Shoppers rose before sunrise this year to take advantage of Black Friday deals, forming lines outside outlet stores across the island.

“This is our annual tradition,” said Mary Fejeran, who was first in line at Home Depot along with several other family members.

The line of customers began at the store’s main entrance and stretched across the parking lot at 5:30 a.m., but Fejeran and his family had already been there for hours by that point.

Fejeran, from Yona, said she and her cousins ​​have been standing in the Black Friday line at the hardware store “since it opened.”

“They have great deals and they have things we need for the house and vacation,” she said.

“That’s what we think we need for the house,” corrected cousin Tillie Blas, who lives in Barrigada.

Blas wanted to get lots of batteries to power up her collection of Hallmark Christmas decorations, while Fejeran had her eye on a Christmas tree and fresh wreaths.

“This is like our Promesa,” Fejeran said, using the CHamoru word for a sacred oath or vow.

After Home Depot, “we go to Denny’s,” she said.

Given the high cost of living in recent years, Fejeran said she was preparing for annual “retail therapy” by setting spending priorities and trying to cut expenses like utility bills.

“Don’t take your medication with you,” Blas said, laughing.

Blas said when she goes out, she asks herself, “Is it a want or a need?”

Over at Micronesia Mall, Center Court quickly filled up at 6 a.m. as customers jostled to be among the first 100 in line for a $10 Foot Locker giveaway.

But husband and wife Patrick Vowsher and Alexandria Wiechman, two of the first in line at one of the mall’s entrances, said they were pleasantly surprised by the turnout.

“It’s funny because our friend warned us that we have to get there two hours early. And I come here and I’m like, ‘This is really quiet,'” Wiechman said.

Vowsher said he moved to Guam about three years ago and Wiechman followed him last year. The two now live in Dededo.

“I’m used to shopping on Black Friday at Walmart or Target or something where there are crazy shoppers, and we don’t have that here,” Vowsher said.

The couple, who describe themselves as gamers and collectors, said they were headed to the Geek Out! Collector’s shop. They had just gotten out of an online Dungeons & Dragons game they were playing with friends in the States.

“We kind of shop for each other,” Wiechman said.

“We get her Christmas shopping out of the way, and some, you know, are just wedding gifts,” Vowsher said.

But while some started or completed their Christmas shopping on Black Friday, others like Maelei Rose Samson were out shopping for themselves.

Samson said she completed her Christmas shopping by October to avoid the rush of last-minute shoppers.

“I don’t like the traffic, the cars, the parking,” she said.

She said that with her income she supports her mother, her half-brother, her daughter and herself and therefore needs to be clear about her shopping budget. She also has eight nieces and nephews from her sister, too many to keep up with each birthday.

“I sat down… I pretty much know how much everything costs. So I keep that in mind and compare what I have to what I earn, my income,” Samson said. “I’ll make sure that’s done first and everything else is play money.”

She left Ross around 6:30 a.m. with a bag full of Hello Kitty supplies for her daughter, some new clothes for an upcoming event, and tape and stationery for herself.

Samson said she was an early riser only by accident – she had to take her mother to a doctor’s appointment and Ross was on the way.