When does Target open on Thanksgiving 2017?

Savvy Black Friday shoppers have long known that starting early means more deals and less headaches. This year Target’s got you covered.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are an iconic combination, a two-day bacchanal of overindulgence in good food and consumerism. But why separate the food and fun into two separate days? This year Target is starting the bargains a day early, when it opens at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.

However, bargain adventurers take heed: unlike Walmart, which is open all night after its 6 p.m. kickoff, Target will be open at 6pm but then closes its doors at midnight, before reopening at 6 a.m. on Black Friday itself.

So, if you were hoping to spend an all-night 12-hour shopping marathon at Target, you’re out of luck; make sure to plan on the store being closed between midnight until 6 a.m. on Friday.

But of course, that’s not to say you can’t still get some awesome deals from Target in the early hours of Friday morning. Like many other retailers, Target’s online Black Friday deals begin at 12:01 a.m. the morning of Thanksgiving; but for those who prefer to brave the crowds in-store, you’ll have to stay in suspense.

Good news for those who have a Target REDCard: according to their Black Friday ad, you’ll get access to their Black Friday prices as early as midnight on Nov. 22.

Not being open all night might throw a wrench in some shoppers’ prospective plans, and potentially concentrate the crowds at their 6 a.m. opening. But on the other hand, closing for six hours between Thanksgiving and Black Friday will give Target time to rally for the onslaught to come.

Earlier this month, Target’s executive vice president and chief stores officer Janna Potts explained the rationale:

"Our hours for this year ensure we’re ready with great deals for those guests who want to shop following their Thanksgiving dinner, while also giving our teams a chance to recharge and prepare our stores before we open on Friday to greet guests with even more holiday savings."

So ultimately, maybe Target’s decision to close for part of the night when its competitors have opted to stay open will actually make Black Friday shopping at Target a more pleasant experience in the end. But the only way to know for sure is to go grab some of those great deals yourself.

Next: Check out these Black Friday deals at Sears

The time is nigh. Eat, drink, be merry — and get those sweet deals.