For most people in America, the end of November signals a time for reflection and gratitude for the past year, a time to gather with loved ones and celebrate love, family, and togetherness. For many of those same people, this special time of year is also the start of something else; the holiday shopping season. As any red-blooded American shopper or veteran retail worker will tell you, the Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving is the official, sometimes dreaded start of the holiday shopping rush. Known fondly as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, respectively, the two days are a slice of commercialized heaven, and rake in big bucks for retailers across the board. Although Black Friday is the more infamous of the two, Cyber Monday holds its own, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be disappointing this year.

As has been the case in the past, it looks like Amazon and Walmart will be the go-to places for Cyber Monday deals this year, as well. For the past three years, Amazon has offered award-worthy deals, and has made great strides to either math or beat competitor prices, especially from big-name retailers, like Walmart and Bestbuy. Combined with its stupidly easy accessibility and status as a household name, Amazon is somewhat the king of Cyber Monday deals. Walmart, however, is a close second; the ad for this year features television screens under $100, and both laptops and iPad minis under $300. Walmart also has the advantage of raking in revenue from Black Friday, with stores and sales going on nation-wide.

For those who are perhaps new to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday game, or for those who are unsure of just what to look for this year, this article give some tips and tricks about the best deals to scout for at the start of this holiday shopping season, as well as what to avoid. Keep a close eyes out for clothing, electronics, and slightly older versions of hot new gadgets; go for an iPhone 4 instead of one of the new, golden iPhones, perhaps.

Ultimately, Cyber Monday is a convenient, easy way to score some great deals on holiday shopping without having to leave the house, put on pants, or run the risk of being trampled beneath mobs of people trying to nab a television from Walmart. This writer will definitely be making a few simple clicks from her computer to start off her shopping this season, with pajama pants on and a cup of cocoa in hand. Happy holidays, and good luck to all who brave both Black Friday and Cyber Monday!

[Image courtesy of the official Walmart website and the official Amazon website. Logos were put together by the writer.]