Ahh yes, the notorious Black Friday is here and we know what it means. A plethora of deals and whatnot but have you ever wondered how Black Friday got its name? The origin of Black Friday is actually more grim than we originally thought and today we will be discussing that.
The Origin Of Black Friday
We consider Black Friday as Holy as Christmas or even Easter but it is so much more than that. Did you know that the first recorded Black Friday term was not even a Post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping spree, it was actually directed towards a financial crisis? Yes, financial crises come and go but the events that unfolded in 1869 were just too much.
All of this started on Wall Street when two ruthless financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk bought all the nation’s gold in a plot to crash the market for their own personal gains. They wanted to drive the gold’s price to an all-time high and then sell the gold for unrealistic prices and that is exactly what happened.
On that Friday in September 1869, the conspiracy was finally unveiled and this sent the stock market into a free-fall. Everyone from Wall Street to the Farmers became bankrupt. This then became the original Black Friday, it was indeed a grim day in the history of the United States. If you think this is surprising, what till what we have to tell you next.
Let’s shift the narrative to the retailers now as Black Friday is directly related to the retailers. When the Wall Street crash happened, every retailer had to operate at a loss for an entire year. After Thanksgiving, Holiday shoppers were ready to rain down cash for discounted merchandise and that is what motivated the retailers to initiate Black Friday Sales. It is also said that retail companies all over the United States used to record their losses in red and profits in red thus it became Black Friday but this is a bit inaccurate according to history experts.
The First Black Friday
So we have talked about the origin of Black Friday but the term “Black Friday” was first used after a Thanksgiving shopping spree in the 1950s. It was obviously a Friday and the police complained about huge crowds of people showing up at the shops, it was just too much for them to handle. Police called it a “Black Friday” because it was too draining and no one could have expected it.
After that date, this term was used to describe shopping and it just kept on gaining momentum and fast forward to 2023, and the influx of shoppers is still going strong.
Retailers were not happy with the term Black Friday at first, it used to give them negative vibes. These retailers had some meetings and wanted it to be called “Big Friday” but those efforts failed miserably. In the end, the term Black Friday was retained and it was then linked to the profit and loss terminology that I told you before. Do you remember I told you that retailers used to record losses in red and profits in black after the Wall Street crash?
Maddening Facts About Black Friday That You Didn’t Know
We all know how busy Black Friday could get but let me tell you about some bizarre and mad facts about the shopping spree that you didn’t know. I am sure that you will be surprised to the core after going through them.
1. The Term “Black Friday” was used in reference to the Wall Street crash in the 1800s
I am sure that you know about this since we talked about it in the beginning. James Fisk and Jay Gould bought all the nation’s gold to crash the market for malicious purposes. Retailers had to sell at a loss and it took a while for the market to get back on its feet.
2. The Santa Claus Parades were the predecessors to Black Friday
Everyone knows about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and it has become part of the holiday season rituals of America, I honestly love it. With this being said, the first “Santa Claus Parade” was actually held in Canada on December 2, 1905.
How did all of it work though? When Santa appeared at the end of the parade, it was the signal to officially kick off the holiday season. This was a great idea for the American stores and they immediately took the lead. Similar parades started occurring all over America.
In 1924, the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was held and it was run by the employees of Macy’s. The best part about this parade was that it also consisted of some animals from the Central Park Zoo, how crazy is that?
3. For Plumbers, Black Friday is the busiest day of the year
I know that this will sound very bizarre to you but Black Friday is actually the busiest day for plumbers. CNN reported this some years back, they are called in overtime after the customers “Overwhelm” the system. Good for the plumbers, I guess.
4. Black Friday Shopping Has Now Become A Family Tradition For Many
Different families actively save and wait for Black Friday to commence to shop to their heart’s content. When this day starts, they wake up early and plan on shopping big the whole day, it doesn’t matter if they even have to go very far for it.
After the shopping, they also spend quality time together.
5. The Thanksgiving date was indirectly determined by Holiday Shoppers
You will be surprised by what I have to tell you now. From the mid of the 19th century to the early 20th century, the President of the United States declared a “Day of Giving Thanks” on the last Thursday of November. This is very different from what we have been experiencing right?
All of this changed in 1939 when the last Thursday was also the last day of the month. This was certainly not good for the retailers and they were afraid that they would not be able to enjoy the plethora of sales so they petitioned the President to declare the holiday one week earlier.
In 1941, Congress created a joint resolution to clear things up and it worked. When the change was implemented, Thanksgiving was shifted to the fourth Thursday of November. People could shop one week extra prior to Christmas, and everyone was happy.
6. Until 2001, Black Friday wasn’t officially the busiest shopping day of the year
I know that many of us thought of Black Friday as the busiest shopping day of the year but it wasn’t, not until 2001. Prior to 2001, the Saturday before Christmas was considered to be the busiest shopping day of the year.
7. Black Friday has now actively spread to 15 countries in the World
Did you know that Canadian retailers were actually worried about their customers going to America for better Black Friday deals? This fear made them start their own unique Black Friday deals.
Taking note of Canada’s actions, other countries have also started their own Black Friday deals. These countries include France, The Netherlands, The UK, India, Norway, Spain, and more.
8. In Mexico, Black Friday is known as “El Buen Fin”
The American Thanksgiving is also attached to the 1910 Mexican Revolution. Thus, Black Friday is also referred to as the El Buen Fin which means the “Good Weekend”. El Buen Fin also lasts for the entire weekend instead of just one day. Who wants to go to Mexico?
9. More than 12% of Black Friday shoppers are drunk
According to the survey conducted by coupon site RetailMeNot, more than 12% of Black Friday shoppers are under the influence of alcohol. So that explains all the violence and gnarly bits then!
10. Walmart broke the tradition of Black Friday in 2011
Did you know that the tradition of Black Friday was broken by Walmart when they opened up their store on the evening of Thanksgiving? The response was as expected, it just shattered all the records.
After Walmart broke the tradition, retailers all over America are in a race against the clock to catch up with each other.
Inspirational and Fun Black Friday Quotes To Get You Into The Shopping Spirit
Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping
Bo Derek
Shopping is better than sex. At least if you’re not satisfied, you can exchange it for something you really like
Unknown
Happiness is not in money, but in shopping
Marilyn Monroe
I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist
Tammy Faye Bakker
If shopping doesn’t make you happy, you’re in the wrong shop
Unknown
Take all your problems and rip ‘em apart. Oh oh oh, carry them off in a shopping cart
The White Stripes
Meditation, yoga, working out, and eating well. That’s my wellness. And I think occasionally you have to treat yourself. So if you do need to take yourself shopping, go take yourself shopping.
Cynthia Erivo
I love shopping. There is a little bit of magic found in buying something new. It is instant gratification. A quick fix
Rebecca Bloom
When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It’s a whole different way of thinking.
Elayne Boosler.
Anyone can buy. It takes an artist to shop.
Jennifer Finney Boylan
When you can’t touch the fabric or try on the outfit, the only emotion you experience is the excitement of the purchase and the thrill of beating everyone else to it.
Suzy Menkes
The only consolation I had was buying things. If I bought some pretty thing it cheered me up for a while.
Iris Murdoch
I don’t shop because I need something, I just shop for shipping’s sake
Cat Deeley
A bargain is something you can’t use at a price you can’t resist.
Franklin Jones
We usually save money to waste it.
Mokokoma Mokhonoana
What do Black Friday shoppers and the Thanksgiving turkey have in common? They know what it’s like to be jammed into a small place and stuffed.
Humoropedia
I approximated the Black Friday experience at home by hurling myself into a wall a number of times and then ordering online.
Kumail Nanjiani
Don’t even front like you love your family, America, or God, if you don’t have a detailed and rehearsed Black Friday tactical shopping plan.
Rob Delaney
Black Friday is not another bad hair day in Wall Street. It’s the term used by American retailers to describe the day after the Thanksgiving Holiday, seem as the semi-official start of the Christmas shopping season.
Evan Davis
Everyone knows about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Now help me spread the word about Giving Tuesday!
Bill Gates
Once again, we come to the Holiday Season. A deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.
Dave Barry
Black Friday: Because only in America do people trample each other for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have.
Unknown
I really enjoy the shopping and going out and getting stuff for other people. I could really give a damn about getting gifts for myself, but I really enjoy giving gifts.
Luke Combs
I have this system where if I buy three or four new things, I give away three or four things. Sometimes, it’s a very painful system, but shopping is even better when you know that someone else who needs it will be getting. Keep the clothing karma going, I say.
Sara Blakely
For some, shopping is an art; for others, it’s a sport. It can be a vice and it can be a cause. Some love it. Some hate it. Rarely is someone indifferent.
Pamela Klaffke
We were both very much the same. We were both very impulsive. We both loved shopping. We both had a love of clothes, obviously, because he was the designer that I kind of wore forever and ever.
Elton John
Make money, go shopping! Take money money, go shopping! No matter what the weather, winter-spring or fall, we’ll be doin’ it, at the mall.
Gang Starr
The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out only with a loaf of bread are three billion to one.
Erma Bombeck
Buy what you don’t have yet or what you really want, which can be mixed with what you already own. But only because something excites you, not just for the simple act of shopping.
Karl Lagerfeld
Style Strategy is about shopping smart, staying chic, and making it all last. It’s about showing women how to shop for value without compromising style.
Nina Garcia
Shopping is a woman thing. It’s a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase.
Erma Bombeck
Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.
Oscar Wilde
It’s better to spend a lot on a getup you love than a fraction of that on something, or even five of those somethings, that you’ll never bother to take out of the shopping bag. By the way, this advice also applies to discount love interests. And half-price sushi.
Patricia Marx
If you can’t stop thinking about it… Buy it!
Unknown
I could give up shopping, but I’m not a quitter.
Unknown
Treat yo’ self!
Tom and Donna, Parks & Recreation
I shop, therefore I am.
Heather Chandler, Heathers
Honestly, shopping beats therapy any time. It costs the same and you get a dress out of it.
Sophie Kinsella
I like my money where I can see it… Hanging in my closet!
Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City
When I shop, the world gets better, and the world is better, but then it’s not, and I need to do it again.
Sophie Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic
Watch: The Funniest Black Friday Moments Caught On Camera
If you don’t people weren’t mad enough on Black Friday, wait till you watch this video. Enjoy!
Recap
Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year and why shouldn’t it be? People save up all year to have a blast at shopping after Thanksgiving. Some make the occasion fun while others make it very weird, it is still one of the most cherished holidays of the year all over the world.
In aisles of chaos, shoppers race,
A day called Black, a shopping embrace.
The sun may rise, but deals shine bright,
On this wild, crazy, Black Friday night.
Early birds, or should I say, early mice,
Scour the stores for the best price.
Through crowds they weave, like shoppers’ ballet,
In pursuit of discounts, they dance their way.
Shopping carts clatter, like festive bells,
As eager buyers cast their spells.
Sales and savings, a shopper’s delight,
From dawn till dusk, and into the night.
The frenzy begins, as doors swing wide,
A bargain hunt, a thrilling ride.
On a quest for deals, both big and small,
They brave the madness, Black Friday calls.
From gadgets to garments, toys, and more,
Discounts galore, oh, what a score!
Wallets may weep, but hearts rejoice,
As shoppers make their triumphant choice.
Yet amidst the hustle, let’s not forget,
The joy of giving, without regret.
Black Friday’s fun, but kindness too,
A festive spirit in all we do.
So let’s shop smart and spread good cheer,
On this day of deals, far and near.
Black Friday, a dance of price and glee,
A celebration of shopping, wild and free!
Since it is Black Friday, Go Ham!
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