# How do you prepare for shopping on Black Friday? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 23, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662 "2010-11-23T15:46:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/21 "2010-11-24T00:03:44Z")
Both sides of the family have taken to doing Bad Santa $10 gift swaps. No more shopping. No more insanity. No more pressure or panic. Christmas has become fun again, like when we were kids… Depending on the weather, I’ll either spend Friday raking the yard or knitting in front of TV. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/22 "2010-11-24T00:03:45Z")
I plan on going to the gym. That’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/23 "2010-11-24T00:36:52Z")
My plan for Black Friday was a fire in the fireplace, warm puppies, some sort of movie/tv marathon, and WoW. Now it looks like I’ll be moving a hot tub and snowblower (boyfriend’s wonderful parents are giving them to us) and then probably doing homework - with a fire in the fireplace, warm puppies, and some kind of marathon on TV. I did the shopping thing once and I didn’t even have anything to buy as I had already finished all our shopping. But, I figured I had to experience it at least once. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/24 "2010-11-24T01:15:27Z")
Going food shopping. The day after Thanksgiving is THE best time to go to the grocery store! There is NO one there, and there’s plenty of sales on thanksgiving stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/25 "2010-11-24T02:03:56Z")
I generally don’t shop at all between Thanksgiving and New Years, unless the zipper on my last pair of jeans has broken. Since I’ve still got four good sets of jeans, my Black Friday plans consist of enjoying a paid holiday off work. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/26 "2010-11-24T02:37:51Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Going food shopping. The day after Thanksgiving is THE best time to go to the grocery store! There is NO one there, and there’s plenty of sales on thanksgiving stuff. Seriously? I’ve never heard of this but then again I’ve never tried. I need to go grocery shopping this week but I didn’t want to run into crowds today or tomorrow…perhaps I’ll try Friday! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/27 "2010-11-24T02:47:13Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I generally don’t shop at all between Thanksgiving and New Years, unless the zipper on my last pair of jeans has broken. Since I’ve still got four good sets of jeans, my Black Friday plans consist of enjoying a paid holiday off work. I don’t wear jeans, but I am of a similar mindset. I know what I’m getting people, and I’ve ordered it already. Otherwise, I only do food and emergency supply shopping from Tday and New Year’s. If I don’t NEED an item now, it’s not gonna be bought during that time frame. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/28 "2010-11-24T02:55:07Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > Although our Black Friday doesn’t come until after Christmas (Go Boxing Day), I’m one of the stay home and away from the crazy crowds people.\ Well, since the ravening shopping hordes south of the border sometimes take down OUR Interac network, I try to make sure that I don’t need to buy anything Black Friday (car filled, groceries stocked, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/29 "2010-11-24T03:30:19Z")
> **[Amazon.com. Spend less. Smile more.](https://www.amazon.com/)** > > Free shipping on millions of items. Get the best of Shopping and Entertainment with Prime. Enjoy low prices and great deals on the largest selection of everyday essentials and other products, including fashion, home, beauty, electronics, Alexa... I’ll be in my PJ’s all day. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/30 "2010-11-24T04:01:06Z")
Probably just veg – I’m not going NEAR the stores. (I’ll probably be eating nothing but leftovers for a week, either) My mother said that years ago (when I was like a toddler, back in the early 80s) it wasn’t so bad. She and my aunts would go downtown to Kaufmann’s or Gimbels, and take advantage of the bargains. It would be busy, but not fucking INSANE. (People getting fucking [killed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_%28shopping%29#Shopping).) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/31 "2010-11-24T04:17:51Z")
I wouldn’t go even if they allowed white people in too. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/32 "2010-11-24T04:31:37Z")
I’ll stay in bed, pull the covers over my head and whimper. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/33 "2010-11-24T04:36:07Z")
I wake up late, have a cup of coffee, then just shop online. Last time I went to a mall on Black Friday was 1999. No chance I’ll ever do that again. American shopping centers turned into Mad-Max style third-world anarchistic brawls? No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/34 "2010-11-24T06:57:43Z")
I work. I work at a museum, so it might not be crazy insane, or anything, but it probably won’t be a picnic, either. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/35 "2010-11-24T07:51:17Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Seriously? I’ve never heard of this but then again I’ve never tried. I need to go grocery shopping this week but I didn’t want to run into crowds today or tomorrow…perhaps I’ll try Friday! Everyone went food shopping earlier in the week for Thanksgiving dinner and they won’t need to go again for awhile. Then all the other shoppers will be buying non-food items for Black Friday. 😃 When I worked for a grocery store helpdesk I’d get tons and tons of calls on Friday since that’s when the food shopping madness was over and they could survey the damage. ---
**Author:** ![kjbrasda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/74df32/32.png) [@kjbrasda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kjbrasda)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/36 "2010-11-24T09:47:08Z")
'round here I’ll just head to the store whenever I feel like it and get the sales anyway because people in this town just aren’t that big on shopping like that. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/37 "2010-11-24T22:24:08Z")
Since we’re on the topic, what is the best place (or two) to get online Black Friday deals? Amazon, or newegg, or [walmart.com](http://walmart.com)… or what? And what time should I be browsing? ---
**Author:** ![MickNickMaggies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MickNickMaggies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MickNickMaggies)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/38 "2010-11-24T22:29:50Z")
I worked last black Friday at Michael’s Arts and Crafts in the US. Holy (and wholly) crap. They now seem to be trying to introduce this to the UK. We’ve had a taste of the ‘doorbuster’ style deals already at M+S, and I can only imagine what it would be like if we had it properly. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/39 "2010-11-24T22:45:36Z")
I once got up at 3:00 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving. It was amazing; I got to the Grand Canyon in time to see the sunrise. This year, I’ll probably go out and buy new tires. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662/40 "2010-11-25T01:01:49Z")
I’m going to be working the night before (I volunteered to work the holiday because I could use the extra dough), but I’ll still be following my normal black friday ritual. I’ll leave work, go to the corner store to purchase a nice cup of hot chocolate, and proceed down to a store I’ve picked out to visit the day before. I’ll park in the lot and go down the entrance, but I won’t go in. No, instead I’ll stop outside and point and laugh at the crazy fools murdering each other over soft toys and ipods, cheering every time somebody elbows a granny in the kidneys. Oh it’s great fun, I highly reccommend it. And if I’m going to hell for it, then I shall be giggling like a madman on the road down there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-for-shopping-on-black-friday/561662.md?page=3)