Black…Thursday?

Ah… Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. Family, friends, turkey, what more do you really need? I’m proud to report that this year’s meal went off without a hitch. It was potentially the smoothest Thanksgiving in the history of the world. The turkey was finished right on schedule, unlike last year when the dang bird took an extra two hours over our estimated time. I remembered to buy milk this year, unlike two years ago when I had to run to the store as we were supposed to be sitting down for dinner because we didn’t have milk to make gravy with. Everything came together perfectly, and Gertrude (what, don’t you name your turkey each year?) was delicious.

Dinner ended, leftovers were put away, a quick slice of pie was eaten, and then I settled in for a relaxing evening of… shopping. Okay, not so relaxing. I do enjoy my Black Friday shopping, but it seems to start earlier and earlier each year. Two years ago stores opened at 5am, last year stores opened at 4am, and this year I was standing in line at Toys ‘R Us at 6:30 in the evening on Thanksgiving, waiting for the 9pm open time. Seriously, Gertrude wasn’t even digested yet and I was waiting in line. And to top it off, I forgot my Chemistry flash cards. My plans to study were thwarted (although I’m not sure how much I would have retained anyway).

So my shopping went well. I left my house at 6pm on Thursday and returned at about 8am of Friday. I felt like some sort of wild college coed, except I think wild college coeds are probably waiting in lines to get into clubs, rather than waiting in lines to purchase discounted train tables and Legos. Even so I felt pretty wild, staying out all night. And by wild I mean exhausted. Because seriously, I got up early, cooked a giant meal, and then spent the whole night on my feet, waiting in lines, trying not to get trampled, and doing a few sprints (yes, I may have actually full-out ran through Target to the electronics department to get my Kindle. What? I stood in the freezing cold line outside for over two hours. I certainly wasn’t going to give up that close to the finish line, so I broke the rules and ran inside – just don’t tell my kids.)

Anyway, the point is I was tired. And I fully attest that Black Friday needs to actually start on Friday. Starbucks wasn’t even open until 3am, and that’s just not okay. And complain as I might, I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll be doing the same thing next year. Even if the retailers go crazy and have sales starting at noon on Thanksgiving, I’ll still be there. I just hope my family won’t mind having a nice Thanksgiving dinner at 7am.