New York ? Forget the bird – shopping was on the minds of many Thursday as people sought an early start to the frenetic season of gift buying.

Most said they liked the idea of stores being open on Thanksgiving so they could avoid today’s onslaught of the retail masses.

“I woke up this morning and I said, ‘I’m finished cooking, I’m going to do a little shopping!”‘ said Cynthia Bess, pushing a cart filled to the brim with a stereo, clothing and toys at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Gates, N.Y., near Rochester.

Most major department stores were closed but several discount chains such as Kmart, Payless ShoeSource Inc. and Big Lots Inc. opted to open and lure shoppers who wanted to start early and avoid the large hordes that will descend on “Black Friday.”

Other shoppers just went straight online, to click and buy.

For the third season in a row, Sears offered customers early access to today’s deals, allowing them to order on the Web on Thursday, and then pick up merchandise in the stores over the weekend. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. again promoted its online shopping by offering early discounts, including cashmere throws under $60 and silk pajamas priced under $30, for the five days through Black Friday.

Christmas shoppers wait in line in the snow and rain to take advantage of a sale at the Kmart store in Milford, Conn. Kmart opened at 7 a.m. Thursday.

“In general, stores are making a bigger push for the total weekend, starting from Thursday through Monday,” said Michelle Bogan, a retail strategist at Kurt Salmon Associates.

She noted that Thursday had “always been a protected day, a day that people spend with family.” But with consumers starved for time, “retailers are starting to realize it is a great time to draw people into the stores. Customers are excited to have another alternative,” Bogan said.

Last year, the busiest shopping day was Saturday, Dec. 18, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. The day after Thanksgiving was the second busiest day.