DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - In only a few days, area shopping centers will be packed with people looking to land some deals on holiday gifts. The day after Thanksgiving, often called Black Friday, is one of the busiest shopping days of the year, with many retailers offering deep discounts.

Parking lots will be full. Crowds will be heavy. Lines will be long. Some serious shoppers are prepared to hit the stores hard on Friday. Many stores are even opening early on Thursday night. But this year, you do not have to wait until Black Friday to find some amazing deals, both in-store and online. Savvy shoppers – and retailers – have already gotten a head start.

Staci Rubin is among those North Texans who started their holiday shopping before the Black Friday deals and crowds. "Everything's still nicely put on the shelves and it's not crazy and already peeled through," she said.

The aisles are neat and tidy. Many of the hottest holiday toys are still easy to find. But come Black Friday, a trip to the store will be like a competitive sport. It's one game that Rubin will spend on the sidelines. "I don't do it. I'm not into it," she said. "The crowds are too crazy. I'm not one of those that likes to go out there and fight the crowds, even for a good deal. I feel like there are good deals to be had not on Black Friday."

Rubin is right. Retailers have had their holiday toy catalogues in the hands of wish-listers for weeks, and the deals have already been happening, as stores compete for their share of early holiday shoppers. "With the kids being able to look at it early on, parents will be able to get a good deal for what they need to shop for, and plan for it," explained Walmart spokeswoman Katherine Marie Bailey.

Planning is another reason that shoppers like Rubin are hitting the stores early. Sticking to a budget is often easier when you're not being pressured into making panicked last-minute purchases. "I think you see it as it goes, as opposed to all at the last minute, because you got to get it," Rubin said.

The bottom line, Rubin said: "The crowds are not worth it for me. I would rather pay a little more and do it all beforehand. It's just not worth it for me."

Still, if you are one of those shoppers who thrives on the crowds and chaos of Black Friday, there's no need to worry. You will still have plenty of company. Local retailers seem cautiously optimistic that shoppers are now less anxious about the economy and ready to spend, spend, spend!

And are you looking for the best deals on Black Friday? Most of the major retailers have already released their Thanksgiving Day advertisements touting those crazy deals. Click here to check them out! And if you do decide to brave the Black Friday crowds, please remember to be safe and respectful to others.

Good luck, shoppers!