The holiday shopping season is officially under way.

We haven't started ours yet, but plenty of Chester County residents did on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Despite a reeling economy that has many analysts projecting lower than average retail sales, shoppers were out in full force ready to take advantage of drastic discounts and special sales.

Chester County was no different than the rest of the country, with shoppers lining up as early as 3 a.m. in some places. Stores typically open earlier than normal, offering one-day-only sales to eager shoppers in an effort to start off the season with strong retail sales.

Few days on the calendar are as polarizing as this one. For some shoppers, it is a day of quasi-celebration. Rituals and traditions abound. For others, it's a day to stay as far away from the malls as possible. We know a few people who don't even get in their cars on Black Friday.

We can't say we blame them. Black Friday shopping is not for the faint of heart. Swarms of shoppers begin gathering outside stores like Target and Sears while it's still dark outside. In addition to braving the elements, there are line-cutters and spot-savers to deal with. Tempers can flare quickly.

Once inside, it's every man for himself. Shoppers race past one another to get to the most popular items quickly, often without any regard for their fellow man's well-being. Arguments are all too common, and if you happen to pick up the last of a particular item, you can expect to hear it from other shoppers.

It's a particularly harrowing day for workers in the retail industry and members of local law enforcement. Look no further than what happened this year at a Wal-Mart in Long Island, N.Y. A 34-year-old seasonal employee was trampled and killed when a frenzied mob of more than 2,000 shoppers attempted to get into the store earlier. Others were injured in the stampede as well.

Black Friday? Black indeed.

But there were few, if any, incidents in Chester County on Friday. What there was instead was a steady throng of shoppers out and about looking for bargains. At Exton Square mall, King of Prussia mall, Main Street at Exton and various other big-box retail outlets, shoppers were snapping up iPhones and high-definition televisions and PlayStation 3s.

It's too early to tell how sales stack up compared to past years, or how this shopping season will be affected by the current state of the economy. But with so many shoppers out and about Friday, it's beginning to look just a little bit like Christmas.

— Journal Register News Service