Go to work late, hide at my desk, and pretend customers don’t exist. Friday is an appointment only day so its easy to do that.
I’ll get up really early and leave my Mom’s place so that I’m on the road and most of the way home before traffic gets too crazy.
I’ve done it once, the full monty. My sis-in-law has a black belt in Black Friday sales and insane ninja skills, so one year I tagged along with her and her friend. Bear in mind, this ain’t no ghetto brawl- both of these women have PhDs, but the student loan debt to go with them, so they are ALWAYS looking for a bargain.
This is how it went-
After eating Thanksgiving dinner, we start drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. One piece of cheesecake for the sugar (more would be too heavy and slow you down). At about 8:30, we went home, tucked the kids in, watched a bit of TV, then I kissed my husband good night and hit the road. I picked up J & S at about 11:00 pm and we drove to the Citadel outlet center in LA.
We arrived at around 11:45 pm and a few places were set to open at midnight, with rolling openings from 1:00 am on. We grabbed a map, marked our targets and waded in. First stop was Banana Republic, for nicer casual and work clothes. The average was 40-90% off, and we stocked up on staples for the year (sweaters, skirts, pants). In the store, the line for dressing rooms is longer than for checkout, so with a team you can grab your first batch and get in line, holding the spot while the other members of your team go out and shop (it helps if you are all close to the same size and know what the other might like). Let the other team members cut in with you when you get a room but be sure and share it- it’s only fair.
After a couple of hours in that store, we hit maybe 3 or 4 more (high end shoes, some casual stores, etc), and we were pretty much done by 4:30 or so. The deals were great and it wasn’t that bad, at least in the stores we were in. Most have doormen controlling the number of shoppers inside at any one time- sucks if you’re in line but great once you get in.
The weirdest part? Women with strollers and kids. At 2:00 am. :eek:
None of the stores we were in had terrible crushes or catfighting, but we looked in the window of the Old Navy and it looked like the battle of Agincourt.
It was fun but I haven’t done it for a while- I just don’t really need anything. The stores I will hit tomorrow at a decent hour? LA bleeding-edge clothing lines that will never be crowded- Fluevog, All Saints (UK import- thank you thank you thank you!), SkinGraft… maybe a TV too. 
Pepper Mill is talking about going to Black Friday sales tomorrow – something she has never done before, nor shown the slightest inclination to do. Maybe it is the Apocalypse.
Although she’s planning on going to places like Staples and Home Depot, not Macy’s or Sears.
I put on my trampling shoes. 
Ya, in order to not conflict with other people’s Thanksgivings I host my dinner on the day after Thanksgiving.