Black Friday used to be my least favorite day of the year. It combines elements bad enough on their own – getting up way too early, standing and waiting in the cold, and shopping – into one awful creation of a day. And of course people have to act crazy along the way, running and pushing and shoving to get something they don’t need at a somewhat lower price.

I’ve covered the mayhem several times now for newspapers, and was surprised to find this year I actually kind of enjoyed it. Most everyone I saw and talked to seemed to realize the inherent ridiculousness of what they were doing, and despite that were having a great time in their zombie-like quest for deals. Of course there are always those whose competitive natures create near violent situations, but overall I found most people to be in good spirits. I hit up a few stores early that Friday morning, and am finally getting around to editing the photos. A few moments from the chaos: