I'd rather shop after Christmas if I had a choice. Obviously, things will be picked over from earlier, but I find decent deals and get all I need without any of the hassles from other customers. Does it really matter if you're the first in getting the latest and greatest item? There's one huge reason why this country has such a problem with personal finances.
I agree, plus many online retailers offer even deeper discounts the days before Black Friday, I just don't get the big deal. Supply and demand often dictates how many people want to purchase a particular type of product at any given price.