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OK, so I'm crazy. Every year, I'm among the first in line for the day-after Thanksgiving sales. Most of my friends wouldn't want to be caught anywhere near a mall then. I, on the other hand, am the sort of person others point and laugh at, wondering why we put ourselves through this trouble. In a frenzy
over shopping
after ThanksgivingBargains and booty are worth
the long lines and tramplingBy Nancy Arcayna
Special to the Star-BulletinThe morning-after shopping trip has become a ritual. My alarm rings at 4 a.m. and I manage to crawl out of bed, jump into my clothes and head off to the toy stores. I was doing this a few years before my son was born, so I can't use having a child as an excuse. My competitive nature gets the best of me and prepares me to fight for hard-to-get items.
The smart shopper spends the evening before the sales with the newspaper. Price comparisons of early-bird sales are made; every circled item represents less time spent in each store. The special deals usually only run until noon, so you need to be organized.
I was not early enough this year. The line at K B Toys in Pearlridge was already backed up past Fun Factory, where Sandy Maruyama was also waiting in line.
"My friend was here at 2 a.m. and was shocked because people were here with their chairs and sleeping bags," she said.
We stood in line more than two hours, watching others exit with their goodies, and hoping our wish-list items would still be in stock.
The crowd was in a party spirit as we swapped shopping war stories. Our mutual obsession was understood.
"One year I finished shopping early and it wasn't the same. It was kinda depressing," said Cassie Bueno. "It was harder to get into the spirit of things.
Shopper Robert Zalo echoed her sentiments. "I feel like I'm missing something if I don't make it to the sales, even if I don't see something I particularly need. Last year I didn't go and it felt weird."
Joanne Lopes reminisced about making a mad dash to get her son a Power Ranger one year. "I sprinted past an old couple so I could make sure I got one. I grabbed two, but gave one to them because I felt bad," she said.
Finally, it was our turn to enter. We were handed giant clear trash bags and the race was on. Most of the items I wanted were sold out. No more Dragon Tales dolls, no Hot Wheels Circuit City garage, no BopIt.
How disappointing! Maruyama only wanted the Harry Potter game, which was sold out. I last saw her heading for Toys "R" Us.
My spirits dashed, I regretted not having gone straight to Toys "R" Us because they offered to match any sales price. My next stop was Sears-Pearlridge where I wanted to get a couple of Poo-chi interactive dogs. The line outside wasn't long, so I figured no problem, but as soon as the door opened, everyone rushed up the escalator.
I followed. Then, there it was -- the Poo-chi display. A swarm of women attacked the display. Some crawled on the ground to grab the dogs on the bottom. In minutes, the supply was wiped out. The scene looked like a re-enactment of Arnold Schwarzenegger's movie "Jingle All the Way."
A few men stood on the sidelines, probably forced by their significant others to experience the encounter.
After grabbing and paying for three Poo-chis, I headed to Toys "R" Us, where I met shopper Johnelle Silva.
"Last year, we went to Wal-Mart just for the Spam," she said. "People in Hawaii seem to like to stand in lines. The lines are worse than they are at Disneyland. But it's the only time they have really good sales."
Her effort is not wasted. "Whatever I don't give away at Christmas, I save for birthdays," she said.
Three hours later, our carts went from half full to over-flowing. Johnelle's daughter Jenna Silva wandered through the store searching for items left out of place. It's always a treasure to find an item on a wrong shelf after you've been told it was sold out.
Many of my fellow shoppers agreed that they wouldn't be able to buy all the things they wanted if they didn't go to these crazy sales.
"I saved $50 on this bike. And, I was going to buy it even if it wasn't on sale," said Amber (no last name given), who was shopping for her four children.
"I just can't leave the store thinking there may have been something I missed," she said.
Reynell Loretero was shopping for her two sons. "They both want the same things and they're so expensive. This is the first time I came to the sale, but it is definitely worth it. I have lots of nieces and nephews to buy for so it helps that the prices are reasonable," she said.
One mistake I made was not eating before I ventured out. Nutrition is important in maintaining stamina for an all-day shopping spree. One family came prepared. They were having a picnic of Cheetos, Animal Crackers and Pepsi while standing in line. It was noon and I was starving. I had been in toy stores since 4:30 a.m. Shoppers joked that we should plan a potluck lunch next year because we resurface faithfully.
After standing in line for three hours, I finally paid for my merchandise and got out of Toys "R" Us, racing for the nearest Jack in the Box. I recently swore off caffeine, but ordered a Diet Coke. I would not make it through the day without a boost.
The caffeine zing sent me merrily on my way to Ala Moana Center. Luckily a parking space was available and the mall was not as crowded as I anticipated. Maybe because it was almost 2 p.m. and the early-bird and door-buster sales ended at noon.
I found many people playing hooky from work.
"They should just make it a state holiday," said Deena (who couldn't give her last name because she was supposed to be at work). "People just call in sick anyway. And once you get in the store after waiting for so long, you need to make it worthwhile"
I didn't make it to work either. After the toy store experience and the Ala Moana rush, I needed a nap. I headed home around 4 p.m. after 12 hours of shopping. I called my boss when I finally managed to get up and left her a message apologizing for not making it in to work that day. Not that she didn't know where I would be, knowing all about my obsession with the toy sales.
The savings are definitely a payoff. Most sale items were marked at half price. At Sears, I purchased three Poo-chi dogs and spent a little less than $47. The regular price would have been closer to $78.
Many would say we are buying things we probably don't need. This may be true. But from the other point of view, shoppers' smiles as they left the stores with sacks full of goods expressed a sense of accomplishment. They were buying items they would have bought anyway, and saving money at the same time.
Getting items that were on someone's wish list and waiting to see their faces light up Christmas morning makes the extra trouble worthwhile.
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