Do you shop Black Friday like so many of our population does? I do not. I am not good with crowds. Also, I do a lot of our shopping online. Here at home in Upstate New York this time of year the weather is very unpredictable.

Yesterday for Thanksgiving we had upper 50s and sunshine. Today, the temperature is barely making it to the 40s and is rainy and cold. So the best advice is to dress in layers. It could be icy cold or rainy. It could also warm up and be nice out. So layering is the best bet here.

You will also want to wear comfortable shoes. You know you will be doing a lot of walking around to the more comfy the better.

The term Black Friday originated sometime back in about 1966, out of Pennsylvania and spread across the East coast. Since about 2000 the term has become popular throughout the United States. According to news releases, in 2007, 135 million people participated in the Black Friday shopping rush.

Last year, there were several injuries related to the Black Friday shopping rush. It does seem to bring out the worst in people. Some reports of shoppers snatching sale items right out of people’s hands or carts.

Bring your lists and coupons and ads to be able to catch all the sales you planned on. You can bet that there will be long lines at the check out counters too.

There are a lot of things you can do to increase your safety as you shop on Black Friday or any time you do your Holiday Shopping.

One blog site that has really good tips is Plus Size Mommy
She has a great list of tips and hints to help you. Her blog tips focus on staying safe while you shop. Very good advice.

I am not a fan of camping out all night or most of the night to get a good deal at a store. Some people are and actually do this.

Some of the stores are extending the sales now to Saturday too. That helps to tone down the Black Friday crowds. The latest news report today is that the shoppers are out about as much as they were last year and sales are going good. So, happy shopping. If you have a Black Friday experience you want to share leave a comment and share it with us.

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• Black Friday Deals Online: BEST Websites For Black Friday 2009 Sales, Discounts (huffingtonpost.com)
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• A flurry of scams accompany Black Friday shopping (dailyfinance.com)
• Your Black Friday Reference Guide To Game Shopping [Shopping Gift Guide] (kotaku.com)
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