The name “Black Friday” carries a weight of history, yet its origins are surprisingly murky. While often presented as the day retailers climb “into the black” with profits, the reality is far less romantic. Early attempts to rebrand it – like Philadelphia merchants proposing “Big Friday” – failed, leaving us with a term that historically signified misfortune.
The accepted explanation, that Black Friday marks the start of annual profitability, doesn’t align with modern accounting practices. Major retailers report earnings quarterly, not annually. The truth is, the name stuck despite its unsettling connotations, and the story of profitability feels like a convenient justification.
Today, “Black Friday” has exploded beyond a single day, stretching into a weeks-long shopping event. It bleeds into the weekend, “Cyber Monday,” and even beyond, prompting questions like, “Are we going Black Friday shopping on Sunday?” The original concept has become almost unrecognizable.
The relentless pursuit of early sales led to the ill-fated “Black Thursday” – an attempt to begin the frenzy on Thanksgiving itself. This sparked outrage, as it forced workers to forgo the holiday and felt like a blatant encroachment on a day meant for gratitude and family. Thankfully, most retailers have since retreated from this practice.
“Cyber Monday” emerged as Black Friday’s digital counterpart, fueled by employees returning to work and indulging in online shopping. A single press release in 2005 arguably birthed the phenomenon, and it has since grown to potentially surpass Black Friday in overall revenue, exceeding $12 billion in online sales in 2023 alone.
Retailers, however, often lump both events together as “Black Friday-Cyber Monday,” recognizing that shopping now occurs across multiple days. The lines have blurred, and the entire period is treated as one extended sales extravaganza.
For those disillusioned by the consumerism, “Buy Nothing Day” offers a stark contrast. Conceived in 1992 as a day of protest against excessive spending, it encourages charitable acts or simply abstaining from purchases. Despite its noble intentions, its impact on overall retail sales has been minimal.
The darker side of Black Friday includes a tragic history of violence. While estimates vary, the event has been linked to between one and seventeen deaths, including the heartbreaking case of Jdimytai Damour, trampled to death in a 2008 Walmart stampede. The frenzy has even inspired a recent horror film, reflecting the potential for chaos.
Is Black Friday a genuine opportunity for savings, or a carefully constructed illusion? Critics argue that better deals can be found at other times of the year, and that many “doorbuster” items quickly sell out, leaving shoppers with inflated prices or unremarkable discounts. Retailers may even mark up prices *before* Black Friday to make the discounts appear more substantial.
Despite the criticisms, the unpleasant crowds, and the often-disappointing bargains, Black Friday persists. Over 100 million Americans participate in some way, revealing a complex relationship with consumerism. Perhaps, for some, it’s simply a tradition, or a distraction from the quiet moments after Thanksgiving.
For others, the best response might be to embrace a different tradition altogether – like enjoying a slice of pie and a classic film, content to skip the chaos and the manufactured urgency of the sales.
