I was up at 4:30 a.m. saying goodbye to my sister who was leaving on a 3 week shopping trip to Bangkok, Thailand. I went for a early morning walk w/my dog then had breakfast w/DH and my 8 y.o. DS. We did hit Toys R Us but only for b-day presents. The crowd control within the store was pretty darn good and I got through the lines pretty quickly. The traffic was nuts and it's amazing how materialistic people are at this time of year, it's just magnified tenfold. UNBELIEVABLE is right about that woman who left her child in the car unattended.

I did hit another mall later in the day and the crowds were back to normal and I scored ME a cute pair of sneakers along with some other gifts. I'm sure tomorrow will be more of the same madness at the malls. Think I'll avoid them and go shopping during the weekdays instead.

i did, I went to wilmington NC with my MIL and hit Stein Mart where I found a top (4 of them I have been on the hunt for) some ****rs for DH and a few yanee swap gifts I know are coming. and then to Dillards where I found the cutest shoes! However, there were no lines, no traffic and tons of Parking, we got there about 9 and were back home by 1. Not so bad

Not I

I don't think these morons left their child in the car to shop. Dad was arrested for leaving the child AND marijuana possession. It's more likely the two were so stoned they forgot they HAD a child.

When I go shopping, I have to take my son. And there's no way on earth I'd get him up in the middle of the night and take him shopping. Standing in line at Wal*Mart with him at 7 a.m. just to get him the Elmo Extreme was more than enough as it was.

Even still, I'm not sure getting up in the middle of the night just to save a few bucks is worth it regardless.

I did! I go with my best friend and her family...this was my 7th year. I go mainly cause its fun spending the day with her and its just become tradition. We usually make it to the mall around 5:45-6...but this year, JC Penney opened at 4 AM...and we were there at 4:30!! Up a bit after 3 AM. We really outdid ourselves this year! I didn't buy a whole lot- 2 gifts and then a couple of things for me. I was disappointed b/c my dad had given me money for work clothes! But I really only find 1 or 2 things I "kinda" liked at Kohls after lunch and it was NOT worth saving the $10-15 to stand in that line that wrapped around the store for 2 hours!

I went last year....to CompUSA on Thanksgiving. They opened at 9pm to midnight. I will never do that again. I about went postal. We were about the 5th people in line, but everyone stormed the door once it opened. My DH is in a wheelchair and so many people ran into him. One person knocked him so hard, she lifted half of the chair off of the ground. No, I'm sorry,....nothing. He couldn't even get through the store. He sat behind a pole in a "safe zone" and text messaged me while I waited for someone to get our computer. There were a few kind people who parted the sea to help him get out of the store.

Funny thing is.....DH loves this! He was smiling and laughing the whole time. He thinks it is hilarious. To each his own.

All I can say is, if he wants to watch the crazies, he is on his own.

Kerri