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We've had a few folks request a definition of Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, so here's our best effort with a "deals" slant.

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. The name "Black Friday" was to be given because retail stores operated in "the red" until this extremely busy day in which they'd sell enough merchandise to record a profit (or be "in the black"). Traditionally, sales flyers are sent out in the newspaper on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) when the stores are closed. The sales usually start on Black Friday morning bright and early, and run through Saturday. Another flyer follows on Sunday with different shopping deals.

Cyber Monday is the Monday following Thanksgiving. This has grown to be a huge day for online sales. Because much of the population shops online while at work, they wait until Monday, and avoid the Black Friday crowds, ordering the items online instead. Because of this huge trend, many retailers are now targeting this day for extra sales, and Cyber Monday has now become a huge online shopping day in itself.

Here at DealTaker.com, we recognize and value what shopping power Black Friday 2009 and Cyber Monday 2009 hold in the retail market and the importance the two days hold for the buying public. Therefore, we diligently gather sale information well before the Thursday newspapers when most of these sales are announced. Some flyers we'll get weeks ahead of time, and others won't see the light until Wednesday evening. Once we get the sale flyers, we do our best to create pages of links to the sale items they promote.

One item to note -- While Black Friday 2009 is a very popular shopping day when bargains are most prevalent, there are a lot of items you may be able to pick up well before the big day hits. Our Deals Discussions has a constant flow of about 30-40 (or more) great deal items every day, many for a fraction of the normal cost. And we've had many members tell us they're often almost done with their holiday shopping as early as September, thanks in part to deals they have found here.

TIP: Even though many stores advertise their sales starting on Black Friday, in the past, we've had users tell us they have been able to purchase items online on Thanksgiving Thursday, or even before that. Saving a trip to the store on one of the busiest shopping days is definitely a bonus!

Hopefully you're as excited as we are about the 2009 holiday season. It will be here before you know it!

So remember to please REGISTER today -- it's FREE! By doing so, you'll get full access to the Official 2009 Black Friday Discussion Area so you will be armed and ready to tackle those holiday shopping lists!