13 things about Boxing Day shopping

13 things I've learned about Boxing Day shopping.

1. If you want it, be prepared to stand in line. I don't mean the lines that take 30 minutes... I mean those that start at 1AM when the store opens at 6AM. I got to the Future Shop line up at 5:45, and I estimate there was about 250 people ahead of me. Good thing that I wasn't looking for those Ipods! I would have had to line up a HELL of a lot earlier!

2. If you line up early, bring a warm jacket, even if you figure you'll only be there a short while. Yep, I brought a semi-warm jacket, but could have used something warmer.

3. Be prepared to stand in line for an hour, even after the store opens! I was 10 people away from the front of the line when I looked at my watch - at 6:40AM! The store had been open for 40 minutes, and they were letting in only 40 people at a time!

4. Do your pre-planning the night before. Thank GOD I did research a few days before, and knew the specs of what I wanted.

5. Do your research, and make sure that your computer can handle what you want to put into it. The mp3 player hook-up wasn't a problem, but if I want to start playlists, I have to go beyond Win98. Did I mention that my hubby is a computer type, as am I.... and we still have Win98 ONLY installed.... (and linux on the other computer)

6. Bring coffee or hot chocolate to that lineup you are standing in. Yep, my HC was only half full, but it was yummy in the thermal mug I had. I wish I had brought more! The pileup of Tim Horton's cups near the front door was massive! We all wondered how much business Timmy's had done that night - all on Future Shop customers!

7. Don't bring kids - don't even think about it. Kids slow you down. I'm soooo glad I didn't bring them.

8. Have a buddy. Then you can divide and conquer - or divide and warm up, while still saving your place in line. Kris, next year, you're coming with me!!!!

9. Know what you want - and quit looking around. I spent too much time looking around Future Shop, and not moving onto the next place. Although the mall didn't open until 9:30 (Walmart somewhat earlier), I still spent too much time looking around aimlessly at Future Shop - making sure I didn't miss any deals.. :(

10. Have a list - I know... stupid thing to say, but I wish I would have had a technology list with me... then I could have figured out if there was anything else we needed, and gotten the hell out of there!

11. Ask - you never know what's left. A friend told me that although she (and I) thought the Ipods were all gone, she asked staff. Turns out someone didn't redeem their ticket (tickets were given out to the first in line who wanted ipods)... and an hour after the store was opened, she got an Ipod. I would me miffed... if I would have wanted one!

12. Get a bood parking spot, and ditch the big stuff soon! I'm glad I parked by the door, then I tossed the big bulky gift wrap tubes and stuff in my car, and headed back in to check out the clothes.

13. Take the time in the morning to shower and get properly dressed - you never know who you will see - or what tv cameras will be around! Saw a bunch of people I knew - they hadn't been there since 5:30, and I didn't look thrown together as if I had just crawled out of bed!

That's it. Boxing Day shopping is done for another year. Maybe next year I'll think about the big screen TV's and stuff that they had there. Maybe not. I'll probably upgrade my mp3 player, so maybe I'll have to be in line at 3AM... :D hope not.

Rella