Congratulations to the 2009 Black Friday VIP Winners!
Thank you to everyone who entered Best Buy’s Black Friday VIP contest! Check out the winning entries below.
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I am entering this contest for my son, Jeffrey Carter, a 27-years-old adult with autism. He does not write or use the computer, but he is your biggest fan! Every year on Black Friday he insists we visit Best Buy so he can scout for his Christmas List -- it always includes 80s rock CDs, a new CD player, and some DVDs. This year, we'll head to the store early so he can pick out the perfect Bad Company CD, the best Paul McCartney CD, and even perhaps a copy of Michael Jackson's Greatest Video Hits. He always leaves with a big smile and a long, long list.
Jeffrey loves Best Buy so much, a gift card from the store is his holiday and birthday gift of choice -- nothing makes him happier than being able to shop with a great Best Buy Gift card. It gives him great independence to be able to use that card. He also uses his Rewards Card -- it is tattered and fading since he uses it so much. And he parcels out the money over the months, making sure he has a little bit left. He was in the store Friday and now has $12.62 left on his last birthday card.
You would make this young man the happiest man on earth if he got to ride in a Limo to his favorite store -- Best Buy. You'd be giving him a special day he truly would always remember.
Ginger C., Atlanta, GA -
"Santa, they say. Can you get us a Wii?'
'My wallet is empty,' moans the father of three.But Black Friday is coming, with great deals galore.
If I get in line early, I could get a Wii, and probably more.For over a year now we have lived without a TV,
So I'll be at the line's front to score a well-priced LCD.Our computer is ancient, and can't be upgraded.
I'll replace it with a netbook and desktop, am so glad I waited!Unbeatable prices make it possible, and that's why I'm so excited.
I can buy more Black Friday and on Christmas my kids will be delighted.We moved across the country so I could work a steady job.
My paycheck will stretch, if I hunt deals with the mob.I'll bring friends, and we'll party, play cards and games.
We'll bring lots of blankets, and hope for no freezing rain.The excitement will build as we wait through the night,
Until the fire doors swing open, and we sprint out of sight.Like a starving hunter, tracking his next meal,
I'll outrun the crowds and I'll land big deals.For three years my kids have hoped Santa would follow through,
I won't fail them again; I know exactly what I need to do.I'll make my list, and I'll check it thrice,
They aren't naughty, and I will be nice.In the heat of the battle, I'll seek out my prey.
- Ryan W., Severn, MD
November 27, 2009: Black Friday." -
I love the clashing of 3 hours of sleep and a full stomach every black Friday. The thrill of getting in the car during a frigid New England morning to find the best deal is one of a kind. All of this excitement makes my fingers frost up, or it's because of the early morning. Regardless, Best Buy has the answer to my roller coaster of emotions because once I solidify my place in line to enter the store; I know how my hard earned dollars will reward me.
My family members gave up after they saw the other envious customers, but I remained vigilant because at the end of the tunnel, I saw my dream HDTV. I hugged by body and defeated the cold. After 45 minutes of waiting, I dominated the store and took home my prized possession: Sony Bravia 52' HDTV perfection.
When I came home, I was the champion of the family. The prodigal son who came back bringing milk and honey, aka: a 1080p television. I knew after all the work; I had been anointed the head honcho of the family. My brothers and sisters had nothing to measure up to my accomplishments. I knew that in that very moment, I was invincible, all thanks to Best Buy Black Friday."
- Chi N., Dorchester, MA -
Black Friday is an affair to remember for our family. It is a bonding ritual for my mom, dad, sister, and me. It starts off with my mom and sister, who are nurses, coming home from work at 1130pm. As they change into warmer clothes, my dad and I get the car ready, making sure the trunk is cleared, ample warm blankets on board, 4 folding chairs present, enough coffee in the thermos, and 4 individual tupperwares filled with mash potatoes, turkey with gravy, and biscuits packed and ready to go. By midnight, we all get in the car, and as we buckle our seat belts, I feel as if we're on Fast and the Furious and I hear the countdown: Start your engines, 5,4,3,2,1,Go! And off we drive to BestBuy! After we've arrived at BestBuy and have settled in line, my favorite part of Black Friday happens. That's when my mom takes out the tupperwares and proclaims Happy Thanksgiving! Since 2005, she and my sister have always worked on Thanksgiving, and since we can't eat as a family on Thanksgiving Day, we've made it a family affair to eat Thanksgiving dinner on Black Friday morn. This has become our yearly Black Friday ritual. Yes, the four of us are huddled in line, outside in the cold, eating our late Thanksgiving dinner from tupperwares. Yes, we're all running on caffeine and have had no sleep! But its so worth it because BestBuy has become part of our unique Thanksgiving tradition.
- Gene G., Chicago, IL -
It was 13 years ago, that my wife, Jennifer, and I ventured out on a cold Friday after Thanksgiving with our baby daughter Tessa in tow. She and Tessa waited in the warm car while I stood outside the store in the snow. Our mission was simple: snag some Disney movies on VHS (yes VHS!) and get one of the free Best Buy Idea Box stuffed animals that were given away that year. The movies we bought have been long forgotten and replaced by DVDs. But the smile on that little girl's face when she strolled into the store in her mothers arms and got her stuffed animal is the stuff of family legend. This year that little girl who is now a gangly teenager plans to join her old dad in line outside of Best Buy. And when we finally make through those warm doors this Black Friday, I won't see a young lady making a mad dash for the 19-inch flat screen television she covets. I will see a little girl with a wide smile hugging her stuffed Best Buy Idea Box. Black Friday is not just about shopping for our family, it is about making memories. And for our family, poring over the Best Buy ad in a dark parking lot is as much a part of Thanksgiving as turkey and stuffing.
- Craig W., Medina, OH -
Black Friday 2009 will mark the first time my parents and grandmother will get to buy presents for their twin grandchildren, born February 3, 2009. Also, this is the first time where my family (father, mother, and grandmother) will join my wife's family for a joint Thanksgiving celebration. Because of that, Black Friday will be especially meaningful this year. I would like to have 2 generations of grandmothers (my mother, my grandmother, and my wife's mother) have the opportunity to spend their first year of buying Christmas gifts for their grandchildren together. In addition, Best Buy could provide the grandparents with a way to electronically connect our worlds. Today we live in 2 different states and our primary means of keeping everyone abreast of the changes with their grandchildren is with phone conversations and pictures sent through postal mail. With the consultation with Geek Squad and your dedicated store employees, not to mention the money, the grandparents could open up to whole new world possibilities to digitally connect the families and enable them to have a far more active part in their grandchildren's lives. Perhaps not your normal target market, but imagine Geek Squad consulting my mother (61), mother in law (53), and grandmother (90) if they can learn to digitally connect than anyone can. Thanks Best Buy for giving us an opportunity to tell our story and offer this exciting opportunity to our family.
- Scott S., Sachse, TX -
I am so excited about this contest, because this year, my family has chosen to adopt a family for the holidays through Volunteers of America. The family we have adopted is a single mom, with two children, who is struggling to make ends meet. We'd like nothing more than to be able to give them a wonderful Christmas, and this would make it that much easier! The mother is trying to complete her education so that she can get a better job to support her two boys. A new computer would help both her and the boys with their schooling. Her 10 year-old loves video games. We’d love to provide them with a Nintendo Wii. The two-year old is really into Thomas the Tank engine. We would love to give him some new videos to enjoy. My family is already very blessed. We have stable jobs in this very un-stable economy. It would mean the world for us to be able to help this single mom provide a great Christmas for her children.
- Andrea C., Chesterfield, MI -
"To the song 'Let it Snow'
- Christine S., Houston, TX
The weather outside is frightful,
But the sales are so delightful,
And there is only one place to go...
Best Buy Zone, Best Buy Zone, Best Buy Zone!!
The winner deals are never ending,
And the excitement ever pending,
So early morning rush I go...
Best Buy Zone, Best Buy Zone, Best Buy Zone!!
Video games, TVs, and music,
So many choices I may loose it,
So my family will love-it I know...
Best Buy Zone, Best Buy Zone, Best Buy Zone!!" -
"Black Friday, Black Friday you come only one time.
- Jamie T., South Gate, CA
And so I can't help but to make up a rhyme.
It doesn't matter how far I have to climb.
If you pick me it would be sublime.
I can't help but smile every time I see a Best Buy store.
The endless possibilities of all to explore.
From electronics, to appliances, movies and more.
Walking through the aisles is never a bore.
I'm excited for Black Friday because it joins two holidays for me.
Thanksgiving and Christmas oh what glee!
The people in Best Buy are always sincere.
Standing in line feels like we are at a premiere
To get up in the morning all I need is a cup of tea
And the thought of buying a wonderful Wii.
Blue shirts and Geek Squad oh what a delight.
When I have you nearby my day is just right.
Black Friday, Black Friday you are almost here.
That fills my heart with so much cheer." -
"4 in the morning,
- Joshua J., Coral Springs, FL
With crust in my eye.
Wake up, get dressed,
There are many things to buy.
Pour a cup of coffee,
add in some cream.
I'm so excited,
I let out a scream!
Today is the day,
Shoppers beware.
My favorite time of year,
No other can compare.
I grab pants and a t-shirt,
Run a comb through my hair.
Lace up my sneakers,
For gadgets extraordinaire!
Sales and specials,
Unlimited selection.
Black Friday at Best Buy,
My idea of perfection." -
"We sucked in our guts, waved our guests goodbye, it was time to unbuckle and strategize. Our gift list was growing along with our waists, we could get everything all in one place. The cranberries clung and so did our shirts; football on a small screen - yeah that hurts. As members of Reward Zone, our points tallied up high; to savings and value all from Best Buy. Best Buy has dishwashers, vacuums, and freezers to boot. We scored all the leftovers (the mess with the loot). With music, movies, games, and books - our gifts will be opened with appreciative looks. Best Buy is everywhere (or choose their virtual store); with gifts for the sitter, the boss, and much more. The staff is helpful and greet us with smiles; we can get warranties and perform product trials. We dreamt of a Blu-Ray, surround sound, and a 1080p. All would be great found under our tree! A laptop, a webcam, a new DLP? A printer, new software, a new DVD? A treadmill, a weight bench, a recumbent bike. A turntable, a mixer, open mike night? While visions of crowds danced in our heads, with Best Buy we ordered online instead! Our items will wait for us at the store and long lines and low stock are problems no more. Instead of greeting the season with How?, thank you Best Buy for giving us Wow!"
- Carrie S., Lakeville, MN -
On Black Friday of 1992 while waiting on line I was able to strike up a unique conversation with a young lady named Michaelle. We talked about the excitement of getting a great deal, how early we were compared to others, how much sleep we got before this once a year event, and more. Being with each other for so many hours brought about a certain comfort that led to number exchange, dating, and now 18 years later, married with 2 children. Every year on Black Friday we celebrate how we met by taking our place on line and enjoying each other comfort until the store opens.
- Matthew T., Valley Stream, NY -
"Dear Best Buy,
- Judyann W., Oviedo, FL
The thing I am most excited about this Black Friday is becoming a United States Citizen that day. I will be having my swearing in ceremony that day. I have planned my day to start off by taking advantage of all the great deals the local retailers will have that day. My family is very big, and we love giving gifts, spending time with each other, but most of all, getting great deals. I am the oldest sibling of my family and I always do whatever I can to put a smile on everyone's face. Even if that means for me to go without something, I would do it! I would love to be picked for this contest as a winner because my family and I will be very grateful for this opportunity. We would really be celebrating all day, First at the opportunity to have VIP treatment at our favorite electronic store (Best Buy) and then at my swearing in ceremony to become a United States Citizen. Please pick me as your winner for this contest because I would truly appreciate it." -
Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase. -- Erma Bombeck. This quote just about sums up Black Friday for me! Black Friday lifts my mood with a new focus on something other than the dreary news we hear and see each day. It is like bringing home little packages of happiness. I can remember when my children were small waiting in line in the cold from 2AM for the Bradlees store to open to get the hottest new toys to excite that 2 year old on Christmas morning. It was worth it! Then we moved on to waiting in line all night at the Best Buy's for the coveted Wii that WE just had to have! Again it was worth it! Now my children are bigger...so we NEED bigger things! We wait in lines for tv's, computers and ipods. Yet again, it is worth the wait! You are never too old to have an infusion of happiness at the holiday time! It is real-life retail therapy! So as they say, "when the going gets tough the tough get going", especially on Black Friday morning! See you in line at Best Buys! :)
- Maria B., Marlton, NJ -
"Dear Best Buy,
This Black Friday is especially exciting, knowing that I've entered this contest! The suspense of not knowing whether I will win or not. Franticly searching this website for ""When will I know if I've won"" clues. Dreaming. Wishfully thinking about the odds being in my favor. Hey, Powerball is 1 in 195,249,054. I have to have a better shot than that, right? I smile, thinking about skipping straight to the front of the line of blokes, waving and smiling to them, VIP-style, but, at the same time, having compassion for them (Who hasn't been that same bloke on a cold November morning, salivating at thought of getting the newest HDTV at an unheard of price?). Even as I draft this email, I have been frantically checking my email for confirmation of a winning entry. Fully knowing that would be near-impossible, considering I haven't clicked submit yet, I wonder ""Hey, they DO have the geek squad, maybe they have super powers and can read this as I type it?"" A new thought occurs ""Speaking of super powers, $1,000 would buy a lot of blue-ray thrillers!"" A last minute check-list of judging criteria runs through my head (along with a quick word-count check, still within 250, whew!)50% - Creativity and Originality (I called people - Blokes -check!)
- Michael S., Queen Creek, AZ
25% - Relevance to the stated focus of the contest (Hey, you know why I'm excited, and then some!)
25% - Readability (I have punctuation and everything!)" -
I will never forget the Black Friday of 2001. My dad and I spent almost half of the entire day in best buy to buy a computer. We first spent 5 hours waiting in line to get into the store and then after we had gotten the computer we spent about 5 more hours in line to pay for the computer. This is what started our tradition of going shopping at best buy every year on Black Friday. For the past 8 years, my dad and I have gone to best buy at 3 am and stood in line till the store opened. While we used the time standing in line to catch up on each other lives, we have always enjoyed our time once we got inside the store scrambling to get everything we came for and also picking up something along the way just because we had suddenly found a need for it. We have always used this opportunity to bond with each other, especially after I went away to college, these days became even more crucial. This year will probably the last time my dad and I, along with my brother will be able to spend Black Friday together bond while shopping at Best Buy, before both my brother and I move-out for good. Having the opportunity to be a Black Friday VIP and shop at the store before it opens could be a great way for us to bond on Black Friday for the last time.
- Radhika J., Wexford, PA -
"(Sing to the tune of Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas)
Gotta get that,
Gotta get that,
Gotta get that, that, that, that, thaaattt..Zune Zune Zune,
Gotta get that
Camera with zoom,
Gotta get that
Surround sound with boom,
Gotta get that
All before noon!It's Black Friday '09,
The BIG Best Buy time
I'm in the 2am line,
Waiting for mine!Gotta get that
Big Screen right now,
Gotta get Guitar Hero, yow!
Gotta get that Wii for the kids and a Blu Ray for hus-band.People at this place,
Man, they want to get in now,
Waiving their Best Buy fliers in the air,
Hoping for the early ticket items yeah!I'll be rockin in my folding seat,
I'll be rockin in my folding seat,Here we go, Here we go
- Lorena H., Fairfield, CA
Day after Thanksgiving feast-o,
We've all been struck with this shopping flu
Deals so big I'm standing in the freezing cold
Waiting on Best Buy Staffers to open the doors
Waiting on them all,
Waiting on them all,
Best Buy is rockin'
Best Buy is awesome
On Black Friday 2-0-0-9" -
"My husband serves aboard a submarine in the U.S. Navy. For the last 5 years he has missed several holidays including every Christmas and the birth of our daughter in 2005. This year, 2009, is the first year he will be home to celebrate the holidays with our family. One of his favorite stores is Best Buy and your company has been a main source of care package materials sent to him while he was deployed. More than anything though, we are so thankful to have him home safe and in good health. Thanks for all you did for him while he was away. With undeniable gratitude,"
- Torri S., San Diego, CA -
"I love the smell of sticker guns in the morning, but to me the joy of Black Friday is the Combat - Mano a Mano for the best deals of the day. Oh the adrenaline rush of beating out that guy with the beer gut and where's Waldo sweater for the $99 Blue Ray Player. Feeling the burn playing Madden NFL 10 and hip checking junior out of the way to score the last copy. Nothing beats the satisfaction of discovering that last copy of Step-Brothers special double edition after a flawless high dive into the bottom of the bargain bin. I love Black Friday and the thrill of victory made that much sweeter by the knowledge that I will topple the tree with the swell of gifts I find and that I caused the smiles on my family's faces."
- David R., San Francisco, CA -
The brisk air enters my lungs and sends a chill down my spine as I squat against the thickly painted cinder block building. Glancing around I see a few other people like myself, college aged youth quietly chatting and prodding each other with sleep in their eyes and smiles on their faces. However it is the other group, the mothers and sisters out looking for a great deal on LCD televisions and Xbox 360's for their sleeping families that take up most of the wall space. These are the quiet ones. Busy rehearsing the mapped-out routes of their predetermined locations throughout the store, they appear to be unaffected by the early morning chill. Determination etched onto their faces. They know why they are here and are prepared to do battle with any unwitting teenager who has the audacity to try to take the last remaining Wii console. I respect them. I am a casual shopper but a hardcore gadget fan. By summoning my ten years of soccer playing experience I will dodge and weave through the competition to acquire one of the few Archos 5's laying among the sea of iPod's. I rely upon the lack of attention paid to obscure gadgets which is common among the more serious shoppers to lay claim to what I desire. If it was a battle upon fair footing I would undoubtedly secede victory for fear of losing an appendage. This is why Black Fridays is important to me: to war with the greats.
- Tyrell M., Seattle, WA -
"Tis the morn of Black Friday, while most still a-snore,
- Andrew W., Ellisville, MO
I am camped in front of the electronics store.
With wind chills brisk and hope of sunlight to come,
My thrice bundled body is still going numb.
Within me warm anticipation starts to grow
As my watch confirms: only two hours to go!
""Why so excited?!" one may rightly exclaim,
""Are you nocturnal, cold-blooded, or simply insane?""
Well, since I was young, I've always had reason
To hunt super sales, best buys of the season.
First it was my thousand-watt surround sound
With speakers and sub to rattle the ground.
Next it was my high-def monstrosity
With films to watch in crystal clarity.
Now don’t get me wrong, my buys were quite nice,
For I love tech toys at such a great price.
But all those years there was something missing.
It was the hard truth I was dismissing.
I was shopping for myself and no one more.
I was a scrooge, a grinch, right to the core!
So this year, I'm doing things differently,
For I found a reason that's bigger than me
It is giving my gifts, seeing my family smile!
It's giving of myself, going that extra mile!
It's showing I love them, with no shadow of doubt!
That, oh that, is what I'm most excited about!!" -
My dad has a unique outlook on father-daughter bonding. While other fathers taught their children how to play baseball on the front-lawn and treated them to ice-cream at the local parlor on lazy Sunday afternoons, my dad took me to the long lines in front of Best Buy every Black Friday of my childhood. While not your traditional family activity, Black Friday shopping has become the venue for some of my fondest memories setting up lawn chairs in the parking lot, playing card games by the glimmer of overhead streetlights, sharing hot cocoa from an old-fashioned aluminum thermos. And as I grew into my adolescence, a period when most teenagers are rattling with angst and rebelling against their parents, Black Friday shopping with my father remained a solid family tradition and strengthened our relationship. As I grew up I began helping him analyze the store ads the night before, and started sipping coffee instead of cocoa from that familiar thermos, but the ritual of waking at 2AM and spending time with my dad on that Friday morning has remained unchanged. Last August I left for college and Thanksgiving will be the first time I'll be back home since the starting school. I'm looking forward to braving the chilly breeze and massive crowds with my father on Black Friday even more than the feast my family's cooking up the day prior. I cannot think of a better way to catch up with my dad than our annual Black Friday shopping.
- Meg W., Tampa, FL -
Hi! My husband told me that he made an entry into the contest by telling the story of how he deactivated my credit card two years ago on one of the most important days of the year to me, Black Friday (His Confirmation#214605-19855-1335). So since I've never been more humiliated in my life and he still insists on telling people that story I would like to make my own submission. I plan my year around Black Friday events and my husband and I love starting our day off at Best Buy. We have a Best Buy credit card and recently became Reward Zone Silver members. It just doesn't get any better than Best Buy when it comes to product variety/availability, consumer help, and I love your website. So If I were picked I would get back at my husband by telling him that my entry won, then I would refuse until the very last second to bring him along to attend the VIP event at our favorite store. The Best Buy in my community knows me by face/name because I am a police officer and the store is in my jurisdiction. I have worked closely with the loss prevention team on closing credit card fraud investigations and I have made several arrests with their help and other Bowie Police Officers. It would be an overwhelming pleasure to be given the opportunity to attend the Best Buy VIP Black Friday event. Thanks.
- Jamie A., Bowie, MD