RSS
Home
Weighing-in on Post-Thanksgiving Activities
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
No, “weighing” is not supposed to be ironic, and I stay as far away from the scales as possible after Thanksgiving (okay, all year round), but it’s instead a pun for chiming in on interesting possible activities for the Thanksgiving weekend.
Even my homeschooler is excited that starting today (Wednesday), she has four-and-a-half solid days off of mom’s tyrannical lesson plans. Our house is a bustle of pre-Thanksgiving activity, including bringing the turkey and the crafting of Thanksgiving treats for the table, which include making “corn poppers,” a “thankful tree” and “turkey Oreos” to delight our guests tomorrow; and as mentioned in previous post, our Thanksgiving will round out with watching a movie here (we got the new Barbie Christmas Carol) and a game of LCR.
So, will I be slumbering early to “do” Black Friday? No.
Let’s be honest. I absolutely hate Black Friday, and I am not ashamed to admit it. I am one of those people who thinks it’s an absolute waste of time (and I spent the wee hours of Black Friday last year proving just that) with over-hyped sales, limited quantities and too many people. Oh, and did I mention that waiting outside in the cold is not fun either?
Did I find anything? Okay, yes. My best purchase last year at 7am? The cup of coffee from Potomac Mills Starbucks to keep me away long enough to get back home and back to bed. Best Buy in Woodbridge was the biggest disappointment, with lines wrapped around the parking lot in rainy, freezing weather for zero fantastic deals, other than two thumbdrives that I got for $4.99 each that were not only plentiful but on sale for the following week anyway.
My solution? Buy online and take advantage of the gobs of retailers offering online Black Friday deals and free shipping. I am all about supporting the economy, and I love to shop, but not in person. Malls are my villain, unless I am sharing a short, leisurely, non-holiday-season trip with my teen to one of her favorite Goth shops, Hot Topic. Otherwise, especially this time of year, I avoid it. Larger retailers are no fun either, and if you have to get to Target or Wal-Mart, go to work late and go during the weekday instead or head there around dinner time on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Other ideas for the Thanksgiving weekend? Take a look at my Christmas card post – take those holiday photos this weekend! It will put the whole family in the mood (or “a” mood) and get one things checked off of your list.
We also put away our fall decorations and haul out our Christmas boxes from the famous “Christmas closet.” Utilize any child labor you have over the weekend for hauling out decorations – I am a huge fan of that idea! Really, it’s so exciting for the kids to see the holiday inflatables start to make their debut in our yard, but they have to work for it. Ty Pennington isn’t here to make it happen automatically.
Let’s take a moment to NOT mention that there are some folks on our street with a Christmas tree twinkling in their front windows already – come on!
Just want to be lazy and eat leftovers? Sneak a turkey sandwich in your purse and head to a movie theater. Take the kids to see Bolt or take your spouse and see how many “familiar” situations you can find while watching Four Christmases.
Whatever you do, make sure it is what you want. This is the beginning of a hectic season that, especially in this economy, can bring extra stress to Moms and Dads. Thanksgiving weekend activities should be leisurely and fun. After all, Monday is just another day at the office!
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
.jpg)
The Water Project, a faith-based non-profit organization whose mission includes connecting donors and implementers to make clean water a reality for …
.gif)
Warmer Washington weather may boost your energy for a little spring cleaning, and that's a good thing if you are finding that you have an affinity for …
