"Mine's Acts of Service"
"Mine's Quality Time."
"Mine's Physical Touch."
Most of us need only to hear such declarations to know the reference: Gary Chapman's iconic book The 5 Love Languages, published over 20 years ago. I've always sorta felt left out, like the author failed to include mine. If I had to choose from his five, I suppose I'd say "Words of Affirmation." With performance anxiety, it's helpful to hear that I'm doing okay. However, without question my genuine love language is loyalty, and that one didn't even make his list. To feel truly loved, I need to know that my friends are on my side, ready to stand up for me in any situation, against any criticism or opposing force. They are never neutral; they always have my back. And that one doesn't fit into any of Chapman's five.
It's fine. He obviously didn't write the book for me. That said, he was close on another one: Receiving Gifts. Except it's the opposite for me. While I enjoy receiving gifts as much as the next person, I wouldn't call it my love language. But the opposite? Giving gifts? Yes. That is it. Which is why Black Friday is a sacred day for me. Right up there with Christmas and the last day of every semester. Sacred, I tell you.
Last year, when I posted about Black Friday, I titled the post "It's okay. It will come again and again." And it did! So much quicker than we expected.
I set my alarm for 6:45 a.m., though there was no need; I was wide awake at 5:00, too excited to sleep longer. I lay in bed for an hour dreaming of all the great sales we would find and how we would delight in every perfect gift. Dressed in warm, comfy clothes and shoes, with "Winter Wonderland" playing loud and proud, I drove around the corner and picked up Shulamith at 6:59 a.m. We drove through Starbucks for our annual hot chocolate, followed by Chick-fil-a to fill up our Stanleys with fresh Diet Coke, and headed to Sandy Target. We were ready. We were set. It was go time!
We were in Target around three hours and found so much good stuff! Of course, I can't tell you what any of that stuff is, because it's highly classified Christmas information, but trust me; it's crazy good stuff. Oh I can tell you one thing, so you don't feel totally left out. We found super cute maxi dresses for ourselves, mine in black and Shulamith's in black/white stripes. About an hour in, we wandered upon our Black Friday Target friends, the Combe Family! Sandy, Jen, Whitney, and Kelsey were there as they always are, a constant in our Black Friday lives. Yes, we see all of them once a month at Bunco, but this is different. Thank you, Combes, for showing up for us. We left Target around 10:30 with our haul and drove to Fashion Place mall.
Fashion Place brings all the feels, with memories dating back to 2004-2008, when Shulamith was in college, and I'd fly down from Billings to visit her. Hangin' at the mall while she worked across the street at Macaroni Grill. Shopping for my dress for her wedding and finding it at the Black & White store. To this day that dress hangs in my closet, and I love it. But guess what??? My book group just announced that the dress standard for our annual Christmas party will be "formalwear." Yes! I'm totally wearing that dress!
We took a break for lunch at Cheesecake Factory, and then went right back to our shopping frenzy. So many stores at Fashion Place and so many great presents! Again, I can't tell you about them, but not to worry. I'll fill in all the blanks eventually in my Christmas post!
We did just two more stops to round out our Black Friday 2024: Hobby Lobby and Walmart. We found a few things, but that will be the last time I shop at either of these stores in the foreseeable future. I recently learned that both donated considerable funds to the Trump campaign, and I understand the assignment. In the next four years I will seek out as many ways as possible to resist; I will not stay silent. And my first step is boycotting businesses that donated to that man's campaign.
With my minivan filled to the brim, we headed home. Hardly anything brings me more joy than finding just the right Christmas gifts for my five kids. And this may have been the most productive Black Friday in our Black Friday history!
But the sacred day ended. As they all do. I'm already excited for next year.
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