FOR MANY savvy shoppers, the biggest shopping event of the year occurs this week.

Black Friday is just five days away, and though some stores have been promoting pre-Black Friday sales for a few weeks now, the heavy-hitting deals happen for real this week.

If you’re anything like me, your Thursday will be spent doing six things: Eating dinner, watching football, drinking beer, taking a nap, eating leftovers and scouring the Black Friday ads to map out a plan of attack for Friday. Finding the best deals and figuring out when the sales start and how to best get from Point A to Point B is about the most exercise my mind will get this year.

Thursday’s Times Leader will contain 41 circulars advertising Black Friday sales. As Tom Petty once sang, “The waiting is the hardest part.” But I’ll ease that pain with these sneak peeks, thanks in part to Web sites that somehow obtain the circulars early or thanks to retailers who actually want to get word out to boost anticipation.

JC Penney is selling “get them while they last” doorbusters starting at 4 a.m. The best ones are a Wii/Xbox gaming tower for $48.88 (this typically sells for $140) and a Cooks six-quart slow cooker for $12.88 (normally retails for $49.99).

Target is hoping to lure this year’s Black Friday hordes with $3 toasters and coffeemakers; deep deals on high-definition televisions; and discounts of 50 percent on toys and clothes. The merchant also is offering a free gift card worth $10 if you spend $100 or more at its stores from 5 a.m. to noon on Black Friday.

Here is a quick glimpse of other retailers’ best Black Friday offerings:

• Wal-Mart has an Emerson 42-inch, 720p, Plasma HDTV for $448.

• Macy’s ad includes a WOW! Pass coupon for an extra 15 percent off selected items as well as a $10 off $25 purchase coupon.

• Babies R Us has Earth’s Best variety packs of jarred baby food and Fisher-Price diaper packs, buy one, get one free, from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• At Old Navy, spend $20 and get a free Lego Rock Band video game while supplies last. There’s also a $10 off any $50 purchase coupon.

• Kohl’s has 50 percent off almost all brands of children’s toys including Playskool, Tonka and Fisher-Price among its 300 specials from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Home Depot is offering a Ryobi 18-volt drill and circular saw set for $49.88.

• Lowe’s has a 14-gallon Shop-Vac for $29. It normally retails for $79.97.

• Rite Aid has Hot Wheels on sale two for $1.

• Walgreens has Snuggies on sale for $9.99 and you’ll get a $2 coupon at the register to use on your next purchase.

• The Sears ad has a coupon for $10 off a $50 apparel item from 4 a.m. to noon, and if you’re in the market for a pool table, now’s the time. A Woodcliff 8-foot table is on sale for $499.99, the lowest price at which Sears has ever sold this model. It normally goes for $849.99. The deal includes a dartboard and cue rack.

Make sure you grab The Times Leader on Thanksgiving to see the full array of ads. And enjoy that pumpkin pie, which by the way you can buy this week at Price Chopper or Weis for $5.99.

About the Author

Andrew M. Seder is a staff writer for the Times Leader. Reach him at (570) 829-7269 or aseder@timesleader.com.

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