What is this “Black Friday” of which you speak?

Seriously, I know the day after Tgiving has always been “the busiest shopping day of the year” (mainly I know this because my father, who was a TV news reporter, always had to work on the day after Thanksgiving, so he could do the same lame story year after year on how it was, like – OMG! THE BUSIEST SHOPPING DAY OF THE YEAR!!!!). But about these amazing deals that are supposedly available. Is this true? Or is it hype? And how do you know where to look? Do you have to wait out in one of those horrific looking pre-dawn lines snaking around Wal-Mart and Circuit City in order to get these super special deals? Because no sale could drive me to that.

For those who are savvier shoppers than I, will you enlighten me?