If you are poor ?? yes is worth the hassles. Me ? Skipping thanksgiving all together. I don't need the fat...I will be in the gym on thanksgiving day.

One year I braved Walmart in the wee-hours of a frozen night to score a printer/scanner/copier I had been wanting, at an awesomely reduced price. It was crazy, and unorganized. The line I was in was so long I couldn't even see the start of it. However, the printer/scanner/copier I got has been well used and it was worth my time to have gotten it - one of those few times in life where you actually get a really good deal on something of true value to you (I was able to scan in all of our families old photographs, therefore, preserving them). Will I ever do that again? Hell, NO!

Walmart had a staggered start for the highly discounted items 4 years ago.
That made things much more manageable.

I read that the boycott of Walmart by their employees in California is now moving nation wide with a big push for the black friday sales days. Does anyone know what is planned for in Chicago metro area, Huntley in particular?

Wish there was a response for - not shopping but yes the deals are probably worth it for those who are shopping.
How do people shop in food comas? What happened to family, food and football? Doesn't anyone tire anymore of constantly being marketed too?

For some, I know it is a tradition for them to camp outside stores before Friday morning. For some, it's fun to be part of all the Black Friday madness.

There is no way you will ever find me waiting inline and dealing with those crowds to save a few bucks. If that's the only way folks can buy the items is at the door buster prices, they probably can't afford them in the first place.

With some stores, Black Friday starts Thursday afternoon. How very cruel to their employees!

History will repeat itself again at my house. We will spend a pleasant day and dinner with friends. Not get up early on Friday and miss the madness except for all the goofy news stories.

Happy Thanksgiving fellow posters

is it just me, or am i noticing x-mas marketing is starting earlier and earlier each year? seems like some stores (menards in particular) put out their x-mas stuff before halloween.... i mean, c'mon, give us a break awreddy!!!

I doubt the people in line know what "opportunity cost" means. Obviously time spent with family and friends is worth about $20.

Walmart (and other stores) moving their Black Friday sales to Thanksgiving night is something historically un-American, but strangely is a sign of our times. People are nothing more than wage slaves in the fiefdom's neverending quest for another dollar.

Patronizing one of these events means forcing hourly workers to leave their families on Thanksgiving night so that you can save $20 on some useless electronic toy. For a lot of low-income people, Thanksgiving is one of the only days off that they have - and now it's just another workday.

If you go to one of these events, I won't shed a tear when you get trampled.

Some stores have always been open on Thanksgiving.

Thanks, Meshephelous. You summed up the madness very neatly.

The stores that were always open on Thanksgiving were open from around 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Plenty of time for employees to get home to their dinners and families and relax afterwards. Having worked in the service industry, I worked Thanksgiving morning many times, and I didn't mind that much, especially because customers were usually exceptionally nice on holidays.

But when the stores OPEN at 7 or 8 p.m., that means the people who work there have to eat fast and say their goodbyes. Not much of a holiday for them.

What a greedy society we live in. It won't be long before Thanksgiving is overlooked altogether so people can save money on stuff that will end up in a landfill. And how inconsiderate to expect people to work on Thanksgiving to save those few dollars. These sales could be done on a different day and the people would still come.

Do we really need all this stuff? I think not.

If people want to spend there Thanksgiving Evening or any other evening shopping LET THEM SHOP.

Guess all the Restaurant's should be closed on Thanksgiving so the so the staff can spend time at home with family. Even though a large percent of staff would prefer to work SINCE ITS A BIG TIP DAY