On Thanksgiving Thursday, my older sister and I set out on a mission to get the game “Cards Against Humanity.” This elusive game isn’t appropriate in the slightest, making it hard to find retailers that carry it, let alone a store open on Thanksgiving day. On our journey, we traveled past Best Buy – a store that already had a line outside the door at noon on Thanksgiving. Walmart was also bustling with activity. Some workers were still enthusiastic for the holiday, others looked glum and tired. It was clear they wanted to be somewhere else.

The Fox River Mall was packed full with busy shoppers, all looking for the best deals. At 7:00 Thursday evening, the checkout line inside Target was winding between shelves. Pink’s line passed three neighboring shops – a majority of the mall security had been posted alongside it. Best Buy had a squad car outside the front doors and two police officers checking bags for possible thefts. The increase in security was noticeable and also appreciated. Unlike a lot of big cities, Appleton had a relatively safe Black Friday.