Early and late, shoppers head out for the best deals

A few years ago, Heather Canterbury would have sneered at the thought of shopping for Christmas presents on Thanksgiving.

But on Thursday, while on a quest to fetch some last-minute cooking supplies, Canterbury found herself packing the minivan full of gifts for her three children and placing a discounted flat-screen TV on layaway.

"I figured I'd come and get a couple things for dinner, and then, once I got here, decided I might do some of my Christmas shopping," Canterbury said outside the Kmart on Barnett Shoals Road in Athens.

Canterbury wasn't alone. Dozens of other savvy shoppers raided some of the few stores in Athens that lured in customers with early Thanksgiving Day deals and sales.

More retailers are trying to stay competitive this season and are catering to consumers by opening for a few hours on Thanksgiving Day, according to Ellen Davis, vice president of the National Retail Federation.

While some people might call the decision to open up Thanksgiving Day an encroachment on the family holiday, it's become more of the norm for the retail industry in recent years, Davis said.

"It's not new for grocery stores or drug stores to be open on Thanksgiving," Davis said. "For many Americans, once the parade, the football game and the dinner is over, they're looking for something to do and end up going to the movies, and retailers are saying, 'Why not shop

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