After a day of food, family and friends, what is the most popular thing to do the day after Thanksgiving? Go Black Friday shopping, of course.

Friends and neighbors Tina VanBuren and Lisa Johnson, both of Tamaqua, have been shopping on Black Friday together for more than 15 years.What started as a fun way to find discounted gifts for their children and family has become a time-honored tradition a day for friendship and fun, and the official start of the Christmas and holiday season."I swore I would never go shopping on Black Friday, until I went with Tina," said Johnson.The pair has traveled as far as Wilkes-Barre and Phillipsburg to find deals, sometimes inviting additional friends, but always joined by VanBuren's father, their driver for the day."We truly make it a gathering of friends and family," said Johnson. "It's how we get into the Christmas spirit. It was about shopping, but we also just went to have a good time."Along the way, they've also perfected their shopping techniques.Be strategicJohnson and VanBuren have always tackled Black Friday with a strategic plan: They usually have a list of what they need to buy at each store, and a detailed agenda of what items go on sale at certain times.If an item they want is only on deep discount from 8-10 a.m., they'll work their schedule around that sale.Because their children are close in age, the friends would also briefly separate to shop, and then regroup at the checkout."There were some things that we were both looking for, so we would divvy it up and each look for this, this and this. That's how we did our shopping, so it wasn't as crazy. It was enjoyable," said Johnson.She noted that Black Friday has a reputation for being rowdy and it sometimes is."A lot of people just go for a few things, and they don't want to go to the store at 8 a.m. because it's crazy. If you don't need to go to a store when they have a certain thing on sale, don't," she said simply.But things have calmed down considerably as buyers turn to online shopping, the friends added. Many Black Friday sale items are available online during the store's sale or even earlier, although store policies vary."Back when we started doing this, there was no real online shopping. You had to go to the store, and Black Friday sales were the one day of sales," said Johnson."They don't have things piled to the ceiling like they used to, because they don't have to. With the advent of online shopping, there's not the waiting at the doors at 5 a.m. in the freezing cold.""Online shopping has really become a household staple in a lot of ways," said VanBuren. "Sometimes it's just easier. It's also frankly more convenient to order it and get it shipped to your house."Think beyond Black FridayBlack Friday has traditionally been the day when retailers go all-out with deep discounts. But as retailers fight for every dollar in a slow economy, sales have begun to stretch from early November through Christmas and the New Year. Johnson has already purchased several items off her shopping list, including an electronic device at Radio Shack for half price."Some of those sales are even better than on Black Friday," said VanBuren. "For us Black Friday is more of a tradition, but it isn't the only day to get good deals."Don't forget that Black Friday is part of a sales trio. Black Friday is followed by Small Business Saturday, a day to shop and find sales at local small businesses, and Cyber Monday.Many stores will also offer a Black Friday "preview" sale on Thanksgiving. Forbes recently noted that Thanksgiving is one of the most popular shopping days of the year (just behind Black Friday and Cyber Monday), but many people dislike stores being open on a holiday."We have never gone shopping on Thanksgiving Day," said Johnson. "Some people don't mind doing that, and some employees don't mind working, but for me it's too much."Don't be a GrinchDon't get caught up in the madness and forget the holiday season. Johnson and VanBuren are always on the lookout for inexpensive items that might make good gift donations, and for deeply discounted items that would otherwise be too expensive to donate."We always bought our Toys for Tots gifts on Black Friday, and for other charities," said Johnson. "We're fortunate enough to be able to do that. This way we're not just giving one gift, we can afford to give four to that charity. It makes us feel really good."They have also purchased winter coats, sleeping bags, and kitchen items on deep discount during Black Friday and winter clearance sales.While things have calmed down thanks to online shopping, it's not uncommon to see anxious and eager customers more focused on sales than politeness.Several years ago the friends saw an elderly greeter at a local store fall down during the rush."People literally stormed the doors when they opened them, and he got knocked over when someone bumped into him. What surprised us was that we were the only people who stopped to make sure he was OK," said Johnson.Have fun!"As much as it is a shopping opportunity, for me it's more of a tradition: Being with my parents, being with my friend, and maintaining those relationships through the years," said VanBuren."If we didn't make the time to do those things, they get away from us. To get the best out of those times is what the holiday season is about, about being with the ones you love while you can."Johnson said that the day isn't just about shopping. There are also Christmas carols in the car, friendly arguments about the best songs, and lots of food."We enjoy our company together. We get so busy, and this is one day that we set aside for ourselves," she said."We would do the 5 a.m. We'd shop for a few hours, then eat breakfast, then ask everyone in the car, 'OK, where do you want to go?'"