Black Friday Part Two

It seems as though Black Friday - the BIG shopping day after Thanksgiving - has been around for a long time. I know there were big sales that day when I lived in Des Moines from '84 until '95. I don't remember them from when I lived there the first time - '68 to '78. But that could be because I didn't have money to take advantage of them.
When the kids were little my xmas shopping usually didn't occur until the week before or even Christmas Eve day. By then retailers were marking down merchandise. I remember one Christmas Eve afternoon getting a great deal on a doll for Kari at Younkers.
Then there was the year of Secret Santas. I can't remember who sponsored them, but you were supposed to ask people, "Are you a secret Santa?" If they were, you received anywhere between $10 and $100. I was working at the recording studio then. A few days before Christmas one of the ad salesmen for WHO came in. I don't even know what made me ask, but I did. And he was. I received $50. That was a good Christmas year.
I don't remember getting up early to go shopping on Black Friday when Bud & I lived in Des Moines. That day was not a day off for me unless I used a vacation day. Generally we thought people were crazy to stand in line and fight the crowds. It wasn't until we moved back home that we started shopping on Black Friday. At first Bud thought I was kidding. But there was a semi truck set on sale for half price at Orschlen's in Red Oak that I wanted for Ki. I wanted to be there when they opened at 6:00 a.m. so I would be certain of getting one. From there we went on to the Mall in Council Bluffs and got some more good deals. After that first year it became something of a tradition for awhile.
Now we are back to the "People are crazy to go out on Black Friday" mentality. Each year the stores open earlier than the year before. 35,000 people waiting to get into Jordan Creek Mall at 12:01 a.m.? Really? Crazy.
I did however drive to Des Moines today for day two of Black Friday deals. Bud wouldn't go along. He said he would wait until some day during the week when it was less crowded. But I was pleasantly surprised - got some good deals and the crowds weren't too bad.
Now, let's see...Cyber Monday???