I was hoping to join the masses for some Black Friday shinanigins at some point today. Let me preface things by saying first and foremost that I don’t do those insane AM hours. Ever. But in my defense, I worked retail quite a few holiday seasons in my not so distant past. And even when I wasn’t working retail, my best friend and roommate was a district manager for one of the mall chain stores, so I’d help her out from time to time during the holiday rush. I’ll be honest, I’m wacky enough to miss it.

Yes, I do indeed miss working retail during the holidays. Every year I say that I’m going to get a part-time holiday job. Every year, I let someone or five others talk me out of it – no flexibility, no parking, crazy hours, horrible customers, you name it. So since moving away from NM (and my former roommate – who no longer works in retail herself) I’ve longed for the craziness that is the holiday season at the mall.

This year is the first year though that I’ve not partaken in anything Black Friday related. Heck, we don’t even have leftover turkey to eat. My friend that was going to head out with me today stood me up. She decided that it was more important to nap and stay in her cozy bed than to go shopping. I guess that’s fine. I mean it’s not like I wanted or even needed anything (and what I do want I can just get online). And I can’t really be all too angry, she did spend the big bucks and get me a pound or so worth of Cadbury’s Fruit & Nuts (so much better than we can get here in the US).

But unbeknownst to me, I took part in Buy Nothing Day without even trying. Go me! Though, does it count considering we did have to buy our passports? Or doesn’t that count? Me, I say it doesn’t considering it was really the application process and I can’t really see how it would be feeding the consumerism monster.

Now let’s see how long I can keep away from ordering those two “family gift” things I was eying over at BestBuy.com (hopefully, the digital frame will still be there tomorrow since I need to see if the wine fridge is still at Macy’s before I try ordering one through BestBuy). Then again if they’re sold out, no harm no foul – We really didn’t *need* them in the first place.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and that Black Friday was all that you hoped it would be – filled with bargains or a day without crazed shopping.