As we enter the Thanksgiving season, the countdown to the biggest day for shopping begins. Extreme sales lead to passionate shoppers, all with different traditions, from waking up at 2 a.m. and avoiding the crowds to online shopping. Here are five ways to have the most successful Black Friday yet:

Get up before the sun: The only way to guarantee you’ll catch the best bargains is to be the first in line. Waking up early to go Black Friday shopping is a timeless tradition and the most common way to spend the morning after Thanksgiving. As Black Friday grows in popularity, stores around the world have extended their hours into the early morning to draw the most competitive shoppers to their stores.  

Fuel up with coffee: Painfully early mornings and long days of shopping require some sort of caffeine to keep you fueled up, and coffee is the perfect solution. Start the Christmas season with a bang and indulge in your favorite holiday drink. From peppermint mochas to pumpkin spice lattes, coffee is the best way to start your morning and to help you stay motivated through a long day of shopping. 

Skip the lines and go online shopping: Cyber Monday is a great solution for those who want to avoid the lines and do their shopping from home. The first Monday following Thanksgiving is the biggest day for online shopping in the U.S. as many stores move their extreme sales online. As our country faces a pandemic, more and more people have opted to stay safe and steer clear of the crowds by taking advantage of Cyber Monday sales. 

Spend Thanksgiving night shopping: As stores extend their opening hours earlier and earlier, many opt to open their doors to customers as early as Thanksgiving night. Those who want to avoid the chaos of early morning shopping can be found first in line for the best deals on Thursday night rather than Friday morning. With stomachs full of pumpkin pie and turkey, those who start their shopping after Thanksgiving dinner will be the first to kick off a weekend of hectic shopping. 

Get your holiday shopping done: As the first Friday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday marks the unofficial start of the Christmas season, and the pressure to find the perfect gift sets in. With everything on sale, even those on a budget can give the most luxurious gifts. Getting all your Christmas shopping done on Black Friday allows for a stress-free holiday season with no rushed last-minute gifts.