This week, most Americans are eagerly awaiting Thursday and the arrival of Thanksgiving. While we're at the airport waiting for a flight home or driving a few hours to grandma's house, we're dreaming of juicy turkey with gravy, all-day football, and a slice of delicious pumpkin pie. Some of us, however, might already be thinking past Turkey Day to the year's biggest shopping event: Black Friday.
We all know it as the day where crazy holiday shoppers rush out to stores in the middle of the night to snatch up the best deal, even if it means waiting in a 400 person line. But what we don't often hear about is how this big retail day is full of traditions for some families. Check out these fun Black Friday traditions that you could start with your own family this year!
1. Have a scavenger hunt.
If the whole family is heading out, turn your long shopping list into a scavenger hunt. Split the family in half and assign each "team" a list of items to gather. Throw in other fun things too! The first team home or finished with their list wins a prize like dinner cooked by the losing team.
2. Pick a fun breakfast spot.
Waking up at 3 or 4 am for hours of shopping can get exhausting very quickly and it's easy to let the crowds get to you. Try shopping for a bit and then choosing a cute breakfast cafe to relax for a little bit and recharge with coffee and a yummy order of french toast.
3. Participate in "Black Eve".
If your in-laws and aunts and cousins are suffering from cabin fever on Thanksgiving evening after consuming huge amounts of turkey, you might want to consider hitting the shops early as a family. Gather the troops and go browse the stores for a bit and then head home for another round of delicious home cooking.
4. Make it a girls day.
Leave your husbands or boyfriends and kids back at the house and meet up with your best girls for a day of shop-til-you-drop. Black Friday is the perfect excuse to spend quality time with the girls without any distractions. Have a mid-day lunch to catch up on life as well before the rush of the Christmas season or top the day off with an afternoon at the spa.
5. Pull a family all-nighter.
Stay up through Thanksgiving night while you plan your Black Friday attack plan then hit up a 24 hour diner in the wee hours of the morning before you race to the stores. Make sure you're armed with plenty of caffeine and snacks for the kids. It makes for a long day but everyone will be caught up in the excitement of kicking off the holidays!
6. Host a potluck Black Friday dinner.
If other families or friends in your area are home the days after Thanksgiving, invite them all over for a potluck on Friday evening. Have each person bring a leftover dish and enjoy the company of friends while using up all that extra pumpkin pie.
7. Skip the shopping and start a new tradition.
A lot of families, especially those with small children, avoid the rush of Black Friday. But don't let the day be a bore. Pick a family activity to do like decorating the house for Christmas, hiking at a local state park, or bake fun recipes with all of the Thanksgiving leftovers. It's a great way to be with family outside of the crazy shopping crowds.
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