Black Friday is Like Ice Fishing

People go out on Black Friday for lots of reasons: to stand in line at the electronics store, $100 coupon in hand; to peer shivering with a face pressed up against the automatic doors of the toy store, fastest route to "the hottest toy of the year" mapped out at the store days earlier; to nab the best price of the season in an attempt to make the holiday more merry, more cheerful, more economical, more More.

But for me it's not really about any of these things.  And although I have never been ice fishing, I can imagine for those die hards sitting out there on the frozen pond, sticks clenched in gortex covered hands, it's not about catching dinner.  I'm going to haul myself out of my warm bed, grab my pre-sorted stack of holiday flyers and coupons, pull my pre-wrapped piece of pumpkin pie out of the fridge, fill my travel mug and head out the door with my mom tomorrow for the tradition of it.  For the bond that is strengthened by the fact that Black Friday shopping is not for the weak.  Sure we could bond over pedicures and warm tea at 10am on a Tuesday, but that's easy.

I'd be lying if I didn't say that there is the allure of the bargain, that deal you can't pass up...  It's like the idea that this year you might land the big one while you sit out there on the ice and freeze your ass off.  It's dark and cold.  The wilderness is filled with wild animals and dizzying scents.  They go through the motions: bait the hook, wait, wait, wait, wait, land the fish and start all over again.  We'll go through the motions: locate our merchandise, wait, wait, wait, wait in line, land our bargains and start all over again.  But we'll chat and laugh and mock the crazed shoppers and eat pie and hug over a great deal and find something just too cool to pass up and shiver...together.  Because that's my idea of a holiday that's more. 

See you at 5am Mom.