This morning I woke up at 8:30am, and immediately went to the phone to call some companies in my area to see if I could get the Xbox 360 today, instead of waiting for my order which might not be filled until January sometime.
I was thirty minutes too late, as many stores opened early or sold out through pre-orders. Many of the stores I talked to had less than twenty units in store to be sold after most pre-orders were filled. So those that pre-ordered in October will likely be unwrapping their consoles today, or tomorrow, while the rest of us continue to wait.
It is amazing how many decided to get up at some crazy hour to jump in line. A person I know of went and stood in line after midnight to await the opening of the store at 8am, and he got snowed on.