HURST (CBSDFW.COM) - Thousands of North Texans got a jump start on their Black Friday shopping.

Hundreds showed up at a Toys R Us in Hurst several hours early, and lined up to get inside right when the doors opened at 10:00 p.m. Thursday.

"It's just fun," said Keesha Bayer, who started the line at 3 p.m. "This is the first year I've ever set up shop outside or a store seven, eight, nine hours in advance,  but it's fun."

"I love the anticipation of what's inside," said Stefanie Galchutt, who braved the cold alongside Bayer. ""I have actually been one of the first in line up here for the last three years running."

Barricades were set up this year to prevent people from bypassing the line and rushing the door, and managers hired police officers to keep the crowds from becoming too hectic.

Bayer is after a big ticket item, but Galchutt is just after a bargain.

"I enjoy the deals, I enjoy shopping for the kids, I enjoy saving extra money, especially in a rough economy." She said.

At Garden Ridge, in North Richland Hills, there were no lines outside.  The only line was the one at the register.  The retailer did not close for Thanksgiving.

"This is probably one of the few places that's open today," said Chip Wood, "shop a little early for a change."

Wood and his wife Rhonda weren't just at Garden Ridge to shop.  They came to see their daughter, Heather Williams.  Williams is a cashier at the craft superstore and turned 26 Thanksgiving day.

"They actually had Thanksgiving dinner at my grandmother's in a nearby city and they came to give me a birthday card from my grandparents." Williams said.

"We came out because we needed a Christmas tree and they were having a sale," said Shana Hines, "so we decided to come and get one."

For some, shopping on Thanksgiving is a new concept.

"We've never really done this before," said Susan Newman, Hines' mother, who admitted she always shops early on Black Friday, "we had an early meal and she needed a Christmas tree so we headed here."

For Shana Matin and her family, shopping is just as much a part of their Thanksgiving as turkey and stuffing.

"It's our tradition," Martin said. "We eat and then we come to Garden Ridge."

The family tradition is even spelled out on their t-shirts, which they have specially made each year for the shopping outing.

"It says 'the fam' and it has all our names." Martin explained. "Every year we have a shirt."

The family has holiday shopping down to a science, for them Black Friday actually starts Thursday.  "We don't go to sleep, we shop all night." Martin said. "We'll go home, put everything down, map our route, be at Grapevine Mills by midnight, Kohl's by three and Target by four."

"I don't have anything I have to get at 2 in the morning but it's fun," said sister Erin Burrows.

As many are just getting to the stores Friday morning, they'll already be leaving, with plenty of packages in tow.  "We're done by six or seven" Martin said.

Retailers like Toys R Us are hoping the extra hours will equal extra dollars on their bottomline, but only time will tell if the jump start on black friday will pay off.