What is the reason for Black Friday being on a Friday?
Black Friday falls on the Friday following Thanksgiving.
To answer the question of why Black Friday falls on a Friday we need to first explain why Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday.
Thanksgiving was established in the 17th century. Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and previous years.
Prayers and ceremonies used as public religious displays of piety were not allowed to become a national holiday in the United States, which is based in part upon the separation of state and church. Thomas Jefferson thought it should not be a national holiday. The celebration date varied from one state to the next.
Nationalization of the holiday was not achieved until A. Lincoln’s era in 1863. Inspired by 40 years of campaigning by Sarah Josepha Hale’s author, Lincoln proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1863, as Thanksgiving. His countrymen were urged to “set aside and observe the final Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise.” However, this was not possible due to the ongoing civil war. The nationalization was completed by the 1870s.
Two centuries later, Black Friday’s history continues in 1939 at the end of the Great Depression. That was the day President F.D Roosevelt attempted to make a difference. Roosevelt sought to increase the economy’s potential by increasing holiday shopping opportunities, extending them by one week, and so on.
It was so: Thanksgiving was moved from the fourth to the third Thursday of November. However, the proclamation was not well received. Two years later, Congress and the president established Thanksgiving as a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.
“Black Friday” Meant Something Bad For a Long Time
Year after year, the original Black Friday of 1896 was lost in relevance due to the stock market scandal. As time passed, the term “Black Friday” didn’t mean as much.
The term was revived 100 years later to describe a new situation. The first Black Friday in Black Friday history was when the term was associated with the post-Thanksgiving period. This change was made possible by the city of Philadelphia.
Like any other major US city during the boom period, the streets transformed into human rivers. The day following Thanksgiving, shoppers, and tourists flooded the streets. On Saturday, the American college football rivalry match was also taking place. This gathering was great news for business owners, but bad news for police officers. Many officers had to work overtime in order to manage all the chaos, which was not possible for most people. officers used the terms Black Friday and Black Saturday to describe their lives after Thanksgiving.
Philadelphia merchants and shopkeepers tried to change the name of the business in the days after Thanksgiving. They rebranded the businesses as “Big Friday” or “Big Saturday” which are more sales-friendly.
Black Friday is when it happens
The term “Black Friday” was first used to describe a lucky event in the 1980s, which marked the turning point of Black Friday’s history.
Bookkeeping and all other financial records were done on paper back when there was less technology. Negative amounts were displayed with a red wink, while positive amounts were printed with black ink.
Many retailers have operated at a loss throughout the year, from January to November. The holiday season began and they only started to make a profit the day after Thanksgiving. They would then stop being “in the red”. Instead, they would place the red pen in the drawer and get out the black pen. It was profit time.
The term Black Friday gained popularity over the years.
In the early 2000s, when we’re still small tech companies (and growth hacking agents like ours weren’t even around), the Saturday before Christmas was the largest shopping day.
Black Friday Shopping Tips
This is the year’s Black Friday.
Do your homework – Don’t make rash decisions and buy things on the spot. You should be prepared to shop around for the best price.
Establish a budget – Set a limit on how much you will spend. You can easily get carried away when you don’t have a spending limit, especially online, where one click can lead to one purchase.
Long-term purchasing Black Friday shopping could help you save money on last-minute Christmas shopping. Usually, a gift-related need will surface right before Xmas. Black Friday shopping can mean more free time during Xmas.
Sign up to receive email newsletters – Make sure your email is included on the email lists of shops and brands you are interested. Black Friday emails are usually exclusive and can provide you with an early warning of the deals. Email marketing is still viable.