One of America's favorite holidays is just around the corner -- no, not Thanksgiving: Black Friday.

The day after Thanksgiving has earned the name "Black Friday" because it's the day that retail sales skyrocket and the shops get out of the "red," marking the kickoff of the holiday shopping season.

Although it's a day that's notorious for excruciatingly heavy traffic, both on the way to malls and within them, shoppers up to burning off some of that turkey and stuffing from the previous night can certainly get their fill on great sales and extended store hours.

According to ShopperTrak and The National Retail Federation (NRF), last year, Black Friday generated $8.9 billion in sales, thanks to more than 140 million shoppers.

The NRF recently released its holiday predictions for this year, anticipating that sales will reach $474.5 billion, a mere 4 percent increase from 2006's sales.

Kathy Grannis, a spokesperson for the NRF, wrote in an e-mail that shoppers should research online and plan their Black Friday shopping excursions before venturing into the retail jungle.

"Comparison shopping for price and quality saves time and money," Grannis wrote. "If you are looking for a time of day to avoid the crowds, especially for college students, check the local retailers' Web sites beforehand and see if they are offering early morning doorbusters or midnight sales the night of Thanksgiving."

Grannis added that for some, Black Friday is more than just a day to indulge in great deals, but is instead treated as a "tradition."

"There are many consumers who treat Black Friday and that whole weekend as a way to get together with friends and family they may not get to see very often," she wrote.

For others, Black Friday means a day of dealing with frenzied shoppers, shoplifters, cranky kids and interpreting coupons. Nicole Chavlovich (junior-accounting) has worked at Abercrombie & Fitch in the Ross Park Mall outside of Pittsburgh on Black Friday and described it as "crazy."

"I worked the register, so being fast-paced and not making any mistakes was important," Chavlovich said. "We also had to watch for people stealing."

Getting to malls and stores early is vital, she said.

"If you wait until the afternoon, everyone is there and a lot of the sales are only during the morning hours," Chavlovich said.

Jennelle Barbiche (junior-secondary education) worked at a J. Crew store in her hometown of Flemington, N.J.

She said she always requests off for Black Friday but has worked during the holiday season.

"It's extremely busy and crazy, and you get so stressed," she said. "You keep folding all of these clothes, and people keep messing them up."

Barbiche also said her mom makes her wake up "at the crack of dawn" every year for Black Friday to hit the sales at Bridgewater Commons Mall in New Jersey.

For shoppers who do choose to get a head start on holiday shopping, there are plenty of options to pick from.

According to a recent NRF survey, 50 percent of those polled said they enjoy receiving presents such as clothing, CDs, DVDs and video games.

"Electronics are always the 'must have' every year," Grannis wrote. "We expect to see a heavy push toward these items, such as the iPhone, video games and cell phones."

Anyone who usually takes the easy way out and purchases the classic gift card might actually be the smartest shopper after all.

The same NRF survey said that 53.8 percent of consumers would enjoy receiving a gift card as a holiday present.

Grannis said that although most retailers have extra staff on hand on Black Friday, shoppers need to brace themselves for the holiday rush.

"If there is a promotion that's hard for anyone to pass up, you can bet you'll see the long lines and hear the holiday buzz," she said.