Black Friday, my how youve grown.

Once an event on the day after Thanksgiving and the traditional start of holiday shopping this year, youve grown into a two-month season of nonstop door buster deals, super sales and early early-bird specials.

Its not a start or an ending to anything like it used to be, said Ken Nisch, chairman of JGA, a branding and retail design firm in Southfield. Were in a whole new territory.

And while we may complain that Black Friday has no boundaries, holds nothing sacred not even our Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family the truth is many of us will ditch our loved ones (or take a few along with us) to dance and deal with the retail monster weve created.

This year, 38% of shoppers are likely to shop on Thanksgiving Day or night, according to a survey by Accenture, a management consulting company. Add to that: 55% of shoppers are likely to hit the stores on the day after Thanksgiving, compared to 44% in 2011.

Even though more shoppers are expected to be shopping, their overall holiday season spending isnt expected to be much more than it was in 2012.

Stores know this and are working harder to lure shoppers. Shoppers know this, and are being picky. And this is how Black Friday morphed into a season that starts Nov. 1 and ends Jan. 1.

A different world

Once upon a time, stores closed on Thanksgiving and families and friends went to the parade or football game or grandmas and ate and argued and studied store circulars before heading out about 5 a.m. on Black Friday, full of anticipation.

Then, in the 1990s, technology happened. Amazon.com opened for business in 1995. The Internet allowed us to shop at home on Thanksgiving Day. Now Wi-Fi and smartphones allow us to shop anywhere the parade, the game, the car, grandmas house.

We love spending the holiday shopping online for many reasons, including that were easily bored.

We are just so wired and connected to everything that is going on. We just dont know how to deal with the idle time because were so conditioned to being entertained or active or interactive every waking minute, Nisch said.

Christmas or Thanksgiving are what used to be the white space. I dont think the consumer is wired to have that white space, he added.

Since 2008-09, when stores were forced to sell off merchandise at huge discounts because the economy took a downturn, we have become increasingly deal-oriented. We expect more things to be on sale at bigger discounts than ever before. According to Accenture, 62% of shoppers said they need a discount of 30% or more to persuade them to make a purchase.

To me, 25% off isnt that big of a deal, said Lisa Benedict, a bargain shopper whose attitude about what constitutes a deal changed, in part, because of the sizable discounts retailers offer all year. Theres a sale every day you dont have to wait till after Christmas to get ornaments half off anymore. You dont have to wait until September to get a good deal on a swimsuit, or until May to get a good deal on a winter coat.

Benedict knows that in many cases, shes going to get additional percentages off her purchases because of coupons and other incentives a practice stores have become really good at doing. To move me to even look for my keys, its got to be 40% off or more.

I do get the paper on (Thanksgiving) morning, and after everythings in the oven, I sit down with a Sharpie and circle what stores are going to offer and see what I can find online the pricing online, compared to the actual sale. I want as much bang for my buck as I can possibly get, said Benedict, who is 47, has two teenage daughters and lives in Oakland Township. I have to look at whats being offered can I get this anywhere else?