In the midst of the holiday trifecta (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas), Black Friday is getting shortchanged.
Black Friday has always been an opportunity to bond with my mom while doing one of our favorite activities: shopping. Our excitement begins the minute we set our forks down from Thanksgiving dinner, as we are already planning which stores we will hit up first. Once the mall doors open, my mom and I come eagerly rushing in; I’m equipped with a cup of coffee clutched in one hand and a wallet full of money that I’ve saved up in the other.
Our yearly ritual is something that I’ve come to cherish. The day typically begins early in the morning around 8 am at Fashion Valley Mall. Our first stop is always Starbucks to get the seasonal Caramel Brulee Latte, and then we go store to store browsing, purchasing, and chatting. After we’ve gone to every store in the mall that interests us, we hop back in the car and head over to UTC Mall.
We’re already worn out from hours of hauling massive bags and walking, but once we reach UTC Mall, our exhaustion melts away and we are revitalized by the idea of finishing the day at our favorite restaurant. Our last stop is at Queenstown Bistro, which is at the heart of UTC. A beautiful darkly-lit restaurant, Queenstown Bistro disguises itself below a grand clock tower. Inside, candles, fire pits, plants, and vines all contribute to the ambiance of the restaurant. It is the perfect place to end our day as we drink refreshing beverages and eat delectable comfort foods.
Since I’ve had such an amazing experience on Black Friday, it always shocks me when people think that it is hazardous. In my personal experience, long lines and aggressive shoppers aren’t what I see on Black Friday. When I look around, I see people who look just like my mom and me: the shoppers are merrily cruising the mall full of holiday spirit as novelty Christmas songs play throughout the stores. We always go to highly populated malls, but we’ve never had to wait in line for more than 15 minutes.
Somewhat sadly, as of recently, a new way to do holiday shopping has arisen: Cyber Monday. However, if I participated in this new online event, I never would have made the memories that I had with my mom.
Even after we are done emptying our wallets, and finished with our meal, the fun hasn’t ended. One of my favorite parts of the day is the drive home. After we pile our bags into the car, we let out sighs of relief as we finally get to sit down. We are both filled with a sense of accomplishment for completing our holiday shopping. The radio softly plays music as we continue to talk and dream about drifting off to sleep after a long day.
I’ve made some of my best memories with my mom on Black Friday. Each year, we have even more fun than the last, and it is always a day that I look forward to.
