I normally complete my shopping before Thanksgiving, because I so dislike crowded malls and unruly shoppers! I surely avoided Black Friday in the stores.
This year I did a lot of shopping early, but actually have spent about a half day each week (during the week) shopping and caught some really good sales. There were few crowds and the selection was good. Having a teenager in the house nearly demands additional shopping each year, and I have found it to be delightful this year.
Merry Christmas everyone!