See the line of people in the photo up there?

Notice the darkness?

I nabbed that shot at 4am, incognito from my car searching for a parking spot.

I also eventually stood in that line.  Only I was about half a mile down towards the right, behind a few hundred people, as the line wrapped around the store.

As you may have guessed, I took part in the madness known as “Black Friday” last week.
I had only heard stories about the major deals and bargains to be found on this shopping extravaganza day. And since this would be my first time participating, I figured what why not head to the Holy Grail of discount merchandise…

…Walmart.

I know, I know.  Have I no shame? Sanity?  But we have several birthdays, nieces, and nephews to buy for in December and January this year. And with Dadisodes’ lay-off, we are on a major budget.

I’m guessing those people standing directly outside the front door were standing there since midnight.

Their doors opened at 5am.  I arrived around 4:15am.

It was 30F degrees outside…and windy.

Standing in that line for 45 minutes sucked.

After about 10 minutes I was certain everyone around me was waiting for me to collapse.  So they could rotisserie my ass to survive waiting out in the cold.  With people wrapped in blankets and tall insulated thermoses full of coffee, it was clear these people were out for retail blood.

Did you hear someone at a Walmart location in NY was trampled to death on Black Friday?

Thankfully this store allowed shoppers to enter in shifts.  To avoid a stampede, about a dozen employees stood at the doorway allowing only small groups to enter at a time.  All of them warned, “All we ask is that you shop with a level head…”

Their words deafened by the sound of carts screeching and crashing along shopping isles.  Items flung from the shelves onto the floor and into carts.  Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a sea of frenzied shoppers actually made me a bit claustrophobic at times.  But thankfully, I was not shopping for what most people were aiming for (electronics) so I only had to pass through those tight areas.

Overall, I hit up Walmart, Old Navy, Target, and Costco in a few hours.   Most of the stores were empty here, minus the Malmart hysteria.   I found the best deals at Walmart and Old Navy (pajama sets for $4, exercise outfits $8, coat $8, fleece blankets $4, Disney sweaters $4).

Am I willing to do this again next year?  Mmmmm…maybe.

How about you?  Were you part of the Black Friday crowds?

Did you wait for today’s Cyber Monday deals online?

(Santa is only bringing the tricycle and 2 sweaters to Babisodes. And yes, I bought socks.)