Shopping on Black Friday is not for the faint of heart.

Brieanna Sims of Modesto has been a committed Black Friday shopper for about eight years who has seen the worst sides of people manifest themselves as they fight over deals with other committed shoppers.

“It is insane and you have to be kind of crazy to do it. It’s definitely intense, people fight over items and you really have to have a strategy going in,” said Sims, who abstains from the fighting and instead opts to make the event a fun, annual tradition.

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days during the year that stores thrive off of, most opening at 5 a.m. or earlier to usher in hordes of people in search of the best deals for Christmas presents.

“The main thing for us is not the shopping or the craziness; it’s the tradition I have with my mom and the memories we have of spending the time together,” said Sims

Sims and her mother formulate a strategy on Thanksgiving Day after they receive the advertisements, often favoring stores like JC Penney and Sears at the mall with Target as their fallback store. While most consumers use the day to purchase big ticket electronic items, Sims and her mom focus on toys for children, clothing and gift items. After gearing up and going out for an early, hearty breakfast they head out and brave the crowds.

In recent years, stores have opened their doors earlier than usual, some even using Thanksgiving Day to launch their Black Friday deals which has left consumers with mixed feelings. Sims won’t be shopping on Thanksgiving as she believes it’s a day for family and doesn’t support Black Friday shopping or working on Thanksgiving. Instead, she will rise an hour or two later than usual, about 4 a.m., to head out to the stores with her mother for their annual tradition.