orangedaisy

Best Buy, TRU

I'd like to say I have a shopping buddy, but my husband has to stay home with the kids and my sister always poops out on me. So yes, I usually go alone.

I wish I had someone to buy one for. I don't think my neices are into them.

Same issue here. At our old house, we put it in the same spot every year. In this new house, we have already discussed and realize that we will have to put our love seat down the basement for the holiday season, since there is just no other way a tree is going to fit in our living room. Oh well, I guess I should be grateful that we have the room in the basement for the love seat!

I don't mind them, don't particularly look for them or avoid them, but I don't think I'd be enticed by one during the BF shopping frenzy. I want my discounts on the spot in that case.

I agree it is great for the original stuff. Last year I got my son an Eagles bean bag that I wouldn't have found any where local. He loved it, it was a big hit.

I do carry my purse because I live out of it and feel lost without it. Maybe I'll reconsider just for BF...

If you don't like snow on Christmas, wouldn't you just despise it on Black Friday? What a mess that would be! I've never had it happen but it is possible where I live. Anyone have any snowy Black Friday stories?

I have such good intentions of going out in the middle of the night, but it never happens. I usually don't get out until between 6A and 8A.

I don't know yet...we buy a real one every year. We'll probably get a taller one than usual this year since we moved and now have much higher ceilings. I know my husband will argue getting a bigger one but I'll win - he loves me too much to say no.

I'm too tired (and broke!) from all the excitement to go out the day after Christmas.

I have Christmas shopped on ebay in the past. I probably will again. The no return thing can be a problem though.

Definitely! My son already has an iPod that he bought on his own. Last year my daughter wanted the Brittany Spears perfume, Curious. My husband had a hard time spending $50 on that but guess what - it was the #1 thing that she sooooo desperately HAD to have, so we caved. Teens are so hard to buy for.

OK, I got my six year old to tell me a few things he wants. So far he wants the Fur Real Friend dog, Scamps, black and white to be exact. He also wants the Doodle Monster. It's a start! I wonder if either of these will be hard to get or if I should start looking now....

What about stuff for teenagers besides cell phones and computers? LOL. I have a 15 y.o. boy and 16 y.o. daughter to buy for. UGH. I have a 6 y.o. son too, but he likes so many things that he will be easy to buy for. It's so hard with the older kids.

I also like to listen to the holiday music channel on cable tv while cleaning and cooking. The music is EVERYWHERE. The family can't escape.

Woohoo!!

I did this with the plush Dora Backpacks (2 years ago I think?) I could only afford to buy 4 of them, but they were nearly impossible to find in the store and they were going for outrageous amounts on ebay. Ridiculous what people will pay for something they desperately want for their kid - but hey, I've done it so I can't mock them. LOL. Anyway, Strawbridges just happened to get a batch in when I was there and I grabbed what I could afford. It's fun, and can be profitable.

So when do these "early" ads come out?

Yep, I'm all for the hype, before and during! I love rifling through newspaper ads with my husband after Thanksgiving dinner, making a list and a shopping plan. You only live once, so why the heck not?

I did this for my mom last year, only I ordered mine online from shutterfly.com. They did a great job and my mom loved it - she is so hard to buy for because she only likes antiques and old stuff, and I have no idea how to buy that kind of stuff for her. I think she needs clothes, but whenever I have tried to get her clothes she doesn't like them, so I give up.

So, besides Xbox 360, what are some of the hot items this year? For any ages - kids and adults. I want to get an idea early on about what is going to be hard to find so I can be ahead of the game.

My son actually took his own money and reserved one. He wants to be absolutely sure he gets it, I guess he doesn't trust me to get it for him.

The Carpenter's Christmas album and the "Now That's What I Call Christmas" cd's. And the radio too - we have two stations here that start playing 24/7 Christmas music pretty early (last year they started BEFORE Thanksgiving!).

I have been out alone and it's not really that bad. You can do whatever you want, go wherever you want, and not have to worry about what someone else wants to do. However, every year I ask my sister to go and I am disappointed deep down when she can't. It is fun to share the excitement of the day with someone. But she always has an excuse - she doesn't have any money, she can't leave DH with the kids, she can't get up that early, etc. Whatever.