Hundreds of Midnight Shoppers Line Up At Target and Kohl's for Black Friday

There's nothing like Thanksgiving dinner – turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes and gravy – while happily huddled around the bench outside the .

Camped outside the Target 24 hours before the Black Friday midnight sale, Samantha Jackson and her sister Heather Lindstedt of Los Alamitos took no chances. They were first in a line of about 300 people Thursday night.

“We had turkey dinner from the back of my truck,” said Lindstedt. “We’re ready to go now.”

With the help of family members, the pair managed to hold their first spot in line, putting them in position to get the Black Friday door busters: a $99 Nikon, a 46-inch LCD HDTV for $298, a $199 PS3 and Xbox.

Lined up before midnight Wednesday, the duo waited in line all night for almost 12 hours before anyone else got in line.

“I don’t mind,” said Jackson. “It’s worth it.”

Conversely, Deanna Wieton, Ana Gallo and Meghan Sullivan lined up just an hour before Target’s midnight opening, putting them toward the end of a long line of shoppers wrapping around the corner of the store.

“We saw the line and thought about going to a different Target,” admitted Gallo.

But, in the end, they stuck it out.

Sullivan, a Palm Springs resident, hoped to be able to nab some Xbox games and toys for her nephews.

“Those things really add up, so it’s worth it to get them for nearly half off,” said Sullivan.

Bundled up in blankets, Kelly, Jessica and Ryan Jenkins of Los Alamitos managed to have their Thanksgiving dinner at home and still find a place within 50 yards of the front of the line.

Black Friday shopping has become a family tradition.

“I am just glad the store opens at midnight this year, so we don’t have to stay out all night,” said Kelly Jenkins.

Holly Daub and her mother, Sue Hayes, arrived at 9 p.m. to see the line wrapping around the store, so they headed across the street to and managed to land the third spot in line. Together, they have been Black Friday shopping for 10 years now, and the sport has evolved over time. It’s gotten very competitive, said Daub, who has learned to bring a portable butane heater to keep warm.

“We divide and conquer,” she said. Some family members camp out at Target and Walmart while others try Kohl’s or Old Navy.

Kupenda Coleman of Compton lined up at Kohl’s at noon on Thanksgiving, landing him the first place in line. His shopping list included a doughnut maker, a blender and sheets.

“They’re going to make great gifts for my family,” he said.