I have not been out shopping on a black Friday since 2008! I retired mid 2009 from 25+ years in retail sales/management. My corporate store was located in a popular mall, and it was always a frenzy. The mall required us to be open at 4:00 AM meaning we needed to there at 3:00 AM. Employees were not allowed to park their vehicles in the mall lots. The worst comes out in people when they think they are saving an extra penny or two. The pushing/shoving/grabbing really took its toll over the years. I decided then that nothing was worth succumbing to that madness. I still love the season, and love shopping...just not that day.
We did venture out because DH had two Doctor appointments. Unfortunately, our clinic is about a mile past the mall, and the traffic was horrendous, with all exits backed up and traffic at a stand still. Fortunately the local police were keeping a through lane open. Coming back we meandered through city streets and avoided the freeways/highways.