It’s only 9 days til my favorite non-holiday – Black Friday!! For those who don’t know, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Retailers offer crazy deals to anyone willing to crawl out of bed while it’s still dark. The store sale ads come out in the newspaper on Thanksgiving day, but you can see most of them online now. My favorite Black Friday site is Gotta Deal. I’ve been a member for 4 years and it is a very friendly, helpful forum. You should also check out their regular forums because there are some fantastic sales already online & in stores.

My favorite thing about Black Friday is not the sales, but the tradition. Every year it’s the same for me – I hop in the car at 4:30 with a cup of steamy creamy coffee and a slice of pumpkin bread and head for the store on my list with the best deals (this year I’ll be heading to Target). Next, I head to the mall to pick up my free snowglobe at JC Penney and some yummy scents at Bath & Body Works. By now I’m starving, so I grab breakfast at Chik Fil A as I start on my quest to find cute (& cheap!) pajamas and slippers. (The pajamas are opened the night we decorate the tree, and Santa leaves the slippers outside of their bedroom doors every Christmas morning.) My final stop every year is at Walgreens for Buy 1 Get 2 Free gift tags, gift wrap & tissue paper. Jason & the kids get out the tree & decorations while I’m gone so we can continue tradition that evening with our trim-the-tree fun. I love it because it is such a fun way to kick off the season, and it’s the one day morning of the year that’s all mine!

So what are your Black Friday traditions?

Run on over to Rocks In My Dryer for tons of great tips!

Updated: Tonya brought up a tip I forgot about- many of the Black Friday deals will be available online!

Tips I Want To Remember:

Window Organizer

Give Thanks Banner

Baking Day – English Muffins

Melting Chocolate

Magna Doodle Spelling

Advent Ideas