 miles apart, and we dont have time to stop and eat! Target and Walmart in one area, Toys R us and Sears in the other. Of course this year might be different, we finally got a BB that will be opening up in a few weeks!! I'm so excited!!

[Ladybing]

well being Canadian - some friends head down usually earlier on Thursday and pick up some flyers, and I usually head down later after work (although this year I am off on the Thursday so we'll be heading down together. We eat dinner at Denny's cause it is the only restaurant open for dinner. Then we plan, we peruse the ads in our hotel room (always the same hotel), and have a couple of different drinks - last year was a concoction with raspberry rum (you guys have soooo much selection down there). Then we watch some strange TV shows (like one year it was Drawn Together) and wake up a few hours later and head out. We keep in touch by cellphone to check out where we are all headed and meet for lunch. My last stop is usually JC Penney for some 'me' stuff. We always hit up Hobby Lobby after lunch and this year and then the outlet mall.

[leefamily23]

My sister and I always do the list and plan of attack on Thanksgiving evening. We also get together a list of items w/ the ad's we'll price match at Walmart since we always start off there. We also decide our plan of attack as well. We do the splitting off our lists based on department so we can cover more ground. It seems Walmart is always the first big store we get in line for. Usually she goes after the toy's we need and I go after the electronics. Then we pick out our meeting spots for stores the night before too.

We usually eat Arby's (at the mall) around 8-9am. It's got to be the only day of the year I have french fries and roast beef for breakfast. Though in reality--- we've already been up since 2-3am so it really seems like lunch.

My son has his own BF tradition and that is spending the day playing video games w/ my dad. They've been doing this for nearly 10 years.

[tbarry1974]

After cleaning up from the Thanksgiving Feast, and taking in some football we gather round the table.

I shop with my 3 sisters-in-law we sit and laugh and chit chat and strategize our plan of attack for the coming morning. Lists and flyers cover the table. We eat cracker pie and are usually so excited we can't get to bed at decent time.

Good times....Good times.

[ToastyOasty]

I love reading all of these. Makes me super excited!

I always plan out my route the night before and look at the ads 100 times to be sure. Usually make a list of where Im going and what Im getting from that store.

I was ecstatic when Target did the wake up calls by Kermit the frog haha. I wake up around 4 and throw on something warm and Im out!

I always stop by Starbucks on the way home (while blasting the Christmas songs on the radio) and go home to wrap! With the Christmas songs on of course.

I usually like going by myself but this year my girlfriend will be going with me. Just hope we can buy for eachother without peeking!

[Grants Dad]

Shop, regroup, get second wind, shop, go to my folks' or my in-laws house for leftovers and football watching. (and naps!)

[Disney8704]

Our (my husband and I) tradition is I would get the paper that has all the BF Ads and go through them and making up list of things Im gonna buy and things for my wish list. Then on Turkey Day, I spend all day long cooking and talking about BF to my whole family and then we eat. Then we put up the tree after eating and cleaning up the kitchen some. Then we hit the sack and then wake up early around 3am. But this year we wanna be in line at best buy by 1am, so we are just gonna take a nap after putting up the tree and then head on over to BB.

We always stop by Wawa 1st (for those who live on the east coast and have a wawa, you know what Im talking about - otherwise - its like a Royal Farms or another gas station with a mini mart) and DH get a cappacino and I get a hot chocolate for a pick-me-up and for something warm to drink. We then always hit BB first, then the mall and then maybe walmart if theres anything I wanna get. After shopping, we head over to IHop for breakfast, and then we head back to the mall and go to a movie. Usually a Christmas type movie if there is one that is playing. If not, something that had started that day or maybe the week prior. After the movie we head home and I hide all the presents. Then the next day (Sat), is when we will decorate the rest of the house and start wrapping the presents.

[Turtle Mommy]

On Thanksgiving after everyone leaves and the kitchen is clean dh and I head to our bedroom with the ads to get a game plan going. The last 2 years I went out alone and then dh went to a few of the home improvement stores to get the deals there. I usually run through dunkin donuts for a quick caramel swirl iced latte and bagel on the way down to the mall.

Our kids(well one is old enough to baby sit the other) are old enough to stay by themselves so this year I am going to try and talk dh spending the day with me...okay maybe after Walmart and Target!! :tongue1:

[nflores77]

We usually get all the ads together on TG and go through them. My mom, and I are the huge fans of BF. My sisters go sometimes but hate lines, hate shopping LOL So it's pretty much my mom and I. We go to starbucks first and depending on what the ADs have is what the gameplan will be for what stores we hit up first. I have a feeling I'll be hitting up BB first since I'm looking into finally getting a HD LCD/Plasma BIG SCREEN... well only if there is a deal LOL After we are done shopping we go out for breakfast, then we hide the stuff from the family. We usually do wrapping a week or two before xmas. My kids are getting older though so I may want to wrap presents the next day... just depends if my mom is into it. LOL

[angiebmac]

After we eat a very scrumptious Thanksgiving Meal, the women and teenage girls gather around the table with the GottaDeal ads and our lists. We plot the course for the morning. We start at Walmart. Since all of us aren't necessarily shopping for anything in Walmart, we all help get what we want. My Mom and my Aunt are the buggy keepers. They will stand near the checkout lines while one person head to Toys, one to Electronics, one to Housewares and the other to Jewelry. We 'runners' will have our lists of what we need to pick up and meet at the checkout lane to pay. We will then go to the next store and repeat the same process. After we've hit the Walmart, Kmart, Target, Radio Shack and other stores we will go to Shoney's for breakfast and then hit the mall since it usually opens later than the other stores. This is the highlight of our day and we are usually gone from 3am until around 6pm. There's usually 3 to 4 cars full of family members!

[sholleran]

Set the automatic coffee pot for 3 am, go to bed, get up, fill a Thermos & dress from the skin outwards like I'm going Moose hunting, grab my ads & drive to first target store... stand or sit & enjoy Chicago's late fall weather... or curse it, depending. Stay warm until store opens but need to shed many layers while shopping.

[cshelbythec]

Go over the ads after turkey dinner and finalize the plan! Get partially dressed before i go to bed, set the alarm for 230, hit the dunkin donuts at 3 am then Target or Walmart depending on who has the better deals. We have all the store within 5-7 miles so it's a nuthouse round here. But it's better to avoid Walmart most years because fights break out and the cops have to be there! Suburbia gone wild...lol!

[snomofinn]

Well, first of all I like to say, my tradition only involves ME. My husband and the rest of my family and friends all think I am out of my mind for doing this every year. :eyepoppin After we get home from Thanksgiving dinner, I pull out all the sales ads, my cheesy christmas pen and my cheesy "Christmas" pad of scratch paper. I start my going through all the stores and making a list of each store I want to go to, and what I am going there for and then attach any coupons that might be associated with the ad. I take the sales paper, my list and coupons and fold them neatly by my purse. I sit down and pour myself a nice glass of wine and sit there and think what it's going to be like in the morning. I go to bed, and get up by 4 am and grab a venti coffee from starbucks and off I go. I am always home by noon with all my goodies. My husband just shakes his head when I walk in the door at noon. I just can't seem to get anyone to come with me. My girls are older now 22 and 15 and neither one are interested either, oh well, I will just keep it to myself. ;) With all do respect... there are a few stores I do not go to and Walmart is one of them. I usually stick to Macys, Express (yes express opens at 5 am, with excellent deals and coupons), Best Buy, Target, and a few others. Can't wait till this year's BF! :D

[Joyagirl1013]

We both worked retail when we met and absolutely hated that day called Black Friday! For years we did not care, nothing could ever drag us out on THAT day! Then one year when our son was just 2 he wanted a furby. They were no where to be found. We had come 'back home' for the Thanksgiving holiday and were staying w/my parents. For the heck of it we asked my parents if they would mind if we left the house at five o'dark early to get this silly furby. We hit TRU, stood in the long endless line for an hour and alas when we made it into the store we were each handed a wrapped Kellog's Pop-tart. My husband and I shared one of those "you've got to be kidding me" looks, grabbed a cart each and flew through the store snapping up tons of glorious hard to find gifts for our toddler...and thus a tradition was born. We shopped every single BF after that, and mind you, we recall that smooshed poptart we were each handed, every single year.
Now we get up early, forget showering that morning, grab our computer lists, store flyers, highlighters and pen AND COFFEE MUGS and hit our destinations.
We're so bad we skipped a car trip w/other members of family (to a funeral) so we could do our BF shopping for our children (we left later that day) AND I recall the day my husband was in renal failure, near death, but we had to shop! I remember standing next to him thinking "wow, we really need to shower" not really knowing he was toxic and actually very sick and the odor was that of his shut down kidneys! Now...you know we are true blue do not miss a BF shoppers!!!! Every year we finish our day with breakfast out with our three kids (whom we pick up after shopping!)

[JazzMama]

Every year I make two loaves of Cranberry Nut Bread. We have one for dinner with everyone and then we take the other with us in the morning with our coffee! YUM!

I'd love to get this recipe!

Our traditions are:
The boys leave to go hunting around 4, then mom & I clean up, watch a classic Christmas movie and finalize plans on the ads. She usually falls asleep and I stay up all night. I can usually get a few things online before we leave at 4:30. First stop is almost always Walmart (mainly to pricematch), followed by whatever stores have the best deals. Breakfast is at Chickfila. Then, we hit Bath & Body Works. By that time, I'm usually worn out, so I head home and fall asleep for a few hours. After that, I get busy wrapping presents!

[superQ828]

My sister and our friends check the BF site multiple times a day starting at the beginning of November, making and remaking our shopping lists for BF. On Thanksgiving, we grab a copy of each of the local papers (some of the ads are only in one paper!) and remake our shopping list and our game plan for the next day. We set up our meeting point for our friends (who's going to be driving, who's picking who up, etc.) Sometimes we meet at the first store, and then carpool to the rest of the stores. We typically start at Kohl's then the 1st Walmart (they share a parking lot), then the 1st Target (down the street). We usually get a snack at Bruegger's Bagels or Caribou Coffee, then either head off to one of the local malls to hit Bath & Body Works, Lane Bryant, Sears, BB & Circuit City. We then usually go to the other Walmarts or Targets in the local area, and usually Big Lots and Kmart. We finish off with lunch and go home for a nap before putting up our Christmas decorations. I am usually designated to "shop" with my friend's daughter so her mom can get and disguise her gifts. This is getting harder every year since she is going to be 11 this year. Last year we invited one of her friends and her mother to add to the confusion about whose gifts were whose! ;)

[mea772]

I gotta say...I am so envious!

I think it is so cool that you all have "traditions".

My BF is a touch and go type thing. Sometimes my husband has to work it so I don't get to go. If he doesn't work, sometimes I can hit a couple stores, sometimes I can't because we failed to save up enough money for presents (Christmas bonus doesn't come in until a couple weeks later :()

When I do go, I go alone. My DH doesn't get into BF and my friends don't either. I can probably wrangle up one but to be honest...I don't think they would be very much fun to shop with LOL

Last year Kmart had a sale on the Wii. It was for the night before TG. I got there at around 9pm and bought it at 6:30am. It was fun tho!

I am looking for a job so there is a chance I might not be able to go shopping but if I can I will try to start up a tradition for myself. First of all...I am glad I have this place to read up on and find deals that I might not have seen myself. I am going to write down my game plan and cut coupons out. I am also excited that I just read that Walmart will honor the prices of other stores...that might cut down on my shopping around!

[dancglady]

The only thing my sister and I always do is get McDonalds for breakfast on the go. Other then that our game plan changes every year. We leave our homes until around 4. I would rather sleep. Maybe once my son is old enough to want to big ticket things I will wait and wait and wait!

[elena_398]

I shop alone so I always stop by for a nice cup of coffee on the way home while the rest of the family is snoozing. I put away my items then come on this board to hear what everyone got and/or their stories.

I usually take a nap then the family puts up the tree and starts decorating

[Netter40]

On Thanksgiving night my cousin comes over and we go through all the ads again and make our game plan. To which store we get to first. We make a like and get addresses to ever store so i can put in my gps. We always end up staying up until 1am. Then at 4am we are up and had coffee and getting ready to go out the door. Every year after the shopping is over, about 8 or 9pm we always go to Olive Garden and have supper before going home. Then I get everything in the house and get it wrapped that night so girls don't see anything.
GO BUCK!!!!!!

[Iliveforblckfri]

Hi,

I start weeks before making lists of my desires on 3X5 index cards. On Thanksgiving, my sister-in-law and I compare lists and we match what we can to minimize our shopping. Black Friday starts at 4 am @ Denny's for breakfast with anyone that wants to go with us.
We will make all last minute additions. The goal is to get in and out of stores within 20 minutes for the initial visit. We will hit the big stores by 7:30 am with all of our doorbuster items. The only goals for the first trip is the doorbusters. :eyepoppin:eyepoppin
We then regroup. We may need to return to stores to get items that are on the three day sale flyer.
I love the idea of the binder for sale advertisements. I will add that one to my list this year. Last year I downloaded the ads to my computer and took my computer with me. I think the binder will be easier.

[dmintelsgt]

Uh roll out of bed, dress, shop, shop, shop, shop, shop, shop, drive home, crash in the bed until Saturday! That's pretty much how it happens every year.

Although last year I missed BF and Christmas because I was deployed, I plan on making up for it this year! (I have to get DH credit, he did a great job shopping and the girls had a wonderful Christmas)

[clevergirls]

My sisters and I have a very unusual tradition on Black Friday. There are 3 of us and we enjoy getting up early and just being together for lots of fun. The thing we do that is a little different, though, is pick up trash. Yes, you heard right...we pick up trash.

We have one shopping center we usually go to because it has the stores we like, so of course we go to get in on the great deals. Once the shopping is done, though, you can't believe the MOUNDS of trash that Black Friday shoppers just leave on the sidewalks while they are waiting to get into the stores. A few years ago, we were just appalled at what we saw, so we stopped the car...got out...went inside one of the stores to get industrial sized trash bags...and started cleaning. Sure, we get a few strange looks once in a while, but most sensible people pitch in to help. It's not your typical Black Friday tradition, I'm sure, but it makes us feel good so we do it!:D

[jenrein]

The only thing my sister and I always do is get McDonalds for breakfast on the go. Other then that our game plan changes every year. We leave our homes until around 4. I would rather sleep. Maybe once my son is old enough to want to big ticket things I will wait and wait and wait!

I came to say my one tradition is BK breakfast on my way home!! I look forward to it every year!

I also drop my Christmas cards in the mail on my out to go shopping and then we put the tree up that night.

[AuntieJul]

My husband and I will finalize our plans of attack, including the opening times of stores and driving efficiency. Any "down time" (though I can hardly imagine any) will be spent at one of many Dunkin Donuts, refueling on caffeine. Then, it's rush rush rush between Walmart, JC Penney's, Kmart, Boscov's, Lowe's, Home Depot, Dick's... Whereever we need to go that year! Home by 12, call Mom and make her jealous with all the good deals I got, toast up some open-faced turkey sandwiches and stuffing/dressing, take a nap, and prepare for Saturday's deals!!! (Like Kmart's).

[Thumper501]

My sister and I always go over our plan of attack on T-Day. We figure out what time we are meeting, what stores, etc. The morning of we meet up grab hot chocolate (for me), coffee (for her), and a quick breakfast. Then we head out and stand in line waiting for whatever store we plan to hit first (it varies from year to year).

[biggerbear16]

Well, we go over to my Grandma's house about 40 miles away, and spread the ads out and decide where we want to go on BF.

Sidenote (nothing to do with BF):
A tradition we do on TG after dinner is our family gets together and we have a little euchre tournament.

[littlezar]

Thanksgiving night I usually pop in the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation DVD and go through the sale ads for the umpteenth time to finalize where I'm going and in what order. If I'm at my parents, my sister will go out with me and if I'm at home, I'm on my own.

[Princess7915]

I love this topic - I was clueless that other things existed on Black Friday outside of shopping!

[jw109]

Reading all these posts really puts me in the holiday spirit! I love hearing everyone else's traditions. My husband and I do the shopping each year together... we have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my family and the kids stay with Grandma overnight. We come home from dinner and look at the sale ads AGAIN for the 100th time and make a game plan. We'll probably have a beer or 2 in the process since the kids aren't home and have a nice evening together. Maybe sleep a few hours and then up in the wee morning (dark morning that is) and off to Kohls. That is usually our first stop and we're out of there in less than 1/2 hour.

This is my absolute favorite time of the year!!

Jen

[nnmfam]

I got my husband into BF last year. WE paln on lists going to 2 stores iwth our phones a. WE will only have cash and have to stick to lists. This economy is killingus.

[ajburlingame]

We ALWAYS go to Olive Garden to eat :)

[julz0420]

My mom and I go through all the ads after dinner on T'giving. We get up around 3am and head to wally world. Once we hit there and Target we hit McD's for breakfast (to go lol) while we head to Walgreens. After that we hit one more store then I drop her off, come home and eat t'giving leftovers and nap for an hour or two. Then I get up and if I'm hungry again (and I usually am) I eat leftovers again then dh, Madison, and I head out a second time. We usually dont get home til dinner or right after. Once we are home we put up the tree and decorate it. :)

[Bursley2010]

My fiancee and I start out spending all TG looking over the ads, making decisions on what we want to get and prioritizing in the event that we can't pick up everything. Then we usually take a quick walk around Meijer/Kmart to walk off the turkey and see if there's anything we'd like from the TG sale, and head back home for a quick nap. We're up by midnight and out in line at Best Buy by 12:30am, armed with our DVD player, sleeping bags, chairs, blankets, and a thermos full of hot chocolate (and Bailey's :) ). We usually get through BB in a half hour/45 min or so, then it's across the street to Target just in time for them to open the doors. We may hit Kohl's or a couple other places before we go to Big Boy for the breakfast buffet, then drop off the finacee at home to sleep while I hit up Old Navy and the mall (Bath and Body Works for sure!). I'm usually done around noon and after I get back, I unpack and take all the price tags off, pop in a movie and crash on the couch, enjoying the gradual thaw after having been out all night in the Michigan cold. :)

[PentiumMMX]

Normally, it all starts after Thanksgiving dinner at my grandma's house (Which is always right at lunchtime). I get a chance to go over the ads again, and if there's anything we need or want, we begin to make a game plan. I then give my mom a "mission briefing" on what we'll do, where we'll meet up if we get separated, and other things.

The next day, I normally get up early, make some coffee for myself, and wait for my mom to wake up (Though the past 2 years, she's been up before me), enjoying the calm before the storm. Once ready, we head out to wherever we're going for BF (Typically, we go to Wal-Mart). Once we're back, we get to wrapping any gifts we bought, and stash them away until I get the tree out.

[allshoppedout]

DH and I usually make the tentative lists out a few days in advance--thanks to this forum--and then we finalize it after the kids are in bed, on Thanksgiving evening. Then one of us usually goes out alone... :( We get the job done, but it is very lonely....
I am a bit envious of alot of you with your fun traditions...maybe someone can adopt my DH and me...and we can have some real fun ;) one of these days.

[primal]

OOOHH! I cant wait. On thursday I put Christmas music on and light some candles and go over ads. On friday I shop till around 11 am then we all put up the tree and Christmas decorations. We spend the day eating left overs and singing to our Christamas music. I am so excited.

[ann129]

i like to go out and get hot cocoa/ coffee and Cinnamon rolls or something when the madness is over, then go home and turn on holiday music, rest for a bit and put up holiday decorations

[vonnyb]

After everyone has gone home we usually spend the rest of the evening going over the ads. Usually get up about 4:00 and head out. I usually make a leftover ham on toast sandwich. We usually start out at one of the stand alone stores like walmart,target, kohls and end up at the mall. Then go home to eat more leftovers and crash.

[annabell2007]

I start planning my BF trip at the end of October. Our families are so large so each year the adults draw names. We end up purchasing gifts for 4 Adults plus nieces and nephews. I start searching BF sites for all the deals. I place money in an envelope for each person I have on my list. This keeps me organized and within budget.

I love BF Gottadeal for all the great leads and forums. My sister-in-law and I are the only die-hard BF shoppers in the family. We shop all the major stores in the area. When the lines are long; one shops while the other stands in line.

Lunch comes around 10am or after all the doorbusters are done!!!. We love Mimi's Cafe for their breakfast menu and its across the street from the mall.

I hope to see more BF ads soon. There is still a lot of planning hours left. Sleep is so overrated!!! :)

[lcplwinkerswife]

well didnt go BF shopping last year because of where I was living and I actually was done with shopping by November 15th. But generally, me and my mom get up go by McDonalds drive thru get a biscuit , then head out and get Starbucks while we are at the mall in the midst of our shopping.

This year I think im flying solo on this BF. But TG day Ill get up go get a paper first thing. Come home watch Macys Thanksgiving Day parade I always watch it. Sort through ads, eat turkey, then go over them some more, get a game plan , and go to bed, then out the door by 3:30 -4:00 am , and off to BB or Target. They are right beside each other and it depends on who has a better deal on a camera or microwave.:holiday10

[areno79]

SIL comes over Tgiving night and we compare notes and go through our ads. We have a notebook with one page dedicated to each store and list what we're getting at each store. Then we compare lists and prioritize the stores from there. We stay up all night then go to our first store around 2AM (or whenever we can't wait anymore because we're so excited!).When we're done shopping (usually around 11AM), we go to a Chinese buffet for lunch, then go home, crash for a few hours, get up and start putting Christmas decorations up! We both LIVE for this day, since usually her kids dominate anything we ever do together.

[flyjar]

Night before, plan the route, and get the list together. Marking off the must have items. After the 1st store, Best Buy it's off to McDonalds for breakfast. Then it's off to Target, after that it's usually whatever. Then home for naps, daughter, wife and sometimes myself. Then in the afternoon it's usually off to the mall.

[discountdiva]

I live in Fort Erie, Ontario which is a stone's htrow away from Buffalo, New York. On Thanksgiving day I go to Buffalo and get a paper and I come home and make tukey dinner too. (even though it is not our Thanksgiving)
I check out the ads while I watch the Thanksgiving Day parade.
On BF, I pick up black coffee for myself and my friend and I go pick her up at 4:30. Before we leave her house we add some Bailey's to our black coofe and we're off to Target.
As soon as they open the doors to Target, it never fails that we head immediately to the bathroom and then we begin our quest to seek out the bargains that we so carefully planned out with out Gottadeal shopping lists.

[zim05]

As soon as they open the doors to Target, it never fails that we head immediately to the bathroom and then we begin our quest to seek out the bargains that we so carefully planned out with out Gottadeal shopping lists.

LOL the bathroom part of this made me chuckle a bit because every time I go shopping with my mom she always has to hit up the bathroom! I told her that if she doesn't hold it until we are in line for check out we wouldn't be able to find each other until next BF!!

[TopperChic87]

We usually cook a good breakfast before we leave. Then, we have a little discussion over coffee, and remind each other where everyone is going to be, and also make sure everyone has their cell phone on them. Then, after all the shopping is done, we go somewhere for lunch, take cheesy pictures of ourselves with all of our sweet deals, head home and CRASH!

[jakesmommy403]

My mom and I clean off the table around 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving night and lay out all of our ads. We usually have a pretty good idea of what we're doing, but this is when we finalize. We make lists, discuss game plans, and always consider trying another store first before inevitably deciding that we're sticking with Walmart first. lol

Then I pick her up around 2:30 a.m. and we get a HUGE cup of coffee at Sheetz on the way to Walmart. I pack some snack like pop-tarts and stuff for breakfast.

After we shop til we drop, we head to Bob Evans for brunch and look over all of our reciepts. Then the decision is made whether to try any other stores or whether to call it a morning. (We usually call it a morning.)

I love Black Friday!! I just hope I'm not throwing up all over the place this year, as I'm 3 months pregnant!! lol

[jarerice]

In the prevois years, I make a book for the ads. That's always a big hit with my family and people who see me shopping. They can't believe how organized I am. I always tell them about GD. I might make up business cards this year to hanf out. I love my BF binder!

[lcplwinkerswife]

loved the idea of a binder, so went and got one and it does help me keep organized even for sales before BF.