20 photos of Black Friday that show why it should be canceled this year

People cram in the doors of a JC Penny during Black Friday in 2014.Kena Betancur/Getty Images

• Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year in the US, drawing millions of people for holiday shopping deals.
• But this year, people may be reluctant to be head to the shops alongside so many strangers.
• While some stores have adjusted their opening hours, expanded their online deals, and promised to limit the numbers of shoppers inside, many stores will still be open this year.
• If you're on the fence about jumping in line, these 20 pictures from previous Black Fridays might help you make up your mind.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is usually the biggest shopping day of the year in the US, though this year might be different.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise and the threat of large crowds creating superspreader events, some stores are reducing their hours, sanitizing their carts, and limiting the number of people they're allowing inside, and shoppers will have to decide if lining up for deals outweighs the potential health risks. A new study from Deloitte found that roughly 51% of holiday shoppers feel anxious about shopping in-store during the holidays and 64% say their budget is slated for online shopping.

Photos from previous Black Fridays show just how close shoppers can get in the scramble for the best deals — images that, after months of social distancing, might horrify you.

Here are 20 photos that might convince you to wait out the weekend and get your holiday shopping done on Cyber Monday instead.