(AP) -- After weeks of "Black Friday" sales pitches, the real thing is finally here.

Retailers are ushering in the traditional kickoff of the U.S. holiday shopping season on Friday with expanded hours, deep discounts and online deals to draw bargain-hungry shoppers.

In a bid to grab shoppers earlier, a number of stores including Old Navy, Toys R Us and Sears opened on Thanksgiving Day. Toys R Us was counting on getting an extra boost by opening 24 hours straight, starting at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

The crescendo follows a weeks-long push to woo shoppers. Many stores had trotted out the "Black Friday" label on sales as far back as October.

In recent years, Black Friday has taken the title as busiest shopping day of the year, according research firm ShopperTrak.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)