Thanksgiving/Black FridayFollow

So, any plans? I heard a lot of outcry on the news about Black Friday starting on Thanksgiving. People protesting, yadda, yadda, yadda. With online sales starting as early as yesterday, anyone planning on giving thanks for everything they have and then trampling people hours later for some more stuff? If so, what?

Myself, I still haven't finished unpacking, so I'm not looking to participate in the madness known as Black Friday;however, I might peruse the Internet for some sales.

There are plenty of people complaining about Black Friday starting earlier on Thanksgiving, but it's consumer demand that is causing this. Stores like Walmart and Target are just reacting to it. People have shown year after year that they're willing to wait outside these stores for hours until they open, so why not open earlier? I can't totally blame these companies, though I do feel for the employees.

My holiday purchases are usually pretty limited. I only have a handful of people I exchange gifts with, and I'm rarely trying to buy some hot, sought-after item, so I've never gone for the whole Black Friday shopping thing. Sometime mid-December is usually when I go buy things for Christmas.

Edited, Nov 17th 2012 8:36am by Spoonless

I'm picking up my bird from the turkey farm this week and have a pumpkin pie on order. I'll need to whip up some mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc.

Last year, I read a couple stories about how Black Friday sales were mainly hype and you'd find most of the same deals throughout the season just by keeping your eyes open and without the crushing crowds. My sister does the sales for the whole thrill of the hunt and is actually pushing off her Thanksgiving dinner to Saturday so she can hit the stores on Thursday/Friday. I really only need to buy for Flea since the kids are mainly taken care of. I'll be waiting to see if there's any deals on Black Ops II for the kid but I'm skeptical there'll be any real good ones given how much it's selling right now at full price.

This is what I found out to be true. I'm sure it started off with great sales, but once marketers noticed that people buy out of ignorance, they just throw up their typical sale and watch the money come in.

The biggest one is Game Stop. They advertise "Buy 2 get 1 free", but that's the same sale they have off and on the whole year. Not only that, it only applies to used games and accessories. People, don't pay attention and they go in buying new stuff. One year, I came in a day or two before, looked at all the games to see where there were all at and came back the next day around noon. All of the games were still there, I walked in and walked out with no hassle.

I think part of it is that people want to get all of the shopping done at once. So, they are willing to pay normal prices for things because they are getting SOME discounts on other things and they don't have to worry about going out again.

Online is where it seems to be at nowadays. From the places that I shop, the deals are always better online anyway.

Good Luck.. I feel your pain... still need to unpack.. I'm starting to wish I had the movers do it.....There's always tomorrow..

I did once, but they have gotten smarter to avoid the crazy rampage. Instead of opening the doors and letting everyone go wild, they give out tickets to top items that are only valid for a short time. So, there is no reason to run, because you already have your item guaranteed.

I saw them putting Christmas decorations out in Walmart the last week of September this year. Anyways I might do some online purchases as I have no desire to stand outside of a store and deal with crazed people at an attempt to get something cheap. I usually do check a couple of stores out friday evening for anything left over such as cheap games etc.

Personally I think people should be ashamed acting the way they do. Every year its on the news somebody gets hurt because people go into a mob mentality. No sense in running through a store like a crazed lunatic. Even worse to trample over somebody on the ground and just let them lay there because you want that laptop for $100 off (this actually happened couple years ago locally).

It really makes you think about how people will act if there ever is some sort of apocalyptic scenario. If people are willing to trample somebody to save $10 on a memory card they will do anything if they are hungry and can't find food.

I'm sort of depressed about this Thanksgiving. It's the first one in all of my 33 years where I won't have dinner with my mom and brother. And my husband has to work that day (only five hours, but still).

And my boss has invited me over to her house for Thanksgiving... and I'm not sure what to do about that. She's... not a great boss, to put it delicately, but I actually like her as an individual. I just can't work for her. If she asks me again, I'll probably say yes (on the condition that I can bring my dog), if for no other reason for something to do and keep my mind off of being alone.

I wrote the worlds worst Thanksgiving day poem. and now I infict it on all of you!

Why there are no traditional thanksgiving day poems like the night before christmas, by Tim Pierce:

Twas the night before Givethanks, and all through the house
Sounds of frantic pie baking, yes, even the mouse.
In the stockade birds preyed with a fervent appeal,
In hopes on the morrow we would all switch to Veal.

The panicked cooks tossed and turned up in their beds,
While visions of burnt turkeys played through their heads.
And mom in her apron and I in my cap,
Had just finally baked the last #$%^&ing gingersnap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a racket,
I ran from the kitchen to see if I should smack it.
Away to the doorway I ran with a bat,
Tore onto the front porch to settle the spat.

The rain in the clouds of the November night
Made the yard muddy and look quite a fright.
When, what to my wondering eyes should then prowl,
But a miniature turkey pan and eight tiny fowl.

With a strange little driver, so grumpy and quirky,
I knew in a moment it must be St Turkey.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Drumstick! now, Gobbles! now, Birdbrain and Nixon!
On, Stuffing! , Turducken! on, Sandwich and Fixins!
To the top of the kitchen! And watch out for that ridge!
Now leftovers! leftovers! Lets raid the fridge"

As dry leaves that before the wild turkey fly,
When they meet with the fridge door, they blow it sky high.
Through clouds of shrapnel the baked birds then flew,
With the pan full of Tupperware and tinfoil too.

And then, with a crash that I heard from the floor
The sound of these bird raiders searching for more.
As I lifted my bat, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Turkey came with a horrible sound.

He was dressed all in Gravy , from his toes to his beak,
And his face was a horror not meant for the weak.
A Bushel of Brussels sprouts he wore on his head,
Mashed potatoes for clogs, and a belt made of bread

His eyes-how they glowed like the coals from a fire!
And I knew then our plight was really quite dire!
This turkey then strolled through the wreck of our home ,
Cackling madly like a demented garden gnome.

A week old drumstick he held tight in his teeth,
And the stench of it reeked beyond all belief.
He had a grim face made of cranberry jelly,
That shook when he talked and gave nightmares to Nelly!

He was angry and bitter, a right pissed off bird,
And he surveyed our oven with scarcely a word!
A gleam of his eye and a shake of his head,
Soon made me think we’d be better off dead.

He spoke not a word, but went right to the fridge ,
And pointed to the carcass of his former Aunt Midge.
“So you want to eat turkey this Thanksgiving day?”
“Well the tables have turned!” he then started to say

And that’s when the swat team arrived at a run
And shot the stunned turkeys with hundreds of guns
So remember when cooking on turkey day night
"Lock the kitchen door tightly and stay in the light"

Yeah, but when I'm in Chicago and there's a news story about someone in Phoenix getting hurt, is it really a big problem? There's probably more people per capita cutting their hands on knives in steak houses every day.