Here's something you probably didn't know. TV anchors love to say that 'black friday' is the busiest shopping day of the year. Not true. The retail federation studies these kinds of things and they determine year after year that the busiest shopping day of the year is always either the Saturday or Sunday right before Christmas.
So if you look at the calendar Christmas falls on a Monday this year. Thus that Saturday or Sunday right before will be the busiest.
It's also been proven if you wait until the last minute you often get some of the biggest bargains as retailers begin to panic and want to get rid of items that just aren't moving. So good luck with all your shopping.