For many shoppers, nothing brings in the holiday cheer quite like fighting off the woman next to you to grab a half-priced Bluetooth speaker. Black Friday shopping has become nothing short of an American holiday in recent years. What most likely started as a term used to describe a financial crisis in 1869 now refers to a day (or, more accurately, a night) of racing from store to store to compete against aggressive crowds and find the best deals.

The first time "Black Friday" was used in reference to shopping the day after Thanksgiving was in a 1961 Philadelphia public relations newsletter. Since the early 2000s, Black Friday has been the busiest shopping day of the year.

Undeniably, Black Friday has sparked some controversy across the U.S. For years, retailers opened to the public around 6:00 A.M. the day after Thanksgiving, but store openings are becoming earlier and earlier every year.

In 2001, Kohl's, Best Buy, Macy's, Target, and other leading retailers opened at midnight for the first time. Promises of "doorbusters" and unbeatable deals have progressed drastically. In 2013, Kmart announced it would open at 6 A.M. on Thanksgiving Day and remain open for 41 hours straight.

Customers wait in line on Thanksgiving Day at a Kmart in Chicago. Kmart was the first major retailer nationwide to kick off Black Friday shopping by opening on Thanksgiving morning at 6 a.m.

Many are opposed to extreme shopping during a weekend that is typically devoted to spending time at home with family and friends. Others, however, view the day as a fun holiday tradition, and a way to hold on to some extra cash.

Maggie McCune, a sophomore at Rockhurst University, is scheduled to come into work at Target at 6:00 P.M. on Thanksgiving Day until around 4:00 a.m. on Black Friday.

"I was asked by my manager if I would work Black Friday because he thought I would be a good presence for the day," said McCune. "I responded, 'heck yes.'"

McCune is actually excited for her shift because she gets paid more than her typical wage per hour. She also thinks it will be interesting to observe the large crowds.

But scarily enough, these crowds can turn violent. The chaos and high emotions of Black Friday have led to injuries and even deaths. Stores, of course, lure in consumers by advertising huge deals, causing shoppers to stampede through isles to find the items on their lists. Many Americans believe that Black Friday has become downright dangerous.

Ryan Crawford, also a sophomore at Rockhurst, is not a fan of the frenzied shopping.

"I would never want to miss Thanksgiving dinner to go to work," said Crawford, who agreed to take a shift last year at 10 A M. on Black Friday. He was employed by a small store that sells sports paraphernalia. The store, however, opened at 9 P.M. on Thanksgiving night.

"The people who worked overnight [on Thanksgiving] had to go back and work a second shift on Friday evening," said Crawford.

Although the morality of Black Friday may be up for debate, there is one thing that is certain: it's a tradition that's not going away anytime soon.

Major Department Stores Opening on Thanksgiving Day 2015: