The Friday after Thanksgiving is considered one of the biggest retail sales days of the year. It’s the day that starts the Christmas season and where many can buy their gifts early for a cheaper price point. Stores open as early as 5 a.m. and customers line up as early as the night before to buy their most desired items. With more and more creative marketing ideas advancing throughout the years, different ways to shop and pay, and social media, Black Friday sales increase each year. Some deals start as early as late October and into early December where individuals can stock up on presents. 

Though Black Friday is now considered to be a positive holiday, the holiday was historically negative. According to an article by the History Channel, “What’s the Real History of Black Friday,” back in the mid century, Philadelphia officers used the term, “Black Friday,” to describe the chaos after the Thursday Thanksgiving where shoppers would erupt into stores to which some took advantage of and were convicted of robbery. Some had argued removing the negative connotation and changing it to, “Big Friday,” which was unsuccessful. It wasn’t popular nor regarded as a holiday until the mid 1980s where retailers found strategies to transform the day into a positive event for consumers and the economy. The day after Thanksgiving became an occasion where American shoppers boosted the economy. 

Now, the history of what started the title of “Black Friday” has been forgotten. Since then, more holidays following Black Friday have been created. Stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and many more have some of the biggest sales of the day. With online shopping on the rise, Cyber Monday was also created for the introverted audience who do not enjoy shopping in person and the crowd. According to a New York Post article, between 2006 and 2018 there were 44 violent Black Friday incidents in the United States, leaving 11 dead and 109 injured. With the convenience of Cyber Monday, shoppers can avoid chaos, anxiety, and the emergency room. Cyber Monday sales have been increasing ever since. Stores also offer shipping deals and in-store pickup options, removing the need to wait in stores for long periods of time. Online stores such as Amazon, Best Buy, and many more offer some of the best Cyber Monday deals. 

Black Friday is the perfect time for shopaholics to save big on items most wanted and most desired gifts. Despite standing in lines during the freezing temperatures of late November, Black Friday is undoubtedly a great start to the holiday season for consumers and big retail stores.