CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — For many shoppers it’s a tradition, and for many stores it’s one of their biggest sales days of the year. We’re talking Black Friday: which may not be exactly the same as what it used to be.

Many stores used to see long lines and shoppers sleeping out for Black Friday sales. Meriden resident Olek Wolski was one of those who braved the cold for a good deal.

“Back in the day I used to yeah,” Wolski said. “I was always the first guy in line.”

These days he does his holiday shopping from the comfort of his warm home.

“For getting deals I would mostly go online,” Wolski said.

And he’s not alone.

“I used to go there in person,” New London resident Anh Calhoun, who says she doesn’t do that anymore. “I do a lot of shopping online.”

“I think about it but I don’t usually do it,” Mystic resident Gregg Fedus said.

With Black Friday deals dropping weeks earlier and offered online at the same prices as in store, many are choosing to avoid the crowds which may be a little smaller these days.

“I tend to stay home on Black Friday,” East Lyme resident Lori Venditti said.

Still, she and her daughter Angie do prefer shopping in person rather than online.

“We’re trying to keep businesses in business,” Venditti said. “So the first thing we do is we go to the stores and if we can’t find it we ultimately have to get the item online unfortunately so.”

“It’s a crazy day for us. It’s one of our biggest day,” Candy Shapiro, who owns Grace in Niantic.

She does expect to be very busy on Black Friday. She offers free gifts to many Grace customers and 30% off the entire store, which allows the small but popular shop to compete with the big stores.

“We learned that all you have to do is have an event that gives back to the people and when you give you get,” Shapiro said.

Not only does Shapiro have to compete with the bigger stores but also with the trends of online shopping and sales which start long before Black Friday.

She says she offers some of her regulars and those who sign up for texts early access to sales like the ones on Black Friday.

Talk about a side hustle.

Turkey may be the main attraction at the Thanksgiving table, but side dishes are typically what have people going back for seconds.

However, not everyone opts for the same add-ons — and where you live might determine which is your favorite.

A new report by Online-Casinos.com has revealed each state’s favorite side dish — and prepare to be shocked by some tastes in two Northeast states.

Connecticut and Massachusetts have the most bizarre outlier as their favorite side dish: creamed spinach.

They’re not the only states with untraditional side dishes of choice.

Alabama and Indiana go crazy over deviled egg appetizers, while people in Wyoming complete their Thanksgiving with a bowl of tart, gelatinous cranberry sauce.

Corn casserole, on the other hand, was the favorite among respondents in Kentucky and West Virginia.

Meanwhile, mashed potatoes — perhaps the most traditional side dish — was voted favorite in 14 states.

Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin have all crowned the fluffy, buttery form of potatoes as their favorite.

Mashed potatoes’ strongest competitor is stuffing, of course, taking the top spot for 12 states.

Arizona, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia and Washington have all put the dish on top — whether they call it stuffing or dressing.

Macaroni and cheese is a comfort classic that has made its way to the Thanksgiving table, voted a favorite in eight states: Arkansas, Florida, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

The classic green bean casserole can’t be forgotten. The dish is most popular in six states: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Then there’s sweet potato casserole, voted the top side in Georgia, Kansas and Mississippi.

When it comes to dessert, everyone can agree that pie is the dessert of Thanksgiving. The only thing that differs is what kind of pie people prefer to put on their table.

Though pumpkin pie is the clear favorite, according to 38 states.

However, some states preferred apple pie, such as Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Vermont.

Others preferred pecan pie, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — The Thanksgiving travel rush is on, and experts expect it to break records.

AAA is predicting nearly 80 million Americans will travel by plane, train or car, between Tuesday and Monday.

“Sit on the road in a bunch of traffic but you do it for your family,” Manhattan resident Kevin Donadio said.

It’s the busiest travel holiday of the year and AAA said the most congested times on the roads started Tuesday afternoon. Drivers we spoke to can attest.

“Very trafficked and backed up in New York City and that stayed until we’ve been here in Branford, Connecticut, so it’s been about three hours,” Donadio said.

“The highway sign said bad traffic until exit 24 and they were right and so now I’m seeing traffic picking up now so I might have to go on Route 1, but I’ve been coming up here so often I know other ways around,” Maryland resident Jennifer Boettcher said.

AAA said, like your turkey, roads will be stuffed on Wednesday and Sunday afternoon.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) is reminding everyone getting to your destination safely is something to be thankful for.

They say the eve of Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for drunk driving.

Last year over the Thanksgiving holiday there were 79 crashes in Connecticut involving an impaired driver with 72 injuries and 8 deaths. Police departments across the state will be increasing patrols.

“Celebrate but please, please, please have a plan to get home safely,” DOT Spokesperson Josh Morgan said. “Do not drive if you are drunk, call a rideshare, use public transportation.”

Drivers said their travel woes are all worth it to be with the people they are most thankful for, their families.

“25 or so people, some friends and family are coming that are local and I’m coming from New York. My other brother is coming from Pennsylvania,” Donadio said.

Aside from family, another thing to be thankful for is the national gas price average is around three dollars a gallon. AAA said in Connecticut it’s 40 cents lower compared to this time last year