Black Friday 2018: Shoppers brave the bitter cold for deals

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BOSTON — Shoppers across the country flocked to the stores this Black Friday in hopes of snagging the best deals as holiday shopping season kick starts.

Many got an early start even before Black Friday began. While that’s not the case in Massachusetts due to longstanding blue laws, in New Hampshire – it’s a different story.

Boston 25 News was at South Shore Plaza Mall when shoppers were coming in to start the holiday shopping rush.

The mall's general manager said they expect the crowds to fluctuate throughout the day.

One family said, to them, Black Friday is so much more than just the deals - it's about keeping a family tradition alive for 35 years and counting.

"We didn't let it go, we said, 'You know what, let's keep going,'" said Lisa Burrows. "Then we had different family members, sometimes it's eight of us. We decided to make shirts, make it a fun event and, at the end of the day, it's a good excuse for the family to get together."

Despite a growing shift over the years favoring online shopping, the general manager at the Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H. said they expected another year of steady crowds and plentiful in-store purchases.

A spokesperson for South Shore Plaza says they won't have final numbers of Friday's shoppers until early next week.

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