You know they say the day after Thanksgiving is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the holiday season. They call it &uot;Black Friday&uot; and I’ve never really understood that, but I guess the businesses who depend upon the shoppers on this day know exactly what’s going on.

The biggest shopping day of the year – I don’t know if that’s true or not, but there are always a lot of people out there shopping and their carts are usually full.

I was one of those shoppers a couple of years ago, but now, I just can’t stand all that hustle and bustle that goes with that early shopping. For some reason, they think that the one item you picked up is the last one in the store and they will literally knock you down to get to it.

After about two years of getting up early and fighting the traffic and the crowds, I’ve finally decided that it wasn’t worth it. I decided that I’d wait and see what else was available at the store and not have to get up so early to find it. I also decided that maybe there really wasn’t much a sale and that if I waited long enough, I’d get the same item and wouldn’t have to get up so early and at the same price.

The industry leads us to believe there is a sale going on and for some things there are some real bargains. But, I can’t get over the crowds and once they notice a group of people gathered around a shelf, they all flock to that one spot. Not only does it make for uneasy shopping, but also some people can really be rude. I try to limit the space I need to just that – looking for that one item and then I move on. Well, there are others who seem to encircle the whole area with their own personal things and then push and shove you out the way to get the other things on the table. That’s when you know that enough is enough and you shop late nights or like I do, buy at the end of the season for next year.

I was fortunate enough this past year to pick up several items (one or two sizes larger) that I can give my nieces and nephews for Christmas this year. Not only were they cheaper, but I didn’t have to deal with the long lines and the rude folks. Now, they were real deals and I couldn’t have done any better than that.

Whatever happen to that wonderful &uot;holiday spirit&uot; that folks talk about during this time of year.

If that’s the last sweater on the rack and you have that extra 15 to 20 percent coupon, you may be in trouble because some folks will take it right out of your hands to get it. I’ve seen it done and I’m sure you have too.

I’m jut glad that anything I pick up at this point may go into the storage bin for next year or is just extra. I’m sure I’ll come across something that I’d buy just because too. At first I thought it was a little stupid to buy so many things, so early, but let me tell you a little secret. Between the prices at the end of the season and not having to deal with the hustle and bustle, it’s been worth it and I think I’ll keep doing just that. Shopping early doesn’t ruin the Christmas spirit. If anything, it enhances it and helps me to enjoy the real reason for the season. Happy shopping folks!