On Target and other shopping on Black Friday

So J and I made our annually outing yesterday to do a bit of shopping.  Unlike those camped out in RVs in front of stores since Tuesday, we waited and went out around noon.

Our first stop was World Market to purchase a traditional tin of german cookies we’ve bought the past two years, only to discover they didn’t have it this year.  Alas, it was nice to be greeted by an associate who handed us a shopping basket.  That never happens throughout the rest of the year.  I made a quick once over of the Christmas decor.  J picked up a silver and red tree scarf for our tree which we had put up Thursday night.  More about the tree later.  Then, I decided to get a box of small wooden nutcracker ornaments.  I’ve recently started collecting the small wooden figurines to adorn our book shelf and guard the books each year.  It’s easy  to add to the collection since they usually come at least four or five to a box.

Disappointed about the cookies, we moved on.  It was nice to see the store still busy with shoppers.  Next stop, TJ Maxx, one of my favorite places to browse kitchenware and home decor (all that stuff at the back of the store).  They had some nice things but J and I ended up buying underwear.  Yes, I said underwear.  Believe it or not, TJ Maxx and Marshalls are the best places to get brand name under clothing at half the price of department stores…2xist, Calvin Klein, Izod…they had a great selection.  Cashiers were busy here too.

Next door, we hit Target to buy cat food and curtain rods.  I know…of all things to be buying on Black Friday.  We almost ended up with a 26″ flat screen for the bedroom at $299!  AWESOME!  But they were sold out.  However, a nice associate checked other stores for us, and I’d like to point out that at least 3 other associates on the sales floor asked us how we were doing or if we needed help.  One guy even pointed us in the direction of curtain rods even though we would have found them on our own.  This is the first time ANY associate has ever approached me first in a Target.  Rock on Target dog!  I say hello, good buy, and good move on your part!

Next was Global Market…a grocery store of imported foods.  I’d never been here before, but J had.  Both of us were like kids in a candy store.  German cookies (no tin though), sliced buffalo chicken breasts, tomatoes, black currant tea, walnut tea cake, southwestern cheese, peppermint tea, egg nog in a bottle, and an array of other goodies were loaded into our shopping basket all for about $40.00.  We hurried home to make turkey sandwiches on pita bread and enjoy leftover stuffing and green bean casserole.  Mmm…mmm..mmm…

Upon hanging up the new curtains in the four windows along the front of the house, we discovered we should have bought two more for the side windows to give the entire house a finished look.  These curtains are cloth Roman shades in darker colors which we hung on a rod underneath our rattan blinds to keep out the sun and any prying eyes.  However, the shades came from Linens n Things which is going out of business.  So, we headed back out again.  I’m sad to see L n T go, but honestly, I never shopped here.  I’ve shopped it more now with it going under than I ever did before.  Sad.

Smart shoppers have definitely been taking advantage of the deals here.  There were already empty fixtures at the back of the store for sale.  Lucky for us, they had two shades left.  J and I perused the kitchenware again, salivating over new pots and pans (we’ve already made several trips to this store since the store wide sale started in October).  But, we left with only the shades this time, not before sharing a giggle over a customer trying to write a check at the counter, right on top of the sign that said NO CHECKS and NO RETURNS.  Then, another stop at another Target next door for two more rods.  We took another look at that TV, but this location was sold out too.  “It must be a sign,” J said.

And so we hurried home, hung the last two curtains and called it a day.  People were definitely out shopping…probably taking advantage of those discounts and deals but don’t we always?  As J pointed out in the car on the way home, yeah, the economy is bad and the news is cluttered with Stock Market fears, but that isn’t going to stop me from getting out and enjoying the holidays.  Sure, we have no more money than we did last year.  We have no business buying a new TV when the tiny one in the bedroom we have now works fine.  And although I’ve already purchased most of my holiday gifts and bought none, except for things for myself, this weekend, it was still nice to get out and get assistance and see that stores were making a sincere effort to please shoppers.