do you "do" black friday?

This year there is really nothing that I need. Hubby and I are in want of a new TV.  The sound is starting to go on ours.  While it isn't a necessity as we do have a 19 inch tv we could use in a pinch, we are hopefully going to get a deal on an LCD TV.  It is what hubby really wants.  He wants a minimum of a 40 inch but that requires a new entertainment center as well so we'll see.  We do have the money saved for a new TV but I wasn't planning on getting one that big and I didn't save for the additional expense of a new entertainment center.  Fortunately my parents never know what to get us for Christmas and usually end up giving us cash, gift cards and socks.  So this year they are going to get us an early present of an entertainment center for our new TV.  This came about after I told hubby we couldn't get the 40 inch because I didn't budget for a new entertainment center.  HA!  So he thinks we are getting a 32 inch.  Won't he be surprised.  No worries, he doesn't read my blog so he won't even know. 

The last couple of years Black Friday has been something my dad and I have done together.  We meet at his house about 3:30 AM.  We get a drink and get our game plan paper.  We figure out our game plan on Thanksgiving.  Well, I usually have mine done well ahead of time but he waits until Thanksgiving.  We write everything down and then come Friday we are ready.  Last year was great.  He waited in line for his new TV.  I got my things and we were out of Walmart by quarter after 5.  We went to JCP and Sears then and headed home.  I got home just in time for the kids to wake up.  Hubby got up and wenting hunting and the girls and I went to a couple other stores where there were things I wanted but nothing that was necessary.  It worked out really well. 

Last year Black Friday was also when we met our dog.  I had got some towels from Walmart that were on sale and donated our old ones to the animal shelter.  While we were there, K and Sheena fell in love with each other at first sight and now Sheena is a part of our family.  This year there will be no trip to the animal shelter because Hubby promised K she could get a kitten in the spring because one of our cats died this fall.  I have a feeling if we go to the animal shelter K will fall in love with another animal and our family will grow yet again. 

I am fortunate enough to have Black friday off this year.  I had it off last year too.  I wasn't supposed to get off 2 years in a row but I switched departments and requested it off and got it.  I could just go before work.  I would still make it to work on time but I would rather have the entire day off.  This year in my department of 60 people only 3 took it off so pretty good odds that I can try again next year. 

I sign up for every Saturday between Thanksgiving and Christmas so really it is not a huge deal IMO. Most people want the Saturdays off and I only want that ONE Friday off.