Thanksgiving Shopping

Though Thanksgiving day shopping is arguably sacrilegious, I went out Thursday evening.

My mom wanted an iPod, and I was looking for a deal on a mini Keurig coffee maker. So in the morning, I poured over the newspaper advertisements, determining Best Buy and Target would be the stores for the goods.

We left the house at 5:40 to get to Best Buy for 6pm. Oddly, there were people milling about the entrance to the store. "Folks, please go to the end of the line," an exasperated security guard intoned. The line wound through the stereo installation car port and past the building. With flyer in hand, we walked to the end of the line.

We had a nice conversation with a school librarian as we waited. Once the doors opened, the line moved quickly. Plenty of staff were on hand to help us find what we wanted. The only pushing and shoving were accidental – big purses, shopping carts, and small aisles aren't a good mix.

Once we found the iPod, (or rather, a tag for a blue one), a case and Bluetooth speaker, we headed for the checkout line - another maze which wound through the large appliances section.

Profusely apologetic, the young man could not find the desired blue device. But as I had drilled my mom about her second, third, and fourth color choices, we were still able to walk out of the store satisfied with a lime green option.

We were home by 7:10, in time for me to buy 2 albums and a single from iTunes, transfer them to her iPod, and test out the Bluetooth speaker.

I arrived at Target at ~ 7:56pm, parking on the far side of the store by the senior center. I didn't have far to walk to get to the back of the line.

A man was handing out pamphlets,

 

 

explaining that people would be let in groups, the special TVs were all spoken for, Apple products could only be bought in the electronics section, and the check out line would wind through the beauty department.

I opened the pamphlet and was surprised to find a map of where to find the special deals. Is this de rigueur for Black Friday – er – Thursday shopping?

Happily, the coffee maker I wanted was in its regular section. Despite a long wait at the checkout (I was behind a man who had two 50" TVs and was signing up for a Target card), I was home by 9.

No promises I'll do it again next year –who knows where I'll be or what gifts I'll want to get. But this year, shopping Thanksgiving evening worked just fine.