Many people across America look forward to the holiday season- Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. However, over the years another day has slowly been creeping up the ladder of importance in the eyes of Americans. Black Friday has been transformed into a monster; forcing families to get up at all hours of the night just to the get the best deals. People trampling over one another just to get that last pair of Steve Madden boots that are on sale for 60% off is just the norm.

The frenzies of Black Friday have been around since its origin in Philly, 1965. Over the years, this un-official holiday has been becoming more and more intense. Starting when stores usually open, to two or four hours early and so on, stores are now opening with lowered prices Thanksgiving night.

Although the deals may be fabulous, is it all worth it? The dragging yourself out of bed at 4 AM, waiting in lines to actually get into the store, fighting for that one pair of shoes you just HAVE to have, and finally getting to the register after a long wait. Your hair is frizzed from the stress, you are sweating to make it in line before others, and you have an adrenaline rush that comes from successfully saving a bunch of money. This is what keeps people coming back: the buzz that one gets when getting the deals of the year, and knowing that you accomplished that you accomplished your deal-saving-goals is addicting.

But for the people that are just too stuffed from turkey to even move, there is a solution that has also been developing over the years. Since the rapid growth of the online shopping, Cyber Monday has been growing in parallel. The consumer receives the same buzz of a great buy, but it gives you a few days to spend time with family over the weekend—to maybe go work off some of the stuffing you ate and prepare a holiday wish list.

Cyber Monday has an appeal that cannot be ignored, the ability to save 50% from the comfort of your own bed? What’s not to love? Companies know this. They send out e-mail blasts reminding every single person that has ever bought anything from their store about the upcoming event. They also have separate ads on TV, inviting people to just click checkout and have instant savings.

The want and need to save money has been programmed into our minds, sales being flashed in front of us from an early age. So it’s only natural that the biggest sale of the whole year draws everyone from around the country to come to stores and shop ‘til they drop. Some stores like American Eagle are offering savings up to 50% for Cyber Monday, while others like Brandy Melville, a fairly new online site, are only offering 10% sitewide—probably not worth paying a shipping cost.

While this is all fun when you walk out of a store unharmed holding a bag full of new clothes triumphantly, there are people that take it a little too far. In years past, people have been trampled — even killed – by mad shoppers that will stop at nothing to get the best deal. America pays attention to these events, calls for more security and then goes about their merry way. But when does Black Friday shopping go from fun with the family to a scratch that has to be itched? Or worse, an event where injuries and other destruction may occur…

Check out the attached video of the craziness that went on at Walmart this year!