Black Friday: Why I Refuse to Go Shopping

— -- Today might be the biggest shopping day of the year -- but that doesn't mean everyone is out hunting for deals.

A growing number of people boycott Black Friday to avoid the crowds and fights, and spend more time with family.

"There's nothing I want so badly that I'm going to get out there at 4 in the morning to go after it," Ruth Carter, of Phoenix, told ABC News today. "I'm not going to make myself crazy and get into fist fights over a kitchen gadget."

Plus, Carter added, she's already done with her Christmas shopping.

Haley Harbour of Kansas told ABC News she opts out of Black Friday because she can't stand the crowds.

"It's a little bit too chaotic for me," she said. "Saving any amount of money is not worth being around that many people and chaos."

Abraham Gutman of New York said he also can't understand the rush to the stores today.

"I just think it's really weird," he said. "Because I'm Israeli, it took me a while to understand what Thanksgiving is. And then I'm like, oh, it's a really cool idea. You need to be grateful for what you have. And then somehow what you're supposed to do is be super grateful and thankful but then go to sleep really early because you need to be camping out at Walmart at 4 a.m."

"I just don't get how those things work together," Gutman added. "It kind of ruins the spirit of Thanksgiving."

People also sounded off on social media about skipping the sales: