Wishing my American readers a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving season.
Will you be participating in that great American tradition: Black Friday shopping? I never have, because I hate the crowds, but I’ve heard that more and more people are turning to online deal sites and other cyber-shopping options, in lieu of running out to Black Friday sales. How about you?
Please let me know your favorite shopping tactics by posting a comment below, or share with us why you will (or won’t) participate in this year’s Black Friday sales.
Since the day after Thanksgiving is oftentimes the 1st day of Advent, this day should be a joyous occasion rather than a black occasion.
AND to answer the question – No, I never have nor ever will shop on this day – and I will continue to tell others not to do so either.
I went shopping on black friday but at 12am thursday nite. at wal-mart got there at 7pm stayed till i got my blue-ry dvd player for 49.00 dollars. and a blender, and some topper ware. had a little help from the nice people that were at the store waiting for the sales. met a lot of very nice people who helped me , too think that in other store there were people fighting and pepper spraying, this store the people where very helpful and very nice thank u to the lady who got me the blender which only cost me 9.44. and thank to the gentleman who got me a soda when my sugar went low . him and his wife thank u to both.. i had a great time ..
Black Friday even made the news here in Australia with pictures of people fighting outside some stores. What people will do to save a few dollars.
I guess they didn’t miss us! Black Friday retail sales surpassed previous records! http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/26/pf/black_friday_sales/
When did this day become hyped as Black Friday? -
this connotes images of Black Tuesday which was so named because those who thought they had found a get-rich-quick scheme suddenly found they actually didn’t own anything, so, without a sound foundation for their soul, they committed suicide; hence black was used for the event because black is a symbol for death and evil.
Since the day after Thanksgiving is oftentimes the 1st day of Advent, this day should be a joyous occasion rather than a black occasion.
AND to answer the question – No, I never have nor ever will shop on this day – and I will continue to tell others not to do so either.
The term originated as one from the retail store’s point of view. It was often repeated that the first shopping day after Thanksgiving would be the day when many retailers first turned a profit for the year. In accounting terms, their books went from red (a loss) to black (a profit.) Here is a bit more about the use of “black Friday.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/25/us-blackfriday-idUSTRE7AO1O320111125
Thanks, Barbara, for the info. My husband asked me several days ago about the term “black Friday” and I didn’t have an answer for him and wondered about it myself. Since I do not go into a shopping frenzy on black Friday, or any other day for the holidays, I didn’t seek to learn the history of the term.
Faye
I try to support local businesses during the holiday season as much as I can but I skip Black Friday.
No because I use to be a Wal-Mart cashier no thank you.