I don’t like crowds but I do like cheap prices on desirable items. Thus I always go shopping very early on the day after Thanksgiving.

My after T-giving bargain shopping began the night before. I took several sales flyers from my father-in-laws newspaper. I thoroughly went through them searching for items my family members would like. I wrote the best gifts down under each name and then listed the stores I needed to go to. Then I listed the stores in the order in which they opened.
Basically, I decided to buy to two gifts for each of my four children and would go to three different stores in Owasso, Oklahoma (suburb of Tulsa) in order to get them. I would go to Kohl’s Department Store first @ 5am, then Target @ 6am and finally Walgreen’s Drug Store @ 7am. So I went to bed at 8:30 to get in some good sleep to help me get up real early the next day.
My husband’s alarm on his cell phone awoke me at 4am. I climbed out of bed about 10 minutes later. I threw on clothes I prepared the night before, brushed my teeth (Note: 99% of women who shop this early do not put on make up and dress up fancy), fixed some Chai Latte tea and left by 4:30.
When I got it to Kohl’s, the line outside looked ridiculously long. Besides the few gifts I wanted to get there weren’t that significant. So I left and went to Target about 1/2 mile away. I would be getting there an hour early! I’ve never gotten to a store this early. I would be standing in line for awhile! (I considered this a bit much but went ahead with it) The parking lot wasn’t very full so I got a great parking spot. There were already about 75 people in line. I realized this was a good time to get here. Most of my bargain shopping would be at this store.
While standing in line it was fun to “people watch”. I’m not one to gloat, but it was also fun to step out of line long enough to check the quickly lengthening line and thickening crowd. As I watched the newly arriving people, I thought this is an American phenomenon. I’m humbly grateful to have the privilege of being an American and to participate in this opportunity. I don’t think most American realize it but our country has been blessed with many blessings from God so much so that we have become incredibly materialistic. In fact, the greed for more things for ourselves and our loved ones has caused us to fall into tons of consumer credit card debt as a nation. (Most honorably spoken,) God help us! After I thought this I knew our personal finances would pull me back from this typical American attitude and then I began just enjoying and even relaxing as I stood in linewith all the rest of my “gluttons of the previous day” Oklahomans. (If you’re reading this and are from another country please forgive me if I sound boastful . . . I try to keep such opportunities with a humble perspective and have even donated time and money to other very poor countries to give to them out of extra blessings I may have.)
When the store opened I didn’t get a shopping cart because it gets in the way. Instead I grabbed a handheld basket. I quickly ran back to the toy department found the four items I needed and then carefully meandered my way through the crowd mostly heading to the toy department. Checking out was real fast with no waiting. Then I left for Walgreen’s. I got there about 40 minutes early. Since they’re open 24 hours I filled a shopping cart and then sat in a chair in the pharmacy waiting area. I checked out in about 10 minutes.
Then I went to the Waffle House on 76th street and ate breakfast with my sister Sharon and her son Wesley and daughter Hannah. I enjoyed this part of the morning the most. She’s a kindred heart to me. Of my four sisters, she’s the most like me. She’s five years younger and we’ve been married the same amount of time and have children the same ages. I like her company and she always kind to offer me encouragement.
After breakfast, I shopped a little more and then got home about 11 am. Then I went to my room and fell asleep. I thoroughly enjoyed my long nap. Then I snuck all my “lute” in through the back door and showed my husband the presents. All the while he kept asking, “How much did you spend?” I had to finally tell him while assuring him I can make it up quick enough substite teaching and watching the elderly lady.
Here’s what I bought:
Barbie doll house
Star Wars transformer action figures
Soduko electronic hand held game
“Cheerleader” sleeping bag
Telescope
Remote control car
Clock that you can put family pictures in
a squishie pillow (I think I’ll take this back)
Tide (it was 1.99, I saved 60%)