Shopping is never my thing. Black Friday is about as appealing as poison ivy to me. I would happily stay out of the stores on a day like Black Friday- or on any other day, for that matter. I'm even reluctant to shop online, but shopping in brick and mortar establishments often brings on something like a panic attack.But somehow I ended up with The Child, a.k.a. Material Man, in my life. He loves shopping and he didn't learn it from me. This budding shopaholic somehow assumed that I'd be willing to arise early enough this morning to enter the nearest Wal-Mart by 4am.
Fortunately, his alarm must not have gone off this morning, and we didn't leave for the nearest mall until 9am. He griped about having surely missed the best bargains, and I assured him that considering the economy, there'd be plenty left.
He found the laptop of his dreams priced at a $300 discount. I said it would have to be his one and only gift for Christmas and his birthday (I'm talking about for the year 2008 and every subsequent year until the end of time), for his high school and college graduations, and for his wedding. (It's expensive.) He agreed. I said we'll put it in writing when we get home. Then I plopped down an extra $100 for the Geek Squad to show up at my house tomorrow to set up said laptop.
Upon arriving home, I wondered what kind of power The Child has over me to get me to do things so against my nature. Well, maybe Black Friday isn't so bad.....plenty of people seem to throw themselves into it with gusto.....
Then I read on the internet that a young man employed by a Wal-Mart on Long Island was trampled by an unruly crowd this very morning, in a Black Friday frenzy, and he died. I no longer take it lightly. Never again will I contribute to or participate in this sort of madness.
16 comments:
The Child gets you to do this because he IS your child, and you love him :)
It's what happens when you love someone - you do very strange things that aren't like yourself at all just to make them happy, because somehow, it makes you happy :)
Congrats on little mr. shop-a-holic getting his laptop at $300 off !
My son was at a Wal-Mart at 4:30 a.m. on Friday. He concurred that it was chaos. Customers were stripping the wrapping off pallets of boxes sitting in the aisles. He patiently stood in line for a plasma TV, but it was the wrong line. By the time he got in the right line, it was too late.
I just read the story about the customers trampling that poor fellow. I was expecting him to be an elderly man, but I guess he was just 34. And the customers were upset too that they closed the store after the man died. Maybe that's just New York.
Dear Annie,
I have to admit, I've never been in this position before, where I'm catering to someone else's whims! And yeah, at least we got the big discount even though we arrived "late" at 9am!
Hugs,
Betty
Dear Big Dave,
Wow- I'm really glad I didn't have to set foot in Wal-Mart yesterday! I don't do well even in calm shopping conditions.
And I too was shocked at the young age of the Wal-Mart employee on Long Island who was trampled. People really do lose their minds over money.
Hugs,
Betty
Oh the power a child has....
Boys can do that to their moms
because they are our sons...
It's no different than a girl and
her dad....
I know the whole thing about
shopping.....I wasn't about to get
out at the god awful time of
'I'm still sleeping' to stand in
the rain till stores opened...
HUGS to you and the child!!!!
Dear Laurie,
I'm glad you understand that power. It gets to be expensive, doesn't it?
I'm also glad that you avoided black friday! You were smart....
Hugs!
Betty
I love shopping, but I won't shop on Black Friday unless it is an emergency. And I can't think of an true emergency worthy of that. And stories like that one about the Walmart employee just cinches it for me. I can't imagine people being like that.
Dear Betty,
I smiled when I read your feelings on Black Friday. I too dislike shopping.
We don't observe Christmas at home, and initially I didn't buy gifts for it. Somehow got sucked into the gift-shopping by some well-meaning friends, and by my child who grew up dreaming about Santa Claus.
This year, my budget is stretched. Decided that I won't buy any gifts, except for a chair my daughter needs for her desk - which I was going to buy anyway. Told my friends that the best gift they can give me is their company, and presence - and I don't want material things.
Still need to get gifts for Kamala's teachers and daycare folk.
A laptop is any day a worthwhile buy though - especially for a budding C++ programmer :).
Priya.
Dear Betty...I was in Palm Desert when I heard on the news that there was a shooting at Toys R Us in Palm Desert...I grabbed the phone and dialed my SIL's number. She and my nephew had been there (at that store) a few hours before the shooting...whew! It has been their tradition for years to get up early (early, early) and hit the sales on that day. I guess now it will be my tradition to get up early (early, early) and worry!
Ciao bella...glad you are doing well. And when you look at the child and the new state-of-the-art laptop, don't think of the heart-breaking, ignorant, stupid and needless Walmart tragedy--- think of it as a wise investment in the child's future..,a future without the blight of heart-breaking, ignorant, stupid and needless tragedies.
Oh my, I guess I weighed in quite heavily on this one.
Here's to the youth that have parents with the foresight to invest in their future. A smart future. Here's to you Betty!
XO
T.
Children have a power over us... if I find out how to break it - i'll let you know LOL
I was up (reluctantly at 5) I dont' know if we'll participate next year, definitely not at W*al Mart which was a big fat waste of time
Dear Lynilu,
It's funny you should put it that way- after thinking about it, I'm sure The Child would consider the black friday deals an emergency!
Hugs,
Betty
Dera Priya,
Your approach to the holidays this year seems very reasonable. It's a shame that so many of us seem to be locked into a pattern of excessive gift giving. I think I'll follow your lead and tell people that I want their presence instead of presents.
Hugs,
Betty
Dear Teri,
It's SOOOOO great to see you!!!!! And I agree that the sort of mania we've seen on black friday is cause for worry. There was a shooting in a Toys R Us in this city on black friday also. Unbelievable!
And you're right- so far, the Child has spent every waking hour learning to program!!! A wise investment indeed- I'm happy!
Many hugs,
Betty
Dear Patti,
I'm not surprised to hear that you know all about that power that they have over us. I can only warn you that it doesn't diminish as they grow older.
I'm just glad you survived your trip to Walmart!!!!
Hugs,
Betty
This is a case of "better late, than never." But, you knew I'd get here eventually. I called Ohio to find out about WalMart's big Black Friday sale.... one grandson works there. He was not allowed to buy any of the great bargains, so my son directed me to blackfriday.com and I went there and ordered a better GPS System than they were selling at WalMart for only $123.00. It's a Garmin 205W and I am thrilled with it... and I didn't have to get up early or wait in line to be smashed by rabid shoppers.
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