outnumbered

The color scheme for the site--like, the background and the colors of the logos and bars, things like that. The overall "look" of it.

My parents' neighborhood back home is like that. Noplace out here is that I know of, other than the riverwalk. Not the same as seeing people's houses all decked out. I can't believe I haven't seen good Christmas lights since 2001.

This is an awesome feature, Brad! Thanks!

There are a lot of things that I would like to have but I simply can't afford them, and at BF time I wind up buying or at least seriously considering them. This year that's going to be the dual screen DVD player that Walmart has for $149. I don't know yet if I'm buying it or not but I think I am going to. I'd like one like that for the van and I simply can't afford them ordinarily. $150 is still a lot of money but I will probably be able to swing it.

Totally depends on where you live. Out here I was the first one in line at 4 am. In other cities, that could land you 50th or 300th, I'm sure...it varies widely from one city to another.

Wow, I always have a great experience at my TRU. They are always helpful and if something isn't in stock they do a good job of letting me know when they're expecting more in, having me call to check on x day, holding one for me sometimes, etc. They have a severe lack of employees throughout the store, but the people at the customer service desk always find someone quickly for me if I need assistance. I got some great shopping done there today. Got the Dora's talking house for $45 ($50 with a $5 off coupon), picked up a few other things which bumped my total up to the $75 needed for the gift card, got that, loaded up the van with what I bought, went back inside and got the easel I was after, used the gift card and then another $5 coupon on that...shoot, I think I did pretty good. Not quite as good as the 20% off sale prices I got online recently, but I was limited to toys offering free shipping when I did that. I picked up all the non-free-shipping stuff I wanted today and made out pretty well. Done with Christmas shopping for my kids now. Woohoo!

I will use whatever ornaments the kids have not broken. Various colors of balls, a few Santas and snowmen, and some special ornaments we've collected/been given over the years. So no color scheme, other than the tree being green, LOL.

What a great idea...thanks Brad! :)

I was there today and what they gave me was a $10 gift card--before I had paid. I probably could have done a partial pay with it on what I was buying right then and there, but since I still had a large item to come back in for (could only fit so much in the cart LOL), I left, loaded up the van, came back in, got the easel I was after, and then used the $10 card (and $5 printed coupon) on that. So it seems quite possible to me that someone could take the card and then use it to pay right there, rather than waiting for next time.

If it's a larger toy or a movie, I will. The smaller stuff, no.

Yep, same here. Too many people never see us anymore so I have to send out all those pics.

Yep, I got mine back within the hour of having them taken. Don't know if that's still their policy but it was GREAT. I was so impressed.

I haven't used them for Christmas before but I took my oldest there when he was a toddler. They were incredible. The photographers were excellent with children and the photos look really fun! It's not a place I would take my kids to every single time they needed portraits done, but if we had a PP out here I would go occasionally. They are very expensive ($15 a sheet last I checked, which was a few years ago) but the pics are just great!

Yeah, I'll have to keep my eye out for those package deals. I have to find a big one, because I need a *lot* of wallets to send out...and then I am stuck with big 8x10s that I don't need LOL...but it's still cheaper to do it that way than only buy the wallet sheets.

After BF, move over to the Lounge. :) Last year before BF I only posted in the BF forum, and then after BF was over I posted a few times in the Lounge...and, well, that was it for me. I've been hooked ever since. LOL. You'll be able to find great sales and deals on all kinds of stuff all year long in the Online and Offline Hot Deals forums too.

I'm actually about to call Sears myself. Ours doesn't fill up that fast but I need to get Erin's 2-year-old pics done, plus make an appointment for all of them to have the Christmas one done too. I'm part of the smilesavers too, and that with the military special they have helps bring the cost down to something reasonable. I have to be really, really specific about what I want, though. They keep wanting to take horizontal pictures or use different backgrounds than what I want, and they say "Oh, we'll do this, then we'll do it the way you want"--well by the time they've done it their way, my kids are fighting with each other and don't want to sit and smile anymore and I'm stuck with only the ones I don't like. No more of that, LOL. I get it done my way and then I actually like what I buy.

Oooh, I remember that too! When I was little I would go through the pages and make my Christmas list based on what I saw inside it. So fun! :)

Here are the regular holiday guidelines for the post office: http://www.usps.com/holiday/mailingshippingguidelines.htm

Everything is opened Christmas morning here.

I'm on their mailing list, but I didn't get any book or coupon in the mail today...maybe it's late and will be here Monday?

LOL, but that song ("Hero") sucks. And my kids don't call me. I don't know, it's just not my thing. Half the time I can't even figure out what song a ringtone is supposed to be until it's been ringing for about 10 minutes and by that time the person trying to call has given up, and everyone around the person with the phone is ready to lynch them...LOL.

LOL...I'd still prefer my phone to sound like a phone. I guess I'm just too or something to be sucked in to this ringtone stuff. I'd rather have music that sounds like music and a phone that sounds like a phone.

You have to PAY to make your phone sound stupid???? Good lord. No, I am definitely never going to be downloading any ringtones.

I believe they're the electronic ones that light up and make sounds...these ones: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3757290

I'm going to try to get the electronic lightsabers from Walmart for stocking stuffers. They're on sale now for something like $14--but will be $8 I think on BF. In the past I've done movies as stocking stuffers too. Most of the little toys just wind up cluttering their room and getting stepped on within a few weeks so I don't tend to do those anymore. And candy, of course! Can't forget the candy. One candy cane apiece, and then some good chocolate stuff. I fill my own stocking too LOL.