Live from the Shopping Front Lines

The end of Thanksgiving feasts and pro football ushers in the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa shopping season. Assuming nothing bad happens, knock on wood, Black Friday isn't serious, hard news, but it is a part of many of our lives. So we'll be bringing you stories, photos and videos from the shopping scene around the area all day.

You also can use the map above to check on the traffic around your store or mall of choice. The map centers on Town Center at Cobb to start, but you can change the location by using the address box at the bottom right of the map, by dragging around on the map, and by zooming in and out.

Need some last-minute advice before you face the hordes? Check out this .

Have any memorable moments? Grab any great bargains? Spot anything that makes you feel the joy of the season or leaves you shaking your head? Share it with the community. You can add comments, photos and videos to the live blog above, or you can comment in the space below or click on "Add photos & video." Or email michael.jacobs@patch.com.

Happy shopping.