Each year Rolene Johnson has half of her holiday shopping for her family done by Thanksgiving. The rest she saves for the next morning in what has been a family tradition her whole life.

She and her daughters are out before the sun comes up on Friday, perhaps hitting an outlet store or two in Calhoun that open at midnight and then heading for about half a dozen Rome-area retailers once the sun starts to rise. “We’re sometimes done by 10:30 a.m.,” she said.

She says, “I make my list and look at the sales papers” and then plans which stores she’s going to shop and when.

So does Yvette Richardson. It’s a tradition for her and her mother Georgia to chart their course and target their purchases for Friday.

“It’s funny because I don’t like crowds normally. But this is bonding time for my mom and me. Plus it’s fun to get out there and get the best deal,” she said.

They sometimes have other family members in tow so they can fan out over the store, while one person mans the shopping carts.

In Greater Rome and elsewhere, shoppers will work off some of their Turkey Day dinner by doing some power shopping this weekend, most starting with Black Friday’s early hours and sales.

In its just-released holiday shopping poll, Consumer Reports says 28 percent of adults plan to shop on Black Friday and another 29 percent plan to shop Saturday or Sunday.

Most area stores are offering up big sales and promotional items to get holiday shoppers salivating for bargains.

“Whoever has the best deal on what I want, that’s where you’ll find me bright and early,” said Johnson.

“I get the sales papers on Thanksgiving and my mom does too and then we’re usually out shopping at Walmart by 4 a.m.,” said Richardson. “It’s organized chaos. We sometimes wrap up our shopping in Rome by 9. Last year I think we went until noon.”

And some places are bound to be packed, so both Johnson and Richardson say it’s smart to have a plan to help you navigate this major shopping weekend and the weeks to come.

And for those of you who have to work Friday but are off for the holiday, large retailers like Kmart and Walmart are open on Thanksgiving.

Kmart Manager Mike Barger says there are die-hard shoppers who don’t wait for Friday’s rush. He said some folks are up early and waiting at the door Thursday morning to shop before their turkey dinner and then others — “those who don’t watch football especially” — come in later.

Here are some tips:

1. Check out the newspaper. The Thanksgiving Day edition is chock-full of ads and circulars since retailers know people are getting ready for the big shopping weekend. Sunday’s Rome News-Tribune will be packed, too.

2. Plan and compare. Compare your shopping list against ads to see what stores offer what you’re looking for and the sales prices. If you don’t have your list finalized, the ads may give you some ideas. Or as one parent suggests, after Thanksgiving dinner spread out the ads featuring toys and let your youngsters look at them to see what’s on their wish list. Use the ads to do some comparison shopping before you get in your car. Take the ads with you.

3. Consult our gift guide. Take a look at our Holiday Gift Guide in today’s newspaper to get some gift-giving ideas and see what local stores are touting.

4. Map your day. Like Johnson and Richardson, map out where you want to shop and when, depending on sales you don’t want to miss and when the discounts are being offered. For example, Barger said, certain items at Kmart are on sale only during certain hours or days.

5. Stay fueled. Plan where you’ll be at lunch or dinner time, so that you can figure out where you want to eat. A bit of caffeine might be in order too …

6. Dress comfortably. You’ll likely be doing a lot of walking, so comfortable shoes are advised. And this is not the day to lug a heavy purse around.

7. Protect yourself. One way to lighten your purse and keep your identity (and budget) safe is to carry only the credit cards and checks you need. Experts suggest that you not carry anything with your Social Security number on it.

8. Shop early. Some stores open their doors early and have extended hours. Some of the best discounts are between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Black Friday, but since local merchants are wanting to lure in local shoppers there are likely to be deals to be had all day and in the days to come.

9. Buy locally. The Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce urges Romans to shop locally to help our community prosper. David Newby, Chamber board chairman, said during the ShopRome launch, “Your shopping habits can have a great impact during the holiday season for local businesses. You can save money and time by shopping locally, but you can also help to save a job.” The Chamber says its Shop­Rome campaign does more than just help promote local businesses. It also generates tax revenue when you buy at local stores.

10. Have fun. Richardson reminds fellow shoppers to remember that shopping is part of the joy of the holiday season.

“It’s not worth getting stressed,” said the nurse, who is going to work the graveyard shift at Redmond Regional Medical Center on Thanksgiving night and then join her family at 7 a.m. to help them finish up the last few hours of shopping.

So enjoy the hunt for the perfect gift without stressing out yourself or others. Chat with folks in line with you, bond with family and friends and spread some holiday cheer. And maybe buy a little something for yourself too.

Holiday Shopping Poll

Of the half of Americans who plan on shopping in stores or online over the Black Friday weekend, 66 percent say they’ll be shopping for themselves.

On Black Friday, a good 71 percent are looking for clothing and 70 percent are after electronics, with video games and accessories (46 percent) being the most popular electronic items.

More than half of shoppers (56 percent) are planning to purchase toys on Friday, and a little less than half (48 percent) are planning to purchase gift cards.

The items shoppers most want to buy for themselves are food or wine, electronics and clothing.

Over the past four holiday seasons, about three-quarters of married women said they do at least 75 percent of their household’s gift shopping, with about four in 10 married women doing all of it.

As of Nov. 8, it was noted that 36 percent of consumers have started their holiday gift shopping. Very few (3 percent) have finished their gift shopping, and almost two-thirds (64 percent) had not started shopping.

For the complete poll results, visit Consumer Reports online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

Source: Consumer Reports

STORE HOURS

Several local stores and shopping centers will have extended hours during Thanksgiving weekend to kick off the holiday shopping season.

Mount Berry Square mall — The mall will open at 4 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. Friday. Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Walmart — Both Walmart locations, on Cartersville Highway and on Redmond Circle, will remain open 24 hours as usual, including Thanksgiving.

Kmart — The Kmart on Hicks Drive will be open on Thanksgiving from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

TJ Maxx — The TJ Maxx store at Riverbend Center on Turner McCall has extended hours. Friday and Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Home Depot — Open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Lowe’s — Open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

If your store has extended holiday hours, let us know by e-mailing us at romenewstribune@RN-T.com. DID YOU KNOW? The day after Thanksgiving has been dubbed Black Friday. The term refers to the notion that many retailers spend most of the year in “red ink.” The day after Thanksgiving helps them begin to get back “in the black.”