Black Friday

[pinkerton]

What exactly is Black Friday? When did it start, and what is it's purpose?

[pastafreak]

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US. It officially starts the Christmas shopping season...and is when retailers hope to get into profit

[pinkerton]

I thought it may be from America. Why do we Brits get conned into adopting cynical American marketing ploys like this, trick or treat and baby showers?

[woofgang]

Black Friday is the name in the US for the sales that start on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It was called Black Friday when i lived in New Jersey more than 20 years ago. I think its called Black Friday because of the shops which are horrendous both for the staff and the customers.

[pastafreak]

Ermmm....I'm American...and I've no idea.

[pastafreak]

I think someone stated on here that it refers to going into the black(profit) from the red.

[DTCwordfan]

that's true, pasta.

This Friday is the biggest shopping day in the States, the women (inc the feminists) steaming off to the shops after Thanksgiving and the men to football, golf, whatever. Thanksgiving is a great holiday as it puts a nice line in the ground as to starting Christmas - and that it is largely not too commercial.

[learninghour]

Black Friday is a shopping holiday in the United States that traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. It falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Many stores offer highly promoted sales at discounted prices and often open early, sometimes as early as midnight or even on Thanksgiving.  

 

Black Friday start and Purpose:

The name "Black Friday" is thought to have originated in Philadelphia in the 1950s, when police officers used the term to describe the chaotic traffic conditions that occurred on the day after Thanksgiving. The term may have also been used by retailers to describe the day when they began to turn a profit for the year.

Black Friday is open to everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity.