MILFORD, Conn. — It’s no secret that Black Friday shopping doesn’t draw the same crowds it used to, but so many Connecticut families still made it a point to keep up with tradition this year.
At the state’s largest mall, the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, a steady stream of shoppers came and went on Friday.
“We just want to keep the tradition alive. We like being together, hanging out, shopping,” said Christina Milazzo of Ansonia, dressed in festive Christmas outfits with her aunt.
“After Thanksgiving, it’s Christmas time! So every year, we go out Black Friday shopping, we get matching Christmas sweaters, shirts and we go out,” Milazzo said.
It’s just the spark she needs to spring into the holiday spirit.
“It’s just like, you know, gives you a happy feeling. Yeah, family. joy, you know, Christmas spirit and childhood wonder,” Milazzo said.
And while some families make this part of their holiday tradition, others come to the mall for the first time, in a long time.
“Oh god, it’s, it has to have been at least five years, at least. Like, a full-on, getting up early and shopping, it’s been a while,” said Colleen Barrett of Oxford, shopping alongside her mother and son.
While the early wakeup calls on Black Friday are long gone for the Barrett’s, something inspired them to turn back time this holiday.
“I think honestly I feel like it’s more online, there’s more options online now. But, I mean, we came today we got a lot of deals,” Barrett said.
The deals caught some by surprise, as they spent more than they intended to.
“I think people missed it over the pandemic. So now they’re trying to get out but things are changing, inflation is getting crazy so, I feel like the store deals are a little bit better this year than in past years,” said Venessa Creary of New Jersey. “I feel like they’re definitely trying to get consumers out this year for sure.”
While stores in the mall offered deals on Black Friday, many are continuing those deals throughout the holiday weekend.
And though the data for this year isn’t out yet, last year, the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics reported a record 196.7 million Americans shopped in stores and online during the five-day holiday weekend, through Cyber Monday.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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