Thanksgiving is almost here! 
And that typically means the release of big box office hits, like "MILK," and shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Even though I generally love to shop and will accept any excuse to go, I avoid shopping like the plague on Black Friday because I just can't deal with the crowds. This year, however, the crowds might be lighter than in years past. According to Reuters:
Up to 128 million shoppers and would-be shoppers could be expected this holiday weekend, but the numbers represent a drop of more than 5 percent from a year ago, according to a survey released Tuesday.
Many people say that they are waiting to see what kind of deals they can get before they make plans to head out at 4:00 AM to hit up the big box stores. And since the list of stores going out of business this year includes more than just Best Buy and Circuit City, people are likely to find things severely discounted. But will it be enough to give the economy a much needed injection of cash?
Like I said, I'm not a fan of leaving the house on Black Friday. I'm usually too tired from cooking all week to do much more than watch old movies and decorate my tree. This year I have a big stack of holiday classics, like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Miracle on 34th Street" on my to do list for Friday. But how about you? What are your plans for Black Friday?
In case you decide to brave the stores, here's a website that has all of the different deals you're likely to find at all of the major stores. Happy shopping (or not!)
Photo credit: Getty images.
Cross-posted from Queercents.
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6 Comments
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I NEVER go anywhere near a shopping mall on Black Friday. Only store I'm going near might be a liquor store.
Polar | November 26, 2008 4:31 PM
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You know, Friday is "Buy Nothing Day," in America, an informal protest against consumerism.
It's the following day in other countries (that don't celebrate Thanksgiving and thereby have the day off).
Brynn Craffey | November 26, 2008 7:50 PM
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For the day after Buy Nothing Day please consider "fair trade" stores like Ten Thousand Villages which work in communities with individual artisans or coops. The cool thing is you can make someone happy and do a good thing in the world.
null | November 26, 2008 10:45 PM
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Yeah, I don't plan on buying anything...just a train ticket. I hope the people that work at stores opening at 4am get paid overtime or something...
Ily | November 27, 2008 12:37 AM
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After years of working retail I avoid going within two miles of a mall on Black Friday.
I still can't decide which is worst though... the pre-Thanksgiving rush of bitchy customers who "forgot" to buy a turkey the day before Thanksgiving and find that the store is out of anything that doesn't require two days of defrosting or the yuppie from hell outlet mall shoppers at the Lenox store I managed who were shocked beyond belief that they had to rummage through the product like "trailer trash," (an actual quote).
mike | November 27, 2008 11:27 PM
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Amen, sister.
Bil Browning | November 28, 2008 10:10 AM
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