By Heather (Balance with Purpose)
Long after turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes make you want to take a nap and hours after the final touchdown is thrown on Thanksgiving Day, retailers everywhere open their doors to the millions of people who are courageous enough and determined enough to brave stores in the hopes to get their hands on the perfect Christmas presents at the lowest prices ANYWHERE. Did you hear me? I said “lowest prices anywhere” and I’ll add, “It’s the last time you’ll see those prices or that one special gift.”
Okay, I’m lying, but it’s for the greater good. Let me be the first to tell you, friends, don’t believe everything you see on television or everything you read in the paper, including those pretty, glossy flyers that will arrive bright and early this Sunday.
Especially not those pretty, glossy flyers!!
Here’s the deal. I am not going to tell you not to go shopping with your mom or your best friend or your wife or husband next Friday. I would never do that. Go. Have fun. Continue traditions. Make new traditions.
Just don’t believe the flyers, unless you are willing to read the fine print. If you don’t believe me, read this. It tells you all the “dirty secrets.”
I don’t shop on Black Friday. Yeah, I know. You’re thinking I’m no fun at all, aren’t you? I’ll give you fun. I would rather go to the Turkey Burn at my local gym than shop on Black Friday. (Seriously, I do that and I have last year’s T-shirt to prove it.)
Here are my guidelines for your Black Friday shopping:
- Do not take a list of things you plan to buy on Black Friday. Impulse buy all day. It will be fun!
- Go extra early so that you can stand in the long lines before the doors even open. That will be really cool. Especially if you live north of Tennessee.
- Go with lots of people who all have different agendas. (Guys, you should definitely try to tag along with your wife and her mother.)
- Make sure you have your heart set on something big that you saw in the flyer. Even if the store runs out of that perfect gift at the more-than-perfect price, the store will get one in for you. For sure!!
If I’ve scared you away from the “fun” and “coolness” of Black Friday, here are some of the things I enjoy on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
- Leftovers, including the pecan pie I was too stuffed to eat the day before.
- Help my husband with online bargains. (The best part of Black Friday shopping for me is that they offer many great deals in the comfort of my own home – but be careful of the fine print.)
- Turkey Burn at the local gym, so that I can eat leftovers (see above).
- All day movie marathons in front of a fire with my kids.
- Movie break to put up the Christmas tree.
Whatever your plans for Black Friday, I want to wish everyone a very, Happy Thanksgiving! I pray that you all have much to be thankful for this year.
Heather Sunseri is a Christian, wife and mother of two young children. She has worked as a CPA for the past 15 years for thoroughbred horse farms and in public accounting in Central Kentucky. She spends her free time as an inspirational writer and enjoys the little things in life from long bike rides in the country to homemade pizza and family game night.