Thanksgiving and Black Friday routine!

[starbeck96]

I was just wondering what is your routine for Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

 

Mine changed some last year since our local Walmart opened at midnight BF.

 

My Thanksgiving prep actually starts the Wed. before. I get up and fix anything I can fix a day early. I get up early and get Thanksgiving Dinner going. My husband's family comes to our house so I have a lot of cooking to do. Then if Kmart or anywhere has anything I am interested in, then I drive an hour away to go get the item/items I want. (All we have in our town is Walmart).

 

Then I come back home and finish cooking. While cooking I am looking at my ads and making last minute adjustments. We eat around 5:00 p.m. Then family leaves and I make sure kids get bath. Then go over ads one last time. Then go to bed.

 

Get up at 2 Black Friday and head to Walmart. Then after we are finished there, my best friend and I head an hour and half away to do some serious shopping. We usually hit Target and TRU first. Then Old Navy and wherever else we can think of.

 

We get home around 5 or 6 that night.

 

Last year my best friend came (w/her kiddos so my hubby could babysit) to my house and we left my house around 11:50. We went to Walmart and then scoped everything out to see where it was. We also grabbed anything we could that was not a doorbuster or that they would let us...

 

The rest of the day pretty much went the same.

[ilikefree]

The night before Thanksgiving my family spends the night at my sister's house. Then the two of us get up early and go to Meijer for the Thanksgiving day deals. Then my family goes home so I can prepare Thanksgiving dinner and my sister's family goes to husband's side for lunch before coming to my house. After dinner we all go back to her house and scope out the ads and make (tweek) our lists for the 1,000th time! :) The 4 adults play cards for a while and then we head to bed for a couple hours. Again, my sister and I get up at about 2 or so to head to either Wal-Mart or Meijer, depending upon who has what. Then usually to Menards and back to her house to unload and have a little breakfast. Then we're back out, going to another city (all before 9 a.m.!) for more shopping. We usually get back to her house around 5 or 6, both giddy from lack of sleep, but we always have a ball!

 

Last year DH saw some DeWalt drills, battery packs and a few other things he wanted at Lowes so he and our 16 year old son set up a tent in Lowe's parking lot right by the door and spent the night in there. I guess Lowe's doesn't get tents set up too often because someone from inside the store came out and took a picture of their tent set up there. About 5:30 a.m. or so more people started showing up so they took their tent down and put it away before the store opened. They did get in and got what they wanted, but we still laugh at them for setting up a tent at Lowe's.

[starbeck96]

Last year DH saw some DeWalt drills, battery packs and a few other things he wanted at Lowes so he and our 16 year old son set up a tent in Lowe's parking lot right by the door and spent the night in there. I guess Lowe's doesn't get tents set up too often because someone from inside the store came out and took a picture of their tent set up there. About 5:30 a.m. or so more people started showing up so they took their tent down and put it away before the store opened. They did get in and got what they wanted, but we still laugh at them for setting up a tent at Lowe's.

That is just too funny!

[Princess7915]

Our BF always changes. We are pretty low key by comparison to some others! On Thursday dinner is at my moms house. I have never been out shopping on Thanksgiving for deals. Partly because there has never really been anything that I needed and partly because my husband does not support making people work on Thanksgiving. After dinner and "company" goes home and all is cleaned up my mom and I drag out and ads and the final list making begins and "the plan" is formed. We always get excited because we have seen the ads online but we usually wait until after dinner to dig through the real ones as tradition! After we make our shopping lists and plot which stores we want to go to we call my aunt and leave her a message of when and where to meet us. She is our shopping buddy but leaves the planning to us! On Black Friday our store order always changes depending on who has good ads. Many years we begin at Kohls and sometimes Penny's. We pack leftover turkey roll sandwiches in a cooler for snacking on the go! Breakfast at Chick-fil-A. Afternoon lunch of leftovers is at my mom's house and it's usually time to unload the car, then its back to shopping round 2 :)

[samisma]

I'm not sure what my BF routine will be like this year. It is sure to be insane.

 

It'll be my first Thanksgiving as a wife... So not only do we have my family to deal with, but his family, and my ex's family is planning to see us on Thanksgiving (to visit my daughter).

 

I'm plotting now ways to sneak out to get my shopping done!

[momof3luvs1]

Im very anxious about this year because I will be away the week of Thanksgiving/black friday. I usually start prepping Wednesday night and get up super early on Thanksgiving to cook. I usually have everything prepared by 3 and the meal, dessert, and clean up done by 7. My bff and I go through our coupons, ads, n lists one last time and discuss our gameplan and leave for the outlets by 9pm. We usually get mostly clothes but I need a ton of it since I have so many people to buy for. By around 5am We hit Kmart while My hubby has alread gotten on line at Target at around 2-3am. After that we hit Toysrus and then the mall. I usually get home by around 4pm and then CRASH!! Thank god my mom rocks and watches the kids for us =)

 

This year I will be in NY for m good friends wedding and we are all in the bridal part. Her rehersal dinner is at 6:00pm so I cant pull an all dayer like normal...and I cant buy as much things as usual because there is only so much room in my minivan. Only great part about this is 90 percent of my family lives in NY so I CAN BUY THEM EVERYTHING ON bf and just give it to them early and not have to pay the crazy amounts I usually spend on shipping to everyone so I can splurge a little more on their actual gifts. Im pretty sure I will still be cooking Thanksgiving dinner at my other bffs house and we will hit the outlets at roughly the same 9pm travel time...however I really will have to cut out at least the mall because I do need to get some sleep so Im not falling asleep at the rehersal at church!!

[JohnnyLaRue]

No BF for me this year. I am going to live vicariously though a few GDers on here though!!

[bigjimslade]

Too early to know this year BUT in years past I have been known to camp out 5 days before BF and have fun in line with my friends and the media.

[stationchief]

My planned routine for this year: Show up Wednesday mornin', find somethin' to do in line for 48 hours, Friday mornin' go in and buy what'cha want, leave store Friday afternoon. Although that routine will probably change a bit until then.

[Miss Star]

Schedule usually stays the same around here. Up early on Turkey day to Meijer & Kmart if they have anything we want, then come back and help mom cook all day, family comes over to eat, after everyone leaves me and mom spend the rest of the night going over the list and plans I've made(I have a serious addiction to making list, so she usually just ask me where were going first and then I'll tell her what were getting when we get there lol) Then up around 3am to our usual BF choices of Kmart, WM, & Rite Aid.

[sweetdiggity]

I try to plan ahead as much as I can. I make as many foods, desserts, etc as I can the day before Thanksgiving so I have less to do that day. On Thanksgiving, I get up early, go have a pumpkin spice cappuccino from SuperAmerica (they are sooooo damn good!!) and grab the best newspaper of the year.

 

When I get home, I ohh and ahh over the ads, even though I've seen 'em a million times on Gottadeal. :)

Then I will check out online sales, watch the parade, whatever. I usually relax that day and plan for shopping on BF. If Kmart has anything I want I'll go to their Turkey day sale.

 

I try to get a few hours of sleep on Black Friday Eve and get up by 2am to check out online sales, unless they start earlier.

Then I make coffee, get out of the house by 4:45am (all of my stores are 1 mile or so away, luckily) and show up at the store just in time to get in line and wait.

 

I get in and out of any store I go to and usually make it home by noon. After staring at everything I purchased with a huge smile on my face, I have more coffee and pull out the Christmas decorations.

 

Up they go and bring on the holidays!

 

For the rest of the day I eat leftovers, check out more sales online, visit Gottadeal and relax.

 

I can't wait to do it all over again this year. :D

[Elmck]

My routine begins on Wednesday too. Whenever the boss says lets go home, I head to Mom's to help with the cooking. I get up early Thanksgiving morning to go get papers (usually 5-6 so everyone can look and I have a main copy.) Then I head to Mom's for a cup of coffee and we go to K-Mart if there is any thing we want. Back home we finish cooking (this year we a getting my DDIL's involved more and asking them to bring a dish.) After dinner everyone starts making wish list and talking about the ads. We try to figure out who is going where, the only rule is you cannot ask who you are buying for (yes we have had people get their own gifts but the rule helps) Last year I was a TRU around 10:30 PM out of there by 1:00 and off to Kohls, but the rest of the family members (those who enjoy going) were at Best buy, Target, Home Depot, and of course Walmart. Depending on the ads more stores may come later in the day. Everyone gets together later that afternoon to exchange purchases. then I head home to eat leftovers and sleep!!

Prior to BF I spend a lot of time going through the ads here on GottaDeal and it is a big BIG help. I am able to research products and make better choices.

[jamss68]

I take the Wednesday before off to bake, prep and clean. My husband's family arrives from out of town on Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving morning I get my newspaper with all the ads. I cook for 10 and have dessert for 20-25. I prepare a breakfast casserole for Friday morning for my company and my mother in law puts it in the oven Friday morning. After dinner I actually have time to look at the ads. My neice and nephew stay overnight so we plan our shpping trip and try to get a few hours of sleep. Last year I was at TRU at midnight. I won't do that again. Can't enjoy shopping on 2 hours of sleep. I look forward to this tiring routine every year. :) Then, time to put up the tree...

[tinkrbel]

Up TOO early on Thanksgiving to get paper from gas station on corner, then compare ads to gottadeal print outs and make any adjustments needed. help mom cook while scanning internet for deals/sales, while cooking my mother will review ads and note on front page what she's interested in. family comes over to eat, after dessert I distribute my gottadeal printouts to cousins/aunt so they can review, we'll discuss their plans or specs of this vs that and where they/we would be most likely to get something without having had to camp out. After everyone leaves me and mom go over the list of stuff and store plans I've made, ocassionally accomodating things/places she wants into my list. She usually goes for non door busters and sales at walgreens etc which we can just add on to bottom of list with no problems. Then we're up early depending what we need to get and where we need to go.

 

I really wish we had a BigJim around here this year:( If laptops are priced well I'd like one but I know my bladder will just about explode. I guess I could get a cheap tent and use one of the portable toilets as a last resort? BestBuy's around here are madhouses. I guess if I see anything will speak with store managers and see what rules/regulations they have.

[rnstrange]

Get up on Turkey day and run and get the papers to check out the ads. I usually cook my own little family Thanksgiving dinner, but may go to my mom's this year. I already told her we're leaving early so I can get prepped for BF! That night, I go over the ads again to make sure I've got my game plan together. Get to bed early so we can get up early. Up and out by 2 to get in line. Home and back in bed by 10ish for a nap, then back out for a little more. Then home to set up the tree!

[happysunshine28]

Order as much as I can online and then head to walmart. I have always got just about everything I wanted online, and only pick up a few non essentials at the store. Dont have a target or best buy close by so I never go there, did go to sears one year, it was a crazy mad house, but what store isnt on that day.

[tdanette]

No BF for me this year. I am going to live vicariously though a few GDers on here though!!

I say camp out at one of the stores there just for the heck of it!:)

[len_mullen]

My favorite scenario goes like this...

 

1) spend turkey day at the inlaws (so we don't have to go there for xmas)

2) early exit because of BF

3) pack for a weekend while putting finishing touches on my list

4) in line at the best local store by 4:00am

5) return home flush with savings around 11:00am

6) on the road to Jefferson, NH by 1:00pm

7) checked in and sitting poolside by 4:00pm

8) dinner then a couple hours at Santa's Village

9) early breakfast and Saturday morning swim

10) a day of fun at Santas's Village

11) leisurely checkout after swim and breakfast

12) Sunday afternoon of football and looking over my BF loot

 

If that doesn't put you in the mood for Christmas, nothing will!

[starbeck96]

My favorite scenario goes like this...

 

1) spend turkey day at the inlaws (so we don't have to go there for xmas)

2) early exit because of BF

3) pack for a weekend while putting finishing touches on my list

4) in line at the best local store by 4:00am

5) return home flush with savings around 11:00am

6) on the road to Jefferson, NH by 1:00pm

7) checked in and sitting poolside by 4:00pm

8) dinner then a couple hours at Santa's Village

9) early breakfast and Saturday morning swim

10) a day of fun at Santas's Village

11) leisurely checkout after swim and breakfast

12) Sunday afternoon of football and looking over my BF loot

 

If that doesn't put you in the mood for Christmas, nothing will!

Sounds like fun! I wish we could go on vacation that weekend..lol.

[stationchief]

No BF for me this year. I am going to live vicariously though a few GDers on here though!!

Camp out at a few electronics stores anyways, tent and all. Tell 'em you're waitin' for black friday. Don't forget to record the responses ya get from passer bys and from store management.

[PentiumMMX]

It all begins on Thanksgiving morning; I get dessert ready, then go meet everyone over at my grandma's house for lunch. After our meal, I look over the ads one final time and begin to prepare my battle plans; getting my alarm clock set, deciding who will go after what when we arrive at the store, and anything else of importance. That morning, I usually get up an hour or two before Wal-Mart starts their sale; giving me and anybody else coming along time to wake up and get ready before we hit the road and enter the madhouse that is our local Wal-Mart on Black Friday.

 

Once we finish up, we typically go back home (Sometimes picking up breakfast on the way home, and sometimes hitting another store if we feel like it), and then enjoy the rest of our weekend.

[Gporter34]

I am up about 4am Thanksgiving morning to cook. Then, eat, watch the game, go over ads with my Mom and kids. Around 6pm I go make a quick trip to WM and ask around about how my store is going to do things. They seem to change at least a few things every year. After that, maybe home to catch a nap. We have a 24 hour store and hopefully I don't need to be there until midnight or after. The great part being that at least we are waiting inside the store and not outside. I am almost ALWAYS in the checkout line by 3am. I need to be at least the first or second in line to get out of there ahead of the crowd in the store and on the parking lot. I then head over to the other stores, B&BW, JCPenney, Belk, Beall's, Hasting's, etc. Then, it's time to sit down, have breakfast, talk for a little while, and then go home. I wrap everything and put it under the tree, and then I go to bed!!! Hopefully I sleep all day, lol.

[doublehsmom]

My Thanksgiving and Black Friday routine is since my dads family is so small (just my grandma and my dad left) I have both my mom my dad and then my dh grandma over. (13 kids 104 grandkids and she sits alone on holidays HOW SAD!!! thats why whenever I have a holiday or my parents have one she comes too!) Dh loves it because then he gets to hunt and come in whenever he wants. Then when everyone leaves I hit the sack for an hour or so and then leave around 1-2 for shopping! :) I usually am on top of everything so i have my house ready for thanksgiving and my black friday list already made out and know where I'm going and when I want to be there.

[ogadoga]

My Thanksgiving is always the same.....Get up and start making Rolls for Thanksgiving dinner. I head out to Kmart if they have anything I want. By the time we get back the paper has been delivered so I look through the ads. I then head over to my families house for dinner. After dinner I go to my mom's house she watches our kids while we shop. After looking over the ads a few more times I call my sister and give her my list for the stores she is going to. Then we head off to Walmart about 12:00 am. My husband gets in one of the checkout lines while my brother in-law and I go around getting what we want. After checking out there we head out to anyother stores we want. Then we go back to my parents and sleep for awhile before making candy.

[BruceLee]

I don't really do to much. Most of the time Turkey day is here and I go to family get together eat and stay up all night to go shopping the next day.

[jade6700]

Thanksgiving is called Black Friday Eve in my house. I get up early Thursday morning and go grab the local papers. Head over to Starbucks for a Gingerbread latte and then go back home to look at the ads. Thanks to GottaDeal I pretty much already know what I'm going to buy but I still go over the paper ads anyway. It's tradition. We watch the parade while I'm doing all this.

 

As the ads become available online, I start shopping. The past 2 years most of my BF shopping was done before Friday! At some point I make turkey dinner. It's just us 4 and only my DH and I really eat any of the food. The kids really aren't into it all. I think not having family out here makes Thanksgiving less of a holiday for us. My parents are saying they are coming out this year, so maybe things will be different. But BF Eve will go on!!!

 

Friday I usually head out around 4:00AM since Sports Authority is my first stop. I avoid the big stores on BF. I don't need a TV or laptop or whatever it is they are selling that makes you get there days in advance. I do love reading about those of you that camp out though. This board has made my BF's a million times more fun!!!

[pogiporkchop]

Thanksgiving isn't that big of a deal at my house either since we don't have any family nearby to celebrate with. Last year I didn't even cook a turkey. That being said, I am up at 6am or thereabouts. Drive to city that I'll be shopping in (30 min. away) and go to a Meijer just to guarantee getting a paper that's properly stuffed. I check a minimum of 3 and no, they don't get evenly stuffed. After securing the paper I get any Turkey Day deals that I want and return home. We just hang out at home looking at ads and watching football, maybe go to another Meijer and/or Michaels just for some fresh air. Before getting some shut eye I finalize DH's list with him. Get up at like 2am or so, drive back to the city and wait for the festivities to begin Then it's back home in the early afternoon to crash and after getting some well deserved sleep it's time to put up the trees and decorate them.

[grouchers]

We start Tuesday with a final planning meeting. Tuesday night and Wednesday is actual prep for Turkey day dinner and look at any print ads. Thanksgiving morning we leave around 6 to hit any sales that look good and are home by 8 to start dinner. While it cooks I read the paper and check out the local ads. That evening kids and I plan our strategy for the next day and check in with our shopping buddies. DS is a night owl so he will start with any online deals while we grab some sleep. We usually leave for Walmart by 3 am, finish there, head to Target, and then work our way down our list of other stores. In the meantime our friends have hit Kohls, TRU, and the other stores on their lists. We are usually done and relaxing by 10 at the latest.

[berry1014]

This year I have to work the day before Thanksgiving (last year I had off) so I will be up late that night getting as much prep work done as possible and getting, baking pies, getting the pepperoni bread and breakfest casseroles made up to be baked early in the morning before the turkey goes in. On Thanksgiving morning I may go to Kmart, depending if they have anything good that I want. After all the guest leave on T-Day i will go throuh the ads on last night and double check my shopping list and then relax before heading off to bed. On BF i will get around 3 and head out the door a very short time later. Walmart is only 10 minutes down the road so that is my first stop. After I am done then it's home to unload and pick up DH and then we head out to do the rest of our shopping. Last year we were done by 11:00 am and then it was home to start start decorating for Christmas!

[jaymacfla]

We will be having Thanksgiving Dinner on the Saturday after Black Friday. Too much work to have to rush relatives out the door!