UPDATED: Friday, November 23, 2012 --- midday

(BLACK FRIDAY HOURS POSTED BENEATH THIS STORY)

Hordes of shoppers descended on stores across the country in the ritual known as Black Friday after many major retailers moved their openings into Thanksgiving night.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, reported its best ever Black Friday events after opening at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving. During the high traffic period from 8 p.m. through midnight, Wal-Mart processed nearly 10 million register transactions and almost 5,000 items per second.

"The early read is Wal-Mart’s been one of the clear winners," said R. J. Hottovy, a senior retail analyst at Morningstar. The combination of expanded hours, aggressive pricing and guaranteed availability of some doorbuster deals are likely to pay off for the nation’s largest retailer."

The retailer was the target of a broader campaign against the company's treatment of workers that is being waged by a union-backed group called OUR Walmart, which includes former and current workers. On Friday morning, about 250 protesters were marching outside a Walmart store in Woodlawn, Md.

For their part, retailers say they are giving shoppers what they want.

Dave Tovar, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said that the discounter learned from shoppers that they want to start shopping right after Thanksgiving dinner. Then, they want to have time to go to bed before they wake up to head back out to the stores.

THE LIST OF BLACK FRIDAY HOURS:

-- Tanger Outlets (Wisconsin Dells) – Sales begin at 10pm Thanksgiving night

-- Johnson Creek Premium Outlets – Black Friday, Midnight-10pm

-- West Towne Mall – Black Friday, 5am-10pm (but many stores open at Midnight)

-- East Towne Mall – Black Friday, 5am-10pm (but many stores open at Midnight)

-- Janesville Mall – Black Friday, 5am-10pm (but many stores open at Midnight)

-- JCPenney – Black Friday, 6am-11pm

-- Boston Store – Black Friday, Midnight-10pm

-- Sears – Opens at 8 pm on Thanksgiving

-- Target – 9pm on Thanksgiving-11pm Black Friday

-- Kohl's – Black Friday, Midnight-Midnight

– Macy's – Black Friday, Midnight-10pm

-- Toys "R" Us – 8pm Thanksgiving-10pm Black Friday

-- Best Buy – Doors open at Midnight on Black Friday

-- Walmart – Deals start at 8pm on Thanksgiving

-- Blain's Farm and Fleet – Black Friday, 6am-9pm

-- Marshalls – Black Friday, 7am-10pm

-- TJ Maxx – Black Friday, 7am-10pm

-- Old Navy – Open Thanksgiving Day 9am-8pm, Black Friday Midnight-11pm

-- Burlington – Black Friday, 6am-10pm

-- Menards – Black Friday, 5am-10pm

-- Gander Mountain –Black Friday, 6am-10pm

-- Cabela’s Prairie du Chien – Black Friday, 5am-10pm

-- Home Depot – Black Friday, 5am-9pm

-- Dick's Sporting Goods – Black Friday, Midnight-10:30pm

-- American – 8pm-Midnight Thanksgiving night, 5am-10pm on Black Friday

-- Sam's Club – Black Friday, 7am-9pm

-- Costco – Black Friday, 9am-8:30pm

-- Shopko – Deals start at 9pm on Thanksgiving

-- Office Depot – Black Friday, 5am-9pm

-- Office Max – Black Friday, 6am-9pm

-- Staples – Black Friday, 5am-9pm

-- Jo-Ann Fabric – Black Friday, 6am-9pm

-- Steinhafels – Black Friday, 7am-9pm

-- Ashley Furniture Home Store – Black Friday, 7am-9pm

-- Slumberland Furniture – Black Friday, 8am-9pm

-- Half-Price Books – Black Friday, 7am-10pm

-- Barnes & Noble – Madison West: 8am-11pm on Black Friday; Madison East: 5am-10pm on Black Friday

-- GameStop – Doors open at Midnight on Black Friday