Shop Until You Drop: Black-Friday Adventures

Every year on the fourth Thursday in November, family and friends gather to share a delicious meal starring turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pies, and other favorite family recipes. The agenda often includes watching football and napping. Another longtime Thanksgiving tradition happens the next morning. Through the generations, people of all ages, especially bargain hunters who pre-plan shopping strategies like they’re on a secret military mission, have loved participating in Black Friday.

On that day, many stores open in the early morning hours, usually around 6 a.m. or sometimes even at midnight, with “first come and until-they-run-out-of-that-item” crazy good sales. Especially before computers, Black Friday shoppers flocked to the stores, often waiting in long lines to claim their discounted prizes. Nowadays with online shopping as an option, many shoppers hit the sales in their pajamas from the comfort of their own homes. Sure, there are advantages to using a computer or phone, but then you miss out on the excitement of scoring great deals in person, bragging rights of shopping at an actual store, and perhaps the best part all, enjoying the adventure with relatives, longtime friends, and the new friends you meet in line!

Buzz neighbors share memories of favorite shop-until-you-drop Black-Friday adventures.

Robin, Kara, and Brooke Lindley with their cousins and grandparents in the early 2000s. About half of this group piled into several cars to hit Black Friday sales at midnight!  

In the early 2000s, Janet Lindley and her husband, Robin, and daughters Brooke, Kara, and Robyn, loved the funny lady who starred in a national store’s commercials. Janet shared, “On Thanksgiving Day, we kept talking about that store’s Black Friday sale, which started at midnight. So, my mom (Gloria McKenney), three sisters (Kate Wallace, Beth Antonius, and Judi Lindahl), and 10 of our kids all piled up in a couple of cars at 11 p.m. to get there early.” 

The line was wrapped around the store, and it was freezing. 

Kara, Robin, and Brooke Lindley cruising around with Santa in his bright yellow convertible sleigh. 

“After being in line for an hour and the store was about to open, someone asked, ‘What do you want to buy?’ None of us had an answer. No one was there for anything in particular. We laughed so hard, had so much fun, and ended up buying a bunch of stuff no one needed. It was a very effective marketing campaign!”

Janet also recalled the sweet Black Friday gesture from her husband, Robin, in 2009. Unfortunately, Janet was stuck in bed with pneumonia that year. “My sister stayed with me in Houston so Robin could take the girls to the family Thanksgiving gathering in Fredericksburg for the weekend.”

These five ladies had a fun Black Friday shopping adventure with lots of the nieces and nephews. Pictured are Gloria McKenney (aka Marmee), Kate Wallace, Jim Lindsay (Santa), Beth Antonius, Janet Lindley, and Judi Lindahl. 

The morning after Thanksgiving, Robin was up at 4 a.m. in Fredericksburg and went to one store to do all the girls’ Christmas shopping. Janet shared, “Sounds a little terrifying but he did a great job. They got games, exercise equipment, GPS navigators, and other car gadgets. They loved it all. The lesson I learned is that sometimes we make it too hard on ourselves and our kids are really not very demanding!”

West University resident Linda Elmer worked Black Fridays as the marketing director at NorthPark Center in Dallas in the ’90s. The craziest Black Friday memory she has was in 1996 when Sesame Street’s Tickle Me Elmo doll was the hottest toy for the holiday.  

“It’s always crowded at NorthPark that Friday with Santa’s arrival and entertainment, but there was an absolute frenzy outside the toy store. People were walking around with wads of cash, offering absurd amounts of money to people who had just bought one of the Elmos, literally following them out into the parking lot!” 

Emily Cherne giggling with her Tickle Me Elmo doll. The Elmo doll was the most popular Christmas toy in 1996.

Linda continued, “Since I didn’t have kids yet, I remembered thinking it was insane. It’s hard to imagine that scene now that people can find popular toys online.” 

Kristy Kroencke remembers waking up as early as 5 a.m. along with her sister, ready to go and hit all the sales. They would have a map and time to go to each store. 

“We were amazed at some of the clothing stores that seemed to come up with ridiculous mark downs in the early hours. Electronics stores would always be on our list for some new electronic device.” 

Kristy smiled remembering a treat the store gave to the customers. “It was always fun when some of the stores handed out 5-hour energy drinks so you would keep going and stand in the long lines to purchase or waiting for that valuable iPad! We watched employees coming out of the back of the store as they lifted TVs over their heads to give to the crowd to calm the craziness.” 

In-person Black Friday shopping may have changed over the years, but in-store sales do still happen. Shopping is not necessary, but it encourages time with others, seeing holiday decorations, and some good people-watching. Plus, it can be a good reason to get out of the house after all that cooking, eating, and dishwashing! 

No matter whether you participate in Black Friday or other Thanksgiving-week moments, everyone can agree that one of the most inspiring traditions is being thankful for our blessings, not only on Turkey Day, but all year long.