Kelly Miller of Schaumburg turned Black Friday shopping into a work of art. "The crowd won't bother me. For me, this has always been its fun," she said. Brian Hill | Professional Photographer

Schaumburg’s holiday shopping enthusiast Kelly Miller has a scrapbook that records many of her Black Friday excursions. Brian Hill | Professional Photographer

This expandable ladder is one of the practical items picked by Black Friday shopping veteran Irene and Schaumburg’s Mike Chappa during their annual hike. Brian Hill | Professional Photographer

As evidenced by this photo from a previous trip, veteran shopper Kelly Miller made the most of her annual Black Friday trip. Courtesy of Kelly Miller

Black Friday shopping is not for the faint-hearted.

Kelly Miller said so, her shopping ability prompted friends and family to call her the Queen of Black Friday.

"You must have stamina and staying power," said the self-proclaimed shopaholic.

According to the National Retail Federation, when Miller set off early on Friday, more than 158 million Americans would join her-2 million more than last year-and they are expected to shop on Thanksgiving weekend.

Erin and Mike Chapa will be among them.

“We finished Thanksgiving dinner and left home at 8pm and didn't return until 8am the next morning," Erin Chapa said of the tradition established by the Schaumburgs about 14 years ago.

She said that the heyday was when the store opened at midnight. There is a kind of friendship among shoppers waiting in line to open the door. A group of people are "crazy together". They have a common goal, which is to go home when the crowd starts shopping.

She said that in their most memorable Black Friday purchase, there was a camera with a retail price of US$1,400, which they bought for US$600. She also recalled crawling under the legs of other shoppers, holding ink cartridges for computer-controlled cutting machines used for arts and crafts projects.

Over the years, they brought home the 2001 Mazda Protegé they bought, which was filled with gifts so that Erin could fit in any available space.

"Every year she crawls to a corner and prepares to go home for the last time," Mike Chappa said.

Their family pampered them, shared advertisements for Black Friday deals, and watched their three children—a 6-year-old and 14-month-old twin—as the couple completed their task. They came back exhausted, leaving only enough energy to wrap the gifts.

"This is a crazy day, and we are over," Irene Chapa said, adding that she and her husband avoided going to the mall for the rest of the season.

Kelly Miller said this was the day she lived for. Ms. Schaumburg said that she has been shopping on Black Friday for 21 years.

She started to develop strategies a month or more before her annual trip: scanning ads, making lists, and checking dimensions. Then, she planned the route based on the products she most wanted to buy.

Starting at around 10:30pm on Thanksgiving, Miller started with the store closest to her home, and then expanded the search to include Target, Wal-Mart, Ulta Beauty, Kohl's, etc.

She will go home about noon on Friday.

She suggested using a messenger bag to free her hands. She also recommends bringing a fully charged mobile phone and putting water and snacks in the car to replenish energy. She warned shoppers to be vigilant and pay attention to the surrounding environment to ensure a good experience.

Finally, she urged people to be patient and kind.

Like Chapas, Miller said that noise, friendship, and finding the ideal gift are almost more important than transactions. According to the Retail Federation, 58% of Thanksgiving weekend shoppers were motivated by "too good", while 28% were motivated by tradition.

"The crowd won't bother me. For me, this has always been the fun of it," said Miller, who recorded her experience on Facebook and the memory album.

She described her experience as pleasant, while her shopping partners and store employees were polite, helpful and courteous.

"That's why I can go out and be with all these people. It's very pleasant for me," she said.

Erin and Mike Chapa say that standing in line, hanging out with other shoppers, helping them and getting help is part of the fun.

The most enjoyable is the thrill of hunting.

"I don't know what else to say," Mike Chapa explained. "When you have a game plan and things start to make sense, there will be a surge of endorphins."

For Kara Kendrick, the journey started at 4:30 am on Friday when her Volvo left the garage for the Chicago Fashion Outlets in Rosemont, the Black Friday destination chosen by her family.

More than 40 relatives from nine states gathered at Kendrick’s Elmhurst home for Thanksgiving dinner as part of the long holiday weekend. It starts with a pizza party on Wednesday, including a turkey trot on Thanksgiving morning, and ends on Saturday, visiting Chicago or picking a Christmas tree.

According to Kendrick, the ideal window for Black Friday shopping is from 5 to 8 in the morning. By 5 AM, the overnight customers had already left, but the daytime customers had not yet arrived.

"That is the best time," she said.

After taking a group photo at one of the stores, the group members went to their own way.

"We met at different times," said Kendrick, who completed about 50% of her holiday shopping on Black Friday. "We finished lunch at 1pm and then discussed all our offers, or not."

For her, Black Friday is more about family than business.

"I can finish (shopping), and I will go anyway," she said. "It has nothing to do with sales. It is about tradition. It is about being with my family and closest friends."