Thousands of people hit the mall and toy stores earlier today to get the best Black Friday deals they could.

“I woke up on thanksgiving at about seven. I have not slept in 24-hours,” said Jennifer Endres.

Endres and her family wanted to make sure they got a head start on all the Black Friday deals, so they stayed up all night.

How did they do it?

“A lot of coffee," Endres said with a laugh.

Some shoppers say getting up early for Black Friday is a lot like getting ready for the deer hunt season.

“It’s kind of the same thing. You just have to be there that first day and the rest doesn’t really matter," said John Angeli.

Shopping on this famous day is a tradition for people like Christina Waldner.

“I think there was one item that we wanted a few years ago and were surprised with all the people," Waldner explained. "We kinda made a joke about it, but ever since we’ve done it and it’s fun.”

Some people, like Will and Carol Gerdes, just come to the mall to people watch and interact with everyone.

"Somebody dropped some money and so I gave it to him and then I dropped some money out of my pocket and accidentally gave it to him," Will Gerdes said with a laugh. "We’re having a ball.”

Some shoppers are spending a little more than usual this year.

"We bought a couple of high end-electronic things so i spent about 400,”Doreen Kakes said.

"I just got a hundred dollars and i’m going around the mall, burning a hole in my pocket," said first-time Black Friday shopper Austin Schaaf.

Endres estimates that between the four members of her family that went shopping, they probably spent between $2- $3,000 dollars.

Although some are spending more than they thought they would, Endres says the Black Friday deals are what keep them coming back for more every year.

More than 50-thousand people are expected to visit Valley View Mall in La Crosse today.

Doors close at 10 p-m.