Black Friday

Black Friday is coming, and while you may not recognize it as a holiday in your house, I certainly do. Every year I get my thrills from looking for the best price on certain items, searching the internet for leaks about the sales, and begin with great anticipation to make my list. Yup, it's my favorite holiday.

Black Friday is the only day of the year that I willingly acknowledge the time before the sun rises as part of the day. It's the only day of the year that I will willingly begin my day well before my children do. I'm not a morning person...at all...not even a little bit. Black Friday is not a normal day, though.

This year I have my plan, but no partner. My mother usually will go with me, but this year she is visiting my brothers for Thanksgiving. I'm kinda dreading going alone. Normally this is where I would make my husband get up and help me, but I can't do that because he has to watch the kids. Still, I will brave the lines and the people alone because there is no way I am going to miss it.

I have missed my favorite shopping day in the past. Sickness, visiting relatives, and various other things have kept me from hitting the streets, but this year there really isn't anything in my way except for lack of partner. This basically ruined my holiday season...well, not totally, but I did regret it.

This year there isn't really a whole lot on my list (mostly because I don't have a whole lot of money), but that doesn't stop me. I have literally gone in order to get a couple of $10 items before. I really just like the thrill of it all.

I know. I'm odd.

Every year I get out in whatever line that I happen to decided on and I think about what an awesome ministry opportunity it would be to go and serve these people coffee or something. One of these days I am actually going to do it. I'm pretty sure I would be blessed more than I would from getting a bargain. Each year I think about it and I think that I'll do it next year.

Another tradition that we have is that once I have finished my shopping craze (which doesn't usually last until noon like the sales do), my husband and I go out and people-watch. It's just funny to see all the people throwing elbows over some toy that their kid put on their wish list. To think that someone would actually care about something so insignificant is really amusing. I'm not the elbow throwing type. I just want to get in and get my cheap stuff, but if I don't get what I want, I'm not going to be upset about it. It's just stuff.

I remember going as a kid to the Black Friday events. It wasn't nearly as big of a deal back then as it is now. One didn't have to be up at 2 am back then. People weren't nearly as dangerous, either. I would squeeze my little way through the isles and get the coveted items. It was fun.

I would never take my kids with me today...ok, I did take the twins with me when they were very small babies, but I had one strapped to me and my mom had the other. They didn't take bottles, and I knew that I would need to feed them while in line, so they came. We went to Best Buy that year and avoided the fist fight that erupted and anyone who looked like they might throw an elbow. I still got the stuff that I wanted that year...well, not all of it, but I didn't really care about the stuff as much as the safety of my babies. Still, I wouldn't take my kid to squeeze through the mob. It just isn't safe anymore.

I really developed my love for shopping on Black Friday events when I was younger. It was really the only girly thing that I could claim. My mom and I would shop and I would sniff out the best deals. It's still something that we do together. One day Becca will join in. She does love to shop, but for totally different reasons. She's pink and frilly and all about trying things on like she's playing dress up. I'm all about finding the bargain. She's learning that stuff, too. She just had to get some math skills first. I'm sure when she is a bit older I will introduce her to Black Friday. When she has more self-defense skills mastered.

I can't wait. Thanksgiving will be a day filled with food, family, and football. I don't mind the food, I love my family, and I am learning to endure football. I will be thankful...then the next day I will shop!