Wednesday Afternoon: Plan Your Attack
This is the time when you should be focusing on planning your Black Friday. It’s highly recommended at this stage to have a list of stores you are wishing to visit during Black Friday. Your plan of action should include times, Black Friday ads, and what you plan to purchase at each store. This will allow you to know whether there are any conflicting sales, requiring you to add some additional shoppers to your arsenal.
Wednesday Night: Rest, Cook, Repeat
Your Black Friday is planned out, missions are now assigned, now it’s time to actually work on what’s actually important – Thanksgiving cooking. If you are hosting this year, Wednesday evening should be reserved for cooking and resting. Begin cooking refrigerated foods (potato salads, etc) Wednesday afternoon, along with the turkey, and saving hot foods for the next morning. Be sure to have a person or alarm to periodically wake you to check on the turkey and other foods cooking.
Thursday Morning: All Set and Ready
Now is crunch time. This is the point when all Thanksgiving cooking should come to a finish. Aside from desserts and a few side dishes, your main focus should be on prepping the home and yourself for the meal. If you are able to sneak in a late morning (11AM or noon) nap, that would do your body a huge favor. Depending on your family, guests usually arrive around 2PM or 3PM, so plan your nap accordingly.
Thursday Evening: On Your Mark
Hopefully your Thanksgiving dinner went off without a hitch! Now it’s time for war in the stores. This year, most stores are starting their sales Thanksgiving evening at 8PM. If you want to ensure your item is still in stock before midnight, it’s crucial to at least take a look at these sales. As always, ensure you are well rested, dressed, and prepared. If needed, recruit a couple of family members to man each store you can’t be at.
Friday: Shop ‘Till You Almost Drop
With many sales starting Thursday, you should be well into your shopping by Friday morning. However, between Thursday and Friday, there is a possibility for some rest or at least sit-down time. After the midnight sales have come and gone, you have a nice grace period between 12:30AM and 4:00AM, before the second round of sales occur. Use this time wisely to drop off the first load of your purchases. During Friday, it’s crucial to continue to make these frequent home visits. You don’t have to take a nap each time, but unloading every so often will allow you to have less to carry when you are officially done. From Friday afternoon on, use this time to truly enjoy your weekend off work or classes. You won’thave another one of these for a couple of weeks, so make the most of it and marvel at your new haul of gifts.
The Snack Pack:
The most important thing to remember during Black Friday is to not only eat, but to eat well. It is just as easy to forget to eat as it is to eat unhealthy. You are on the run and fast food is very appealing. This can be curved by having these four important meals for the duration of your shopping (a nice breakfast, quick snacks, a smart lunch, and a light late afternoon meal). Why, might you ask? A hearty breakfast is key because chances are, you weren’t in the mood to eat Thursday evening after that large Thanksgiving dinner. This makes it much easier to skimp on breakfast Friday morning. Quick snacks throughout the day preserves that satisfied feeling while shopping, while also providing much needed energy. The most ignored meal is lunch on Friday, this is key for getting a good chunk of Friday’s nutrients, with a light afternoon meal allowing for an easily digestible meal, just in case you crash and sleep Friday evening) Mixed nuts, protein filled, and smart energy sources are nice to have with you. Don’t go for the coffee, but go rather for natural drinks. If you find yourself with a killer headache without your coffee, opt for the least amount of additions as possible (no to lattes, yes to black coffee with light creme and sugar).
The Dress Code:
Black Friday is an awkward time in terms of how to dress. You are out in the cold, very early in the morning, while still trying to look your best after slaving over a huge dinner for a ton of guests. No one will look like they are going to the Oscars on this day, go for more athletic clothing (jeans, no – sweatpants – yes). Have a hat and gloves, with an extra pair of socks in the car, along with your coat, to ensure you’re always warm in the early morning chill. How are you spending Black Friday? Let us know in the comments, also don’t forget to check out Lifehack’s 8 Tips for Surviving Black Friday(Ed: or if you need help in planning out your holiday activities check out the Lifehack Lesson that will help you organize your day) Featured photo credit: Portrait of big family sitting at festive tablevia Shutterstock
