Black Friday

I'm going to be in a shopping mall at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow. Many people I know think I've lost my mind. After all, I do very little holiday shopping and, being self-employed, don't need to do it at the height of retail madness.

However, I'm going with my sister and she is over-the-top excited about it and it's become something of a ritual on Black Friday. We'll get some coffee en route, hit the stores, unload some packages, get more coffee, hit more stores and then plop down for some lunch at Ruby Tuesday's. I'll also be equipped with some dorky coupons that allow me free lotion at Bath and Body Works if I purchase something and for some reason that rocks my world. Last year I bought an ornament for my Christmas tree and got the vanilla lotion to boot. Yee-ha.

In the process, the whole experience puts me in the holiday mood and allows me to check out all the latest ornaments and decorations. I can already hear the jingle bells ...