It's a sad day, this Black Friday in America. This marks the 5th year I have gone out in the wee hours to get all my Christmas shopping done in one day. There are always those who put a damper on the day like the foul mouthed teenaged boys at 3:30am or the folks who try to cut in a long line at Target at 6am. Overall, however, the stories of the last 4 years are of the fun people in line, the great deals and the thrill of being done with Christmas shopping before the calendar flips to December. It has been a fun tradition to get up at a ridiculously early hour, pick up my friend Jessica and head off to a very strategically planned day with a pit stop at McDonald's for a breakfast sandwich and home for naps by 11:30.
Sadly, today when I got home from my shopping, I heard of the
Walmart employee who was trampled to death in New York by a group of eager bargain hunters. Does a deeply discounted DVD player really make people lose their minds? Do you mean to tell me that this crowd didn't feel the body of the man they were walking on? I'm sick at the thought.
Black Friday takes on a whole new meaning. My prayers go out to the friends and family.
I'm up for a new tradition, perhaps a spa day?
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I heard about this too-it is so sad and my heart goes out to his family and friends and the employees of that wal-mart store-
ReplyDeleteI have never done BF mainly because I cant deal with the crowds
A fellow blogger's daughter was injured in a mall, and her friend was injured so badly she had to go to the hospital. http://abritandabit.typepad.com/spotted_dick_and_other_mu/2008/11/black-friday-s-broken-bones-bruises-black-eyes-and-bloodied-lips-.html
ReplyDeleteThis is out of control, and I don't even go.
Glad you came out ok today!
Oh I know. It's horrible. I cannot imagine. We went out but not till about 3:30pm. Sometimes the thrill of the hunt is exciting but what happened in NY is still unfathomable to me.
ReplyDeleteHeartbreaking story.
ReplyDeleteWe too have that tradition, however we don't go to get the good deals, we go hoping to find them. That way we don't care if we are the last ones in the door or not.
We love to people watch...and it's one thing that the Hubby doesn't mind crowds around. Other than THAT DAY, he hates them!
My prayers to the family in NY too.
Ugh, I feel physically sick.
ReplyDeleteBeing a thrifty person by nature, I actually wasn't out in the crowds on BF. I do all of my shopping at places like Second Hand Savvy, One More Time, or Savers. So there's no rush.
What are they going to need out there to protect employees on BF, riot gear? I'd refuse to work!