In our modern era of technology, consumerism has become more prevalent than ever. We are constantly one click away from ordering whatever we want, and getting it whenever we want it. However, there is a visible shift in attitude one day a year, a day where we venture out into the cold November air, eager to sniff out the best deals on everything from iPhones to crock pots. This day is Black Friday, and truly is the start of the holiday season.

Nationwide, it is known that Black Friday is the day for in-store sales. And, this creates a shopping experience unmatched by any online store. Walk into any mall or department store on Black Friday and you will feel a buzz of excitement, mixed with a little chaos. Buyers, fresh out of their food comas run from one aisle to the next, on the hunt for the best deal.

However, in recent years, a new day of sales called Cyber Monday (established by the likes of Amazon and other massive online corporations) has attempted to dethrone Black Friday as the ultimate shopper’s paradise, taking the sales online, rather than to physical storefronts.

Tradition and the experience, for me, are the aspects of Black Friday that easily put it over Cyber Monday. In a store, you are able to walk the aisles and truly see what you are buying. This really helps me from overspending and being overwhelmed by endless pages of products. In the end, I end up with more items I actually want and will use, as opposed to several impulse buys.

Many Black Friday deals are so good that a new term had to be coined for them. Called “doorbusters” (implying that people are basically busting through the doors of the store in an attempt to buy it), these insane sales are often placed on big-ticket items, like TVs and video game consoles. These are the kinds of deals my friends and I line up for, year after year.

Another advantage to the in-store sales is that, because Black Friday is before Cyber Monday, Black Friday shoppers will see the best deals first. If you don’t find what you want, for the price you want, you can always look for a better price on Cyber Monday. But, if you skip out on Black Friday, you will ultimately miss out on the “doorbuster” deals.

Black Friday is also a way for my friends and I to reconnect following Thanksgiving. We may go for several days without seeing each other due to family commitments. For 5 years now, my friends and I have risen early Black Friday morning to line up for deals we research weeks in advance. This pilgrimage has basically become our own mini-holiday.

Ultimately, it may be less work to shop on Cyber Monday. But, if you are anything like me and value saving your money while also having a good time, Black Friday shopping is far superior to Cyber Monday. There is no other way I would want to spend my time this holiday season.