"black friday" news and stories

Every year it seems like Black Friday sales are starting earlier and earlier (some now even start on Thanksgiving Thursday!), so how do you stay nourished and fight the crowds? Well, the only restaurants that are open that early, besides your good 'ol home, and maybe your good ol' 24-hour diner, are the fast-food joints.

We've rounded up our favorite fast-food breakfasts in one photo gallery for you. We don't like to promote fast-food per se, but we wouldn't want you to go without eating while you wait on those long lines.

If all else fails, cook up some hot chocolate and bring a Thermos with you.

That whole shop-til-you-drop mania is best concluded, we feel, with a glass of wine. After fighting mall crowds and boutique divas, you'll need to wind down properly -- and pulling through a fast-food restaurant's drive-thru is not exactly what we have in mind.

Uncork or uncap one of these three wines once you're back home without busting your budget.

Banfi Rosa Regale: This is a fabulous red bubbly for around $12 (375 milliliters). Didn't score a deal on Italian leather shoes? Don't worry. You can sip this Strevi, Italy-produced sweetie -- raspberry notes and a rose-petals nose -- all night. This wine's got legs. (Tip: Call your man from the mall's parking garage and tell him to put this in the fridge next to all the Thanksgiving Day leftovers.)