...and I want it

That being said, if you're going to camp out at Best Buy, camping out at the bigger stores will net you a better chance of getting the Doorbuster deals. I was 15th in line last year and I got both of the cheap laptops.

I'm not doing it this year because it's gotten too dangerous (I live in Houston and someone got tasered at the Galleria BB and there was rampant cutting in line) and the deals this year aren't good. This year, it's Thanksgiving at my boyfriend's house.

I used to do Best Buy, but people got insane and started lining up a day in advance. I'm crazy, but not THAT crazy.

Here's to hoping most of the deals are found online and I can get most of it without leaving my house.

I HATE Black Friday... hate the fact that more and more stores are open Thanksgiving even worse.

1. Christmas is a holiday to celebrate Christ's birth -- the peace-on-earth, goodwill towards men guy, remember? To kick off the season celebrating his birth with parking lot fights, aisle scuffles, wrestling over sweaters, cursing out people you don't even know over a toy, etc., just isn't worth it. Commerce is part of the celebration, and crowds come with that. I'm not saying let's all go Quaker here. But the sheer insanity (and not in a good way) of Black Friday shopping seems to be the total opposite of what the holiday is to represent.

It doesn't help that many stores, who's yearly legers depend on the success of BF won't even mention the 'C' word. (I'm looking at you, Best Buy).

2/ The Thanksgiving/Black Friday shopping event has gotten way out of hand. I can't stand the fact that stores that used to open two hours early for the big day began pushing back to the middle of the night and now Thanksgiving Day. The workers -- who will be well-overworked in the next month -- deserve time with their families and loved ones as much as their managers and stockholders who will be with theirs during that time.

They take walky-talkies to talk to each other while in the store - so they can cover twice as much ground.

Also on my list is a list of people we need to buy gifts for so if something that is not on the list pop's up, she can get that also. We can get most of our Christmas shopping done then.

Last year I have a few things I wanted also. I actually got EVERYTHING on my list by 3:00am Friday morning online as the deals went live on websites (some from stores which are not around us... since we don't live close to any "BIG" cities to be able to find all the stores.

@revmatty: Sounds like what my plans usually are: pedicure with Mom, lunch somewhere not attached to a shopping center, and then going to see a play or a movie or something else not shoppingy.

I remember one year my sister wanted a wine fridge from Best Buy, we got there pretty early but the line had already snaked around the building & beyond. But everyone else in line there wanted a TV or an XBox or the like so we were able to get in & get a smokin deal on that thing.

My top 3 most-hated things about shopping:

#1. Big-box stores (Walmart at the top of that list)
#2. Crowds
#3. Waking up early
#4. Insane people stampeding to save .15

So that pretty much sums up why I don't do BF, EVER.

bfads.net is a fairly popular one I have been using since 05' or '06, can't remember which.

I've done all my Christmas shopping online for a number of years now, and I don't feel that I've missed out on any good deals. I usually get unique little things anyway, or cool stuff from Think Geek.

@Loias: Last year, we drove by Best Buy and there was already a line of people snaking around the side of the store. It was about 30 degrees outside, and they were all bundled up and still shivering. I admit that we laughed.

If you are not actually there be a madness-driven shopper, it IS rather entertaining to watch everyone.

Braving the Black Friday crowds is only worth it if you're:

a) relatively young, in good health, and are pretty tough (toughness is not based on physical attributes)
b) camping out with a cheerful companion
c) camping out near a good variety of restaurants within walking distance (one stays, the other brings back kung pao chicken)
d) waiting in a line of mostly good-natured people (suburbian Best Buys are generally safe, suburbian Wal-Marts are not)
e) there is something that is set at a price in which you will never reasonably see for the rest of that product's realistic shelf life/popularity (you will probably see the Beatles box set, which is $180 on Amazon, for $90 in five years, but do you want it now or in five years?)
f) you want something that most of the people in line are not aiming to get (increasing your chances of success)

It also helps that my birthday is during Thanksgiving week, so I always have some birthday cash to spend...on myself!