Yup they are. But it's ok he is taking vacation after Xmas until after New Years so it isn't too bad. I mean ya it stinks big time Xmas day it really does since i will be up at my parents opening gifts and eating too much while he works. It's a shame we can't even celebrate that day together. Everyplace other than resteraunts and movie theaters and Disneyland are closed. I mean people are supposed to get together and spend the holiday together that's what it is about not about presents or working.

In light of discussions elsewhere on this board, I have decided to forgo this racially insensitive shopping day. Until all races can be allowed to shop equally on that day, I will not contribute to this hate-filled day.

Bastard.

In high school I tried to organize a boycott of paper recycling since we were supposed to segregate white and colored papers.

Only I was amused.

I would have been!


VAM

Kevy Baby, you might want to read the article from Slate called "Six Black Friday Bargains to Avoid." The first on the list is Blu-Ray players.

OK anyone else get an image of Yoda eating that icky food?

For some reason I have never understood the attraction to fiestaware. I know there's a big group of collectors, but for me, there are no other dishes as happiness-inducing as Corelles.

Me, neither. The closest thing I ever did was wait for the after-Christmas sales on December 26th. I got enticed into doing it with relatives from my ex-husband's side of the family; they are apparently huge into buying stuff at 50% off. But whoo lordy, it's crowded, cramped, and chaotic. Ick ick ick. Plus, it was cold outside. It thoroughly sucked. And for me, I don't want to buy 4 rolls of gift wrap at 50% off and save it until the next year. And fight people to grab them from the shelves. Crazy!

I agree, it's just nuts. But in order to people-watch requires being there in person, and I like to avoid it as much as I can.

Why don't you lead an effort to create a specially themed Christmas this year? Give it a name, like "The Family Giving Tree" or something. Each person draw a name from a hat, and you can ONLY give to that one person. Everyone have a ceiling of how much they're allowed to spend (say $50), and bonus kudos go to people who are creative, and/or can craft/cook/bake their own gifts. Maybe even set up a food donation bin near your tree, to give to the local food bank. Maybe on Christmas day, bake up a bunch of cookies and then deliver it as a family to local homeless shelter or a senior care home.

For the kids in the family, make it so each child only gets ONE gift this Christmas. I know this may sound heretical but as an only child with no grandparents, I went years with just one gift under the tree. And you know what? I didn't get overwhelmed with too many presents that I all but ignored. I got the ONE gift, and I played with it. Why do we need to train children to believe they should expect a huge overabundance of material goods for Christmas? Teach them that it's a time of giving--not just of stuff, but of the heart, one's time, and one's charity.

I agree... nothing is worth that much trouble.

Yep, it's just terrible. People get so caught up in the frenzy of it that they don't realize they are pushing the people in front and squeezing the life out of them. Amazing how the supposed "best time of the year" brings out the worst behavior in people.

No Black Friday shopping for me, but I did do some Cyber Monday shopping. I couldn't pass up free shipping, no sales tax & discounted items (that I was going to get anyways).

Couldn't find anything of interest. Closest I came was an 8gig jump drive for like $10, but it's one of those things I'd probably only bother getting if I was already getting stuff. In other words, I can totally live w/out it (so I didn't get it). I'm so very "meh" this year.

WOOT runs those on special now and then, for about $10 including shipping.

WOOT is like Black Friday everyday, and no crowds. They usually list their new product deal just after 9pm, so there's no loss of sleep either. :)