You've just finished eating all the home-cooked deliciousness you could ever want. You sit down in front of the TV, and then it happens.
A commercial comes on and lets you know that for one day only from 5 a.m. to noon, Macy's will be having a sale on all of their merchandise. You think, "Who in their right mind would be up at 5 a.m. just to go shopping?" The answer is about 60 million shoppers.
For many years, the Friday after Thanksgiving has held the title of "the busiest shopping day of the year." Named "Black Friday" because traditionally retailers move from the "red" into the "black" (profit), stores and malls open extra early to kick off the holiday shopping season.
"There is no question that this year's deep discounts and early openings brought consumers into the stores," said Ellen Davise, spokesperson for the National Retail Federation (NRF).
What does it take to go shopping on Black Friday? First, you must wake up early. April Booker, 20, said she was up 5 a.m. but didn't start shopping until 6:30 a.m.
"I got up in order to get the good deals," Booker said.
Booker said she spent $130, $170 less than the average shopper.
For the Black Friday shopper, the greatest challenge is not to spend too much money or be suckered into purchases you don't really want or need. This isn't easy. Stores have carefully designed plans in order to attract you to their merchandise.
Delia's at Wolfchase Galleria this year had five teenaged girls stand outside the store and model different outfits as motionless manikins from 7 to 11 a.m.
"We change outfits every hour," said 17-year-old Nathalia Wilkes. "It's fun. A lot of people don't think we're real until they get real close."
Bonus gifts are another method used to lure shoppers. Express for Men offered a hat and scarf combo that normally sells for $44.50, free with the purchase of any item in the store while supplies lasted. With such good deals, it is easy for money to fly out of your wallet.
Only 7.5 percent of shoppers completed their holiday shopping over the Black Friday weekend, according to a NRF survey, but it seems to be a good weekend to get some bargains at the beginning of the shopping season.
"It is better than sitting around at home doing nothing," Joe Bynum said.
Bynum and his friends said they thought they might be able to find some deals so they went out shopping.
However, holiday bargains weren't confined to the weekend after Thanksgiving. Many stores will be having sales and promotionals throughout December, and you don't have to set your alarm clock for 5 a.m. to get them.
