The National Retail Federation expected about 30 million people to shop on Thanksgiving this year, compared to 99.7 million who will shop on Black Friday. Overall, the trade group estimated about 135.8 million people would be shopping during the four-day weekend, compared with 133.7 million last year. And it expects sales overall for November and December to rise 3.7 percent to $630.5 billion compared with the same period last year.

There’s also predictions that Cyber Monday will outpace Black Friday for retail sales this year.  According to a Nielsen survey, cited by NBC News, half of 1,000 people contacted said that they will shop on Black Friday, but that number was down two percent over last year. In comparison, the number of people planning to participate in Cyber Monday was up five percent with 60 percent of the people surveyed saying they plan to participate.

Alberton resident, Kim Grebence, said that she would be shopping on Thanksgiving Day this year.

“There are good deals,” she said, “Retailers are trying to get shoppers out before the weekend.  I have the afternoon free and the stores will be relatively quiet because most people are at home with their families.”

Kristi Ray, also from Alberton, said that she would shop on Black Friday, if she sees good deals.  “But it also depends on sales online,” said Ray, “if the deals are better, I might shop online this year.”

When asked if she was going to shop on Black Friday, Kim Garding, of Alberton, said she would not because she’s ‘not crazy’.  

“Sleeping is too important,” Garding said, “I’m only allowed so many sleep days per year and I take all that I can get!  The deals aren’t good enough to get me out of bed.”

“I might go,” said Jessica Maurer, another Alberton resident, “if I can find some budget friendly winter accessories.”

When asked if she’d ever shopped Black Friday before, Maurer said that she had once before in Montgomery, Alabama.

“I only lasted one hour,” she said, “I couldn’t fight with those feisty Southern women.  I had to tap out.”