Photo Gallery: Shopping in Ledyard

Today is the day retailers call Black Friday. We've heard a lot about it this year because some retailiers apparently don't understand that Friday technically began at midnight. There have been petitions circulated by big chain store employees who think they should be able to spend Thanksgiving with their families.

As Scrooge asked Bob Cratchit: "I suppose you'll be wanting the whole day."

Black Friday isn't new. My niece and her husband have been coming down to my sister's from upstate New York for years. They arrive after dinner, have an eggnog and go to bed. They get up at 4 a.m. and hit the malls.

But I digress. If you're not a mall person, or if you like to sleep past 7 a.m on a day off, or if you don't like long lines, or any of the above... think about Ledyard as a perfecly fine place to spend Black Friday doing some holiday shopping.

I took some photos at some of the more obvious places, but there are many other gift options right here, without ever leaving town. Gift certificates to one of the town's restaurants, for example. A nice bottle of wine. (There are package stores in Ledyard and Gales Ferry, plus a great vineyard!) Or some custom framing. Art makes a great gift. And there's a great consignment shop in Gales Ferry for folks on a budget. Which this year probably includes most of us.

If you find you need more ideas, check out our listings. That's what it's for.

And Happy Shopping!