I hope everyone had a sparkling Thanksgiving. I'm one of those nutcases who goes out shopping in the wee hours of Black Friday every year. When Mark worked for a big box electronics retailer in the early years of our marriage, I never went shopping because of how crummy the day was for him. Then in 2009 I started going out by myself for fun and have gone every year since. That first year I was sort of foolishly thinking that I could waltz into Kohl's shortly after it opened and would get exactly what I wanted. When the checkout line stretched around the entire store I walked in and walked right out, going instead to other stores in the same plaza and driving out to Cabela's. After that year I got smart and planned ahead for which stores I would go to, for what deals, and in what order.
This whole "opening on Thanksgiving" business is utter BS and I refuse to shop for Black Friday deals on a holiday. As someone whose father has always been a restaurant manager (and in his industry always works on Thanksgiving) and whose husband spent a lot of years in retail and had to work this Thanksgiving (albeit with like 2.5 times pay due to the holiday), I believe it's important for those often low-paid service and retail workers to be able to have a real holiday. (Is this where my brother chimes in and reminds me that as an active duty service member he has duty on his boat on both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, with no holiday pay to speak of?)
Anyways, I knew I wasn't going out last night. The only electronics item we really want is an LCD TV and the prices on those are usually best in January/February, so we're waiting on that.
I dragged my tired carcass out of bed at 4 when my alarm went off. It was challenging, and in a future post I'll elaborate on why, but I made it happen. I got dressed and out the door by around 4:15.
Target
I arrived at around 4:25 AM and parked in the second space from the door. The employees said that it had been an absolute madhouse at 9 PM when they opened, but most people were there for the electronics doorbusters. They still had some of them - I very nearly walked out with a 40" LCD TV, but decided that moving it myself was not advisable at the moment.
I had planned to pick up mostly housewares and maybe some toys and clothes. I managed to get nearly everything on my list, and because it was between 4-10 AM and I spent at least $50 on items in certain categories, I got a Target gift card for my trouble. I used my beloved debit RedCard and got another 5% off my whole purchase!
- 16 piece Corelle dish set - winter white frost (I picked up two boxes of these last year and wanted to add to it)
- Memorex DVD player (for the little LCD TV we have in our room - no need for anything fancy)
- Paul Frank fleece pajama pants for me
- Angry Birds toddler pajama set for Lily
- Jenga and Memory games
- Queen size flannel sheets (I love flannel sheets in winter!)
- Graco baby doll accessory play set (not for Christmas - to be Lily's potty training present)
A.C. Moore
I pulled in at 5:03 and got a decent spot. I was apparently #90 to enter the store and got a $5 gift card. My sole purpose in going was the 50% off Melissa & Doug. They had this deal last year and it was awesome for Christmas gift giving and I was psyched to see it again this year.
Unfortunately I got stuck in line behind two women who were quibbling about their holiday themed duct tape ringing up for 10 cents per roll higher than the advertised price. One of them was buying an effing Cricut machine (they're not cheap!) and yet demanded that a manager re-ring her order right there rather than having to wait in line. All to get 10 cents back on each of three rolls of duct tape. She kept looking back at me and saying, "Sorry, but you understand." Um, no. It's THIRTY CENTS, and I will give it to you from my own purse if you'll freaking move along and let me put this heavy basket down! I was a little disappointed that the manager caved as soon as this shopper expressed an objection to waiting in line - hello, I and others have been waiting in line behind her for a lot longer!
- Wilton gingerbread man decorating kit
- Melissa & Doug wooden fridge food
- Melissa & Doug wooden pantry products
- Melissa & Doug magnetic dress up dolls
- Melissa & Doug grocery basket
- Melissa & Doug lace & trace shapes
- Melissa & Doug lacing beads (x2)
The lacing beads were all I really needed to find there. Lily is insistent that Santa is bringing her "a pink lacing" and after some questioning and observation at daycare pickup we discovered that she wants a lacing bead set. We don't make a big deal about Santa in our house, but the jolly old elf will be bringing the lacing beads! I picked up two because Mark always gets a ticket from the Giving Tree at his office (he tries to choose a child of the same age/sex as ours). We like to give several toys and the lacing beads make for a great choice for an older toddler or preschooler. The rest of it is all for Lily, especially for her play kitchen.
Lowes
Lowes is in the same plaza as A.C. Moore so I figured I'd stop in. I just got a few things.
- Two pointsettia plants
- A balsam fir wreath for the front door
- Outdoor power stake with remote (for Mark's lighting display)
- Christmas light storage reel
- Two plastic storage containers (they were a doorbuster BOGO)
I briefly considered a nice looking storage bench but decided against it due to the weight and size of the box. Then I headed home (with a stop at Dunkin Donuts) and found my family still asleep. I left the packages in the car and went upstairs for a snuggle with my favorite people and dog, then had my breakfast while Mark got Lily ready for daycare. When Mark left to drop her off I headed out again to Joann Fabrics.
Joann Fabrics
I'm sewing matching flannel pajama pants for us and a pajama set for Lily for Christmas morning and needed fabric. Snuggle flannel solids and prints were on an awesome doorbuster sale this morning but none of it was Christmasy enough so I went with the slightly more-expensive holiday theme flannel. I had a 25% off coupon for my entire purchase (excluding doorbusters) so the final cost of the flannel was still really good. When browsing the holiday fabrics I saw a cute panel for a cloth Christmas-theme alphabet book so I got that panel too, and will go back this weekend with another coupon for the batting.
- 7 yards of red and white snowflake flannel
- A Christmas themed cloth book fabric panel
- 6 yards of 3/4" elastic
- Thread
- A new cold drink cup for work
With that, I headed home, brought all of my treasures into the house, and collapsed on the couch for a 2 hour nap! Mark was kind enough to wake me up when he left for work. I'm of half a mind to get the dishwasher and washing machine going and then to run back to Target for a body pillow that looked pretty darned inviting...
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