I {Heart} Black Friday

I love to save, plot, plan, and research the best deals of things that we need or that I have had my eye on for a while.  I love the excitement.  I get a huge kick out of the people; both shoppers and the poor retail workers.  I really enjoy making a day of it with a friend or two.  I pretty much like everything about it.  Black Friday is obviously an American phenomenon and therefore last year I really missed it.  (I did snag a few deals online, but it was not quite the same.)  The year before we were in training for overseas living and also did not get to participate.  Needless to say, this year I am pretty stinkin' excited about it.

Mr. Sojourner and I have been scouring the ads and deciding what we need and what we can fit in our luggage when we head back.  I am excited to stock up on some birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, Easter basket goodies, etc.  (Since we can not get many toys and such here and the ones you can get are outrageously expensive and break within a minute of play.  I need to take some pictures of the stock of toys and our local stores so you can see.) 

But...I am already overwhelmed by the choices and I haven't set foot in a store yet!  In the capital city of the West African country we live in if you want cereal and you got to the store you may have five choices.  If you want a computer printer you may have two or three choices.  It's not like the aisle of cereal boxes or aisle of computer printers that we are used to.  After eighteen months this has become normal.  Now, as I look for an ipod speaker I see several choice at each store and they are all different.  Holy cow.  I am in for shell shock.  I don't know whether I will squeal with delight while skipping down the aisles, go into catatonic shock, or fall on the ground sobbing when I walk into a clean, beautiful, well-stocked store.

Do you do Black Friday?  If so, what stores are you planning to hit-up this year?  Or, what is on your shopping list?  If not, what are your Thanksgiving holiday weekend plans?