WASHINGTON — If Thanksgiving Day was a test of endurance — sitting through traffic, family quibbles — the Friday after is more a test of patience: Waiting for stores to open their doors, standing in line, finding items sold out.

At Westfield Montgomery Mall, deal-seekers were waiting outside stores as early as 6:30 a.m. to start their Black Friday shopping.

“It was tough getting up, but I think it’s worth it,” a shopper told WTOP’s Neal Augenstein. “I love looking at all the deals, and the energy of everyone running around and it being so crowded and crazy.”

Many consumers at the mall were younger, making their Black Friday part social, part bargain hunting event. Others were out to find items that had sold out online.

“I tried to buy (a Nintendo DS) online, but I either couldn’t or it was sold out,” said a shopper waiting in line.

Despite the lines and crowd, shoppers remained positive.

“I usually avoid Black Friday like the plague, but this wasn’t as bad as I’d thought — nobody got run over or anything,” a shopper said.