Christmas Shopping

I have a confession to make. I've gone shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Not only have I gone, but I've actually liked it. It seems that, with most people I talk to, they shudder at the thought and swear that they would never do something so foolish as to shop on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
I don't go every year. After all, you have to be in the right frame of mind. You've got to be searching for the bargains, enjoying the Christmas atmosphere and viewing the shopping crowds as a part of the experience and not a hindrance to the experience. And you have to be sensible. I will not give up part of my Thanksgiving evening to go stand in a line all night long for an electronics store that opens at 4:00 a.m., drawing crowds with the promise of a fantastic deal when they only have an actual number of six sale items in stock. No sense there at all.
I've never actually been at a store when it opened. The times I've gone, I've headed out about 6:00 or 6:30 in the morning. I go with specific items in mind and search for the sales and bargains. A few of those years really stand out in my mind. One year my mother-in-law commented that she'd never shopped on the day after Thanksgiving. So went with a friend of hers. We stayed out all day and didn't get home until late that night. I had very little kids then, so that day was a treat. Another year, I went myself with my three small children. It was not the year that I enjoyed the most. Two years ago I went with my two oldest children. We went to the mall and really enjoyed the time together.
When I was growing up, stores were not open twenty-four hours a day. Except on the day after Thanksgiving. We had a store named Zayres that advertised a thirty-six hour sale. So my mom, my two sisters and I would bake Christmas cookies all day long. About 10:00 that night we cleaned up the kitchen and headed out to the store. We usually got back home about 2:00 in the morning. I don't ever remember getting a bunch of shopping done, but it was spending time together that we enjoyed.
I don't plan on going out to the sales tomorrow. We're supposed to put up Christmas decorations, and then I have to make some munchies for people coming over tomorrow night. I guess every year is a little different for me.
What about you? Got any after-Thanksgiving-traditions in your family? Do you flock to the stores on Friday or shudder at the thought? If I change my mind at the last minute, who knows? I might see you at the mall today!