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Outside a Toys "R” Us in north Oklahoma City early Friday, Natalie Jones waves the ticket she received to buy a Nintendo Wii game system. By David McDaniel, THE OKLAHOMAN
For many people, post-Thanksgiving shopping means freezing while waiting for stores to open, racing through the aisles and enduring long checkout lines.
It doesn't exactly conjure up warm family memories.
But for the Wanner family of Frisco, Texas, Black Friday is a family affair. They came to visit Grandma for Thanksgiving and to make sure they took home some big deals.
Brandon Wanner, 16, and his brother Clinton Wanner, 19, arrived at Toys "R” Us, 2121 NW 138, at 10:30 p.m. Thursday. They were first in line.
After dropping off his kids, Scott Wanner drove across the street to wait in line at Circuit City. The 20-degree weather didn't faze the three. Their shivering paid off with a hard-to-find Nintendo Wii and a Microsoft Zune for $80 at the toy store. Dad snagged an $800 laptop for $550.
"We go for the bargains,” Clinton Wanner said.
The Grissams of Harrah also spent Friday forging memories. Although they usually split up to claim "doorbusters” at different stores, this year they teamed up at Toys "R” Us.
Chelsea and Kyle Grissam spent the night at the toy store, saving the family a second-place spot in line, which by 5 a.m. nearly stretched the length of the strip mall.
The Grissams bought everything on their lists: a Zune, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and digital camera.
El Reno resident Chris Mollohan had just picked up a sought-after toy when someone tried to snatch it.
"I had to fight for this,” he said, holding up a Galaxy Force Optimus Prime Transformer figurine.
Others woke up early to watch the disorder.
"It's just fun to watch these crazy people go crazy,” said Brad Waters of Oklahoma City.
He said it got ugly when associates started shouting at anxious customers who tried to "help” unwrap pallets.
Still, most shoppers said the crowds were manageable.
"Crowds were friendlier this year. No one got pushy or anything,” said Piedmont resident Leticia Weemohoff. "There was more of a party atmosphere this year.”
The lines at the registers also were more bearable.
While standing in line at Circuit City, a few shoppers learned being nice can make a good shopping strategy.
One shopper remembered that Erin Frizzell wanted a Wii sport set, on sale for $9.99.
"I would have never got these Wii play sets. She came and found me and said, ‘Were you the one looking for these play sets?'” Frizzell said. "We hugged right there in the aisle.”
