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Stumped on Black Friday? IndyStar’s poll and local shopper’s guide is here to help

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Stumped on Black Friday? IndyStar’s poll and local shopper’s guide is here to help


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My most vivid memory of Black Friday was quickly retreating from the bargain sock bin at my hometown Fred Meyer store while two moms escalated their war of words over who grabbed that pack of discounted Nike youth tube socks first.

I was maybe 12 or 13 on that day when I realized that I didn’t want anything that bad. And while I’ve been back to disperse doughnuts to hungry shoppers for service projects and to report on the annual shopping spree, I haven’t bought anything before noon on the Friday after Thanksgiving since.

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Still, passions about Black Friday run deep, rooted in family traditions and stances on capitalism, consumerism and commercialism of the holidays. Whether you plan to be in line for doorbusters today and Friday, do all your holiday shopping online, or rely on a Christmas Eve sprint for C-store gift cards, IndyStar has resources (and a poll for fun) for your holiday shopping needs.

IndyStar poll: When do you start your holiday shopping?

Let’s start with the fun. As a Target checker told my wife earlier this week, “The deals are the deals. I tell people to shop now.”

Black Friday doesn’t hold the same sway on retailers’ bottom lines and shoppers’ holiday budgets as it did in pre-internet, pre-pandemic times. With shoppers’ spending spread across a broader timeline and set of online and brick-and-mortar retailers, we figured we’d check in on Indy’s shopping habits. Take the poll below to weigh in on your holiday shopping plans:

IndyStar Black Friday 2024 guide: Store hours, Small Business Saturday and more

If you need some holiday shopping ideas, IndyStar has a lot to offer. Check out these stories for store hours, gift ideas and much more:

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Finally, show your favorite news source some love with IndyStar merch

Here’s a little-known fact: IndyStar can help you show off your Indianapolis pride with a wide variety of merchandise. From T-shirts and tote bags to hats, mugs and more, you can rep the Circle City and the 317 in style.

Visit usatodaystore.com/overview/lookbooks/indianapolis-star to browse, and check out some highlights below.

‘Greetings From Indianapolis’ tee 

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Send a little Hoosier hospitality with our “Greetings from Indianapolis” tee — classic and as friendly as the city itself. Available for $28.75 in a variety of styles and colors. >>Purchase Here 

‘Icons of Indianapolis’ tote bag 

Carry a piece of Indy pride with our tote, featuring iconic images that celebrate everything we love about the Circle City. Available for $26.25 in a variety of styles and colors. >>Purchase Here 

‘Indianapolis Image Search’ jigsaw puzzle 

Piece together the heart of the Circle City with our Indianapolis puzzle — perfect for fans of Indy and a fun challenge! Available for $43.75. >>Purchase Here 

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Tommy Davidson to perform in Indianapolis, discusses new sitcom and comedy

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Tommy Davidson to perform in Indianapolis, discusses new sitcom and comedy


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Comedian Tommy Davidson, known for his work on “In Living Color” and “The Proud Family,” is set to perform at Helium Comedy Club in Indianapolis on Dec. 19, 20 and 21, 2025.

General admission tickets are priced at $36.97, while reserved tickets are available for $49.39. During a recent interview, Davidson expressed his thoughts on the lack of new Christmas music, emphasizing the need for fresh original songs during the holiday season.

Davidson has been touring with fellow comedian Cat Williams, showcasing their unique styles together. He revealed that their collaborative performances have allowed audiences from various backgrounds to come together and enjoy comedy, stating, “I look at my audience and it’s Latinos looking at whites and whites looking at Asians and Asians looking at Indians. We’re all the same still. And everybody laughing together, which I think is something that is vastly needed right now.”

In addition to his touring, Davidson is producing a new sitcom titled “Varnell,” based on a character from his earlier work. He shared insights into his upbringing, recalling, “Of course, of course. My mom taught me, you know, you live with an open hand, you know and you can receive and you can give, you know.” He reflected on his journey from humble beginnings to Hollywood stardom, highlighting the importance of hard work in achieving success.

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Davidson discussed the significance of his experiences and how they shape his comedy. “That’s what comedy comes into play and has for so long for me personally, like stand up. That’s what it does. It takes all of your worries away, anything that you think is going on in the world.” He also touched upon the importance of storytelling and connecting with an audience, emphasizing, .”..that work part, that word work, you know, that’s what my mom taught me.”



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Indianapolis residents face mixed experiences with USPS during busiest shipping week

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Indianapolis residents face mixed experiences with USPS during busiest shipping week


INDIANAPOLIS — A busy holiday shipping season has left some Indianapolis residents frustrated with postal service delays, while others report smooth deliveries during what the United States Postal Service calls its busiest week of the year.

“This is actually the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery week of the entire year. So we are incredibly busy,” said Susan Wright, USPS spokesperson.

WATCH FULL STORY BELOW

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Indianapolis residents face mixed experiences with USPS during holiday season

For Indianapolis resident Steve Burnstein, the holiday rush has meant nearly two weeks of waiting for gifts that should have arrived days ago.

“I’m just frustrated to the top, you know, there’s no reason for it,” Burnstein said.

After dropping off his gifts, Steve was told delivery would take just a matter of days. Nearly two weeks later, the packages remain stuck at a distribution center just miles from his home.

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“They’re sitting at a distribution center at English at or Brookville Road near 465,” Burnstein added.

WRTV followed Steve to the post office to track down his missing packages, and employees spent more than 15 minutes searching for answers.

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing — it’s moving through the distribution center— but not to California,” Steve said after the lengthy wait.

WRTV

Wright offered advice for avoiding shipping delays during the busy season.

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“One thing that I want to encourage customers to do is to be sure you have an accurate address, and the one thing you do not want to guess about is the zip code, because the zip code is our first line of sortation. And so if that is incorrect, it will misdirect your package,” Wright said.

Other Indianapolis residents have had better experiences with the postal service during the holiday rush.

“They’re very good about getting your mail out and getting it on time,” Delores Parker from Indianapolis said.

Delores recommends additional precautions.

“I usually make sure it’s where I get a return receipt if it’s something that’s very important,” she added.

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Steve suggests considering alternatives for critical shipments.

“Ship them FedEx, ship them UPS. Check and make sure that they’re gonna go,” Steve said.

According to the USPS Website, the deadline for a package to arrive by Christmas through Priority Mail Express is Saturday, December 20.


Griffin Gonzalez is the In Your Community multimedia journalist for Hamilton County. He joined WRTV in January of 2024. Griffin loves to tell stories about people overcoming their biggest obstacles and share the good news that his community has to offer. Share your story ideas and important issues with Griffin by emailing him at griffin.gonzalez@wrtv.com.





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Silver Alert declared for 16-year-old boy missing from Indianapolis

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Silver Alert declared for 16-year-old boy missing from Indianapolis


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the disappearance of Robert Williams Jr., a 16-year-old Black male who is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 185 pounds, has black hair with brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a gray coat, blue sweat pants, and black tennis shoes.

Williams Jr. is missing from Indianapolis, and was last seen on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. He is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance. 

Investigators ask that anyone with information on Williams Jr. contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at 317-327-6541 or 911.

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