Black Friday Shopping With All Eight Kids & Four of their Friends
Yes, we did it. We took all eight kids plus four of their friends Christmas shopping on Black Friday, and it wasn't that bad.
I'm sure you are wondering why I would do such a thing. We celebrate Christmas with our kids differently every year. And each year, whatever we decide to do, our goal is to NOT focus on the materialism side of Christmas. But rather to focus on family experiences.
Christmas Staycation Link
Sometimes we opt out of gifts and go on a family vacation instead. Some years we do a Staycation (at home) filled with games, Christmas movies, Popcorn & a warm fire. This year we decided to draw names and exchange gifts. Each child put their name into a hat and drew another name out. We gave each child $50 cash to purchase gift(s) for their person and that's it. These are the ONLY gifts our kids will be receiving in our personal family Christmas - other than small gifts & necessities like socks in their stockings.
Back to why we went shopping on Black Friday? We did it for a couple of reasons.
Next Stop: The Mall. Yes there were shops like, Bath and Body Works, who are always packed during the holiday season. But for the most part - it was easily navigable.
As for the deals? I for one have never felt Black Friday had the best deals. My husband and myself were buying stocking stuffers & holiday decor which were all 50% off at Fred Meyers. And the kids all found the gifts they were looking for, which at the end of the day is all that mattered.
We returned home, wrapped the gifts, and edited this video of our Black Friday Shopping Experience. Watch & Enjoy!
Watch the video from our shopping trip below:
I'm sure you are wondering why I would do such a thing. We celebrate Christmas with our kids differently every year. And each year, whatever we decide to do, our goal is to NOT focus on the materialism side of Christmas. But rather to focus on family experiences.
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| Our kids during a Christmas Themed 'Staycation' over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Click the link for a shopping guid for your own family Christmas Staycation |
Sometimes we opt out of gifts and go on a family vacation instead. Some years we do a Staycation (at home) filled with games, Christmas movies, Popcorn & a warm fire. This year we decided to draw names and exchange gifts. Each child put their name into a hat and drew another name out. We gave each child $50 cash to purchase gift(s) for their person and that's it. These are the ONLY gifts our kids will be receiving in our personal family Christmas - other than small gifts & necessities like socks in their stockings.
Back to why we went shopping on Black Friday? We did it for a couple of reasons.
- Addison was home from college
- We thought it would be a fun family adventure
- What a perfect environment for our kids to enjoy 'giving' rather than receiving
Next Stop: The Mall. Yes there were shops like, Bath and Body Works, who are always packed during the holiday season. But for the most part - it was easily navigable.
As for the deals? I for one have never felt Black Friday had the best deals. My husband and myself were buying stocking stuffers & holiday decor which were all 50% off at Fred Meyers. And the kids all found the gifts they were looking for, which at the end of the day is all that mattered.
We returned home, wrapped the gifts, and edited this video of our Black Friday Shopping Experience. Watch & Enjoy!
Watch the video from our shopping trip below:
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