JazzMama

I didn't get it, but since I'm in here every day, I found out from the boards.

Same w/ my 4-yr old! This started in mid-September ... every time she saw a commercial I heard "Mommy, I want that". Now that she is learning her letters, she writes the really "important" stuff on her list to Santa. However, that said, her shopping is already done (with the exception of any great deals on BF). Her main items are lottttts of Barbies and the playsets, My Little Pony playset, Real Meal Easy Bake oven, games, DVDs, books, and Belle dress-up set. I'm still debating on whether or not to get the Leapster L-Max. If there's a good deal on one BF I'll get it then. Otherwise, I'll hold off until her birthday. **Side note - when I was a teenager, the main thing I wanted was gc to the mall, clothes (that I picked out of course), jewelry, movie tickets, and CDs.**

Thanks!!

For my grandparents (we have 3 grandmas and 1 grandpa), we usually do gift baskets. For two of the grandmas, they usually get a relaxation gift basket - extra-cushy socks or house shoes, lotion, vitamins, their favorite comfort food (soup mix, chili mix, cookies, chocolate), and a Classic Christmas DVD or CD. For the other grandma, she gets a housekeeping basket that has all kinds of stuff: 409, oven cleaner, detergent, fabric softener, magic erasers, sponges, Swiffer, and a Southern Gospel CD (this is what she has asked for ) The grandpa gets his traditional food gift basket - favorite soda, coffee, tea, flavored popcorn, trail mix, spicy peanuts, cookies, and a Western DVD or Southern Gospel CD. In the past, they have gotten the heated vibrating massage chair things, heated foot bath, electric blankets, and housecoats.

I wake up at 4 and usually get to the stores between 4:30 and 5 (luckily they're only about 10 minutes from my house)

Nope - everyone in my family stays home on BF except for my mom and her presents are always bought ahead of time.

Good grief! I guess my town's pretty tame or I've just been sleepwalking around the looters. I've never had anything happen to me and hope I never do.

I just print out my shopping list from this site. However, my mom brings all of the ads and leaves them in my car so we can decide at the last-minute if there's anything else that needs to be bought!

I use boxes for nearly everything. However, for the odd-shaped gifts and for three of the Grandparents, it's bags. They don't like to mess with the ribbons and tape ... and I am aka The Tape and Ribbon Queen

I wrap it myself.

I usually layer my clothes (i.e. short-sleeve tee, fleece pullover, coat) so I can shed them in my car if need be; comfort mocs from LL Bean (the most comfortable shopping shoes ever); my gloves; shopping list, but other than that nothing else.

No it's not mean - I do the exact same thing!

The only time is when my mom and I go to Wal-Mart. We have two SuperCenters, so she goes to one and I go the other. That way, we both stand a better chance at getting what we both want. I call her before I go to check-out to see if we have any duplicates. Then, we meet up later at the mall and halve the list.

LOL - same response here! There's only one other coworker that likes to shop on BF. My husband doesn't really mind; he just tunes me out when I start telling him about the latest ad/rumored ad

Mine always goes in the trunk.

I know it also happened in NE Arkansas too - you had to go in through the side entrance (paint/hardware) and there were a ton of people lined up at the clothing entrance. Apparently there weren't signs or they weren't noticed (by word-of-mouth b/c I wasn't there)

Thank you - I couldn't find Everwood anywhere here and this is such a good deal! Another Christmas present off my list

Gas cards, restaurant gift certificate, movie tickets, food basket (chocolate, fruit, coffee) ... Otherwise, I'm not sure

Quietest would be a tie for Lowes and Walgreens. However, if you wait to go to Walgreens closer to the end (like 10-11), it's packed because everyone's winding down their shopping trip by buying gift wrap and labels.

I prefer them - especially if it's a gift certificate for my favorite masseuse!

Not sure - I have to see the ads first.

Most are friendly. I always end up chatting in the lines before we can get in.

That's my vote too! Ours let in about 15 at a time and there were 2 police officers - one at each entrance/exit to make sure everything was going smoothly. Every register had someone there waiting to check you out as well as clerks that were at the beginning of each aisle to make sure you found what you wanted. They also had a clerk that would go outside the store and announce when one of the BF items was sold out. That way, if you were still in line and that's the only thing you had wanted, you could go ahead and leave.

I can usually tell when it's on purpose or not. If it is, I move to the side and as they pass say, "My God, can you believe some people" ... smiling the whole time.

Thankfully, yes!! I work for a small mortgage company, so this is one of our standard days off.