Black Friday is tomorrow. What could go wrong?

Black Friday, typically the busiest in-store shopping day of the year, is expected to look a lot different this year compared to 2020, when many consumers, trying to avoid exposure to COVID-19, did the bulk of their holiday shopping online — from the safety of their homes. 

This year, many families have built up substantial savings, and are eager to partake in holiday traditions that were hallmarks of the season before the pandemic, including flocking to stores the day after Thanksgiving to score deals on gifts and more. 

"There is a yearning to get back to a feeling of normal, so in-store shopping is one way to accomplish that," said Bryan Cannon, the CEO and chief portfolio strategist at Cannon Advisers, who tracks consumer spending and holiday shopping trends.