Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving, has evolved into one of the busiest shopping days in the United States. Contrary to popular belief that the term originated from businesses going from "in the red" to "in the black" in profits after Thanksgiving, it actually traces back to 1960s Philadelphia.
Police used "Black Friday" to describe the chaos caused by crowds during holiday shopping and the annual Army-Navy football game.
Initially, merchants in Philadelphia attempted to rebrand it as "Big Friday" to present a more positive image. The term gained a positive retail connotation in the late 1980s when the red-to-black profit narrative was spread nationally, claiming it as the day stores turned a profit for the year.
However, historically, the term had an unrelated financial context dating back to 1869 when financiers Jay Gould and Jim Fisk's attempt to corner the gold market resulted in a stock market crash on a Friday in September.
Black Friday, as a shopping phenomenon, has been followed by other events like Small Business Saturday, promoting local retailers, and Cyber Monday, encouraging online shopping. Additionally, Giving Tuesday emerged to encourage charitable donations.
The history of Black Friday
The phrase's use spread slowly and was first documented in The New York Times in 1975, referring to the busiest shopping day in Philadelphia.
As the term gained national attention in the 1980s, some merchants proposed an alternative origin, suggesting that retailers operated at a loss most of the year and only turned a profit during the holiday season, starting on Black Friday.
This interpretation linked the red ink traditionally used to indicate losses in financial records with the notion of being "in the red" until Black Friday, when profits would begin.
It's important to note that the earliest published reference to this explanation dates back to The Philadelphia Inquirer in 1981.
FAQs
In the early '60s, police officers in Philadelphia started using the term to depict the chaos created by the large numbers of tourists who came into the city for both holiday shopping and to attend Saturday's annual Army-Navy football game, causing the police officers to work longer shifts.
Why is it called black in Black Friday? ›
While many people believe the term Black Friday finds its roots in the sense of black meaning “showing a profit; not showing any losses,” this isn't actually the case. Historically, black has been associated with days of economic stress as opposed to days of booming commercial success.
Why is Black Friday always on a Friday? ›
Black Friday originated as an in-person shopping experience, unlike Amazon Prime Day and Cyber Monday. Black Friday occurs the Friday after Thanksgiving, a day many businesses historically consider a paid holiday for employees.
What is the meaning of Black Friday day? ›
Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving and is symbolically seen as the start of the critical holiday shopping season for retailers. In the lead-up to Black Friday stores typically advertise big discounts on electronics, toys, clothing, and other popular gifts.
What country does not participate in Black Friday? ›
The country listed that does not participate in Black Friday is Costa Rica. Black Friday is predominantly a phenomenon of the United States, although it has been adopted by many other countries, including France, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Costa Rica, however, doesn't traditionally observe this event.
Why is Black Friday not the same? ›
Another shift in Black Friday culture is when one store starts its sales earlier, its competitor has to move its sale earlier too. This phenomenon means that Black Friday has evolved into a massive misnomer. The week-long sales also contribute to the lack of urgency that I now associate with Black Friday shopping.
Is Black Friday worth it? ›
While Black Friday can help get you a good deal, it might not be the best deal. In fact, some research shows that “the overwhelming majority of deals have been cheaper or the same price at other times of the year,” per The Conversation. Here's a closer look at some examples.
What is the Monday after Thanksgiving called? ›
Cyber Monday is an e-commerce term referring to the Monday following the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend. Online retailers usually offer special promotions, discounts, and sales on this day as brick-and-mortar stores do on Black Friday.
Why is it called Cyber Monday? ›
The NRF coined the name “Cyber Monday” in 2005, introducing it in a press release that described a new trend the group began noticing a few years prior: Without fail, online revenue and traffic spiked the Monday following Thanksgiving. Soon after, media outlets and retailers started using the term, too.
Why is it called White Friday instead of Black Friday? ›
White is seen as a positive word suggesting images of goodness and sanctity. Therefore, Souq.com decided to slightly alter the name from the American counterpart to associate it with something positive for Middle Easterners.
In the predominantly Catholic Philippines, the day is legally and colloquially known as Black Saturday, given the colour's role in mourning. It commemorates the day that Jesus lay in his tomb. Traditional taboos from the previous day are carried over and are sometimes broken; swimming is allowed in the afternoon.
Why is it called Good Friday? ›
The term Good Friday comes from the sense 'pious, holy' of the word good. Less common examples of expressions based on this obsolete sense of good include 'the good book" for the Bible, 'good tide' for Christmas or Shrovetide, and Good Wednesday for the Wednesday in Holy Week.
What is the logic behind Black Friday? ›
The earliest known use of "Black Friday" to refer to the day after Thanksgiving occurred in the journal, Factory Management and Maintenance, for November 1951, and again in 1952. Here it referred to the practice of workers calling in sick on the day after Thanksgiving, in order to have a four-day weekend.
What is the religious meaning of Black Friday? ›
Good Friday is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday and Black Friday. The Friday before Easter is called the Good Friday which is the Christian day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. Good Friday is observed each year during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum.
What does "thanksgiving" mean? ›
noun. the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God. an expression of thanks, especially to God.
Why is Cyber Monday called that? ›
The term Cyber Monday was coined in 2005 by Shop.org, the online arm of the National Retail Federation (NRF). It was created as a way to encourage consumers to shop online. The trade association noted that web purchases had often spiked on the Monday after Thanksgiving in prior years.
What is the Sunday after Thanksgiving called? ›
National Day Calendar announced the founding of National Secondhand Sunday to be celebrated the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
What is the average savings on Black Friday? ›
On average, in-store discounts fall around the 20 percent off range the week of Thanksgiving, and rise to roughly a 37 percent savings on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Online Black Friday deals follow suit with an average 34 percent discount.
How much money is contributed to the economy on Black Friday? ›
Black Friday sales did gangbusters as the nation enters a holiday shopping season expected to test shoppers, who account for nearly three-quarters of U.S. economic activity. Consumers spent a record $9.8 billion online on Black Friday, which marks a 7.5% increase over the year prior, according to Adobe Analytics.
