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Every year, millions of people around the world eagerly await the arrival of Black Friday, a shopping event that will take place today, November 29. While some people actively participate in the hunt for discounts, others simply watch as store windows and email inboxes fill with ads offering irresistible deals: “Shop Now!” or “Don’t miss out!”
What started as an American tradition has grown into a global phenomenon, with shoppers looking to take advantage of discounts and sales of all kinds. But how did Black Friday originate, and why is it celebrated in November? Here are some curiosities about this shopping day.
1. Why is it called "Black Friday"? The term "Black Friday" has been used throughout history to describe various calamities, explains American linguist Benjamin Zimmer. However, the current meaning of the date is far from that negative context. The first uses of the expression had nothing to do with shopping.
The first reference to "Black Friday" appeared in 1869, during a financial crisis caused by the fall in gold prices, an event that affected the New York Stock Exchange. However, it was in the 1950s that the term began to be associated with the massive influx of shoppers in Philadelphia after Thanksgiving Day.
By the mid-1980s, retailers began to give the name a positive spin: "Black Friday" became the date when stores stopped operating "in the red" (debt) and began to generate profits (in the black). This shift in meaning reflected the start of the holiday shopping season and significant discounts.
2. The Date of Black Friday Black Friday always takes place the day after Thanksgiving in the United States, but the choice of this date was not always so clear. From the mid-19th century until 1939, Thanksgiving was celebrated on the last Thursday of November, a tradition established by Abraham Lincoln. However, in 1939, the last Thursday of the month fell on November 30, which worried merchants because there was very little time left for Christmas shopping.
To extend the shopping season, merchants asked President Franklin Roosevelt to move the holiday earlier, which caused chaos with Thanksgiving being celebrated on different days depending on the state. Finally, in 1941, Congress approved that Thanksgiving would always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, giving an extra week for shopping.
3. The "Day After Thanksgiving Syndrome" The Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States is also known by another name: "Day After Thanksgiving Syndrome." In 1951, a labor market bulletin highlighted the massive absenteeism from work due to shopping and the holiday. This phenomenon was so notable that the bulletin described the "syndrome" as something as bad as the bubonic plague for those who had to work while everyone else enjoyed a day off for shopping.
4. The Rise of Black Friday Although the term "Black Friday" had existed for decades, it wasn't until the 2000s that it truly gained fame. For years, Americans didn’t look forward to this discount day and preferred to wait until Saturday to start their holiday shopping. But with the rise of e-commerce and aggressive marketing strategies, Black Friday gained momentum, becoming one of the most important commercial events of the year.
Although Black Friday began in the United States, its influence has rapidly expanded to other countries, thanks in large part to the internet. In Canada, retailers began offering their own discounts to avoid losing shoppers who traveled south in search of deals, even though Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated a month earlier.
In Mexico, Black Friday is celebrated under the name "Buen Fin," a shopping event that coincides with the anniversary of the start of the Mexican Revolution on November 20. In Brazil, although Thanksgiving is not celebrated, Black Friday has been adopted due to the commercial potential it offers.
Other countries, such as Spain, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia, have also joined the Black Friday and Cyber Monday frenzy, which is celebrated on the following Monday with online deals.
In Argentina, for example, despite the economic crisis, Black Friday 2023 saw a 104% increase in e-commerce transactions, according to a report by PayU.
In conclusion, what began as a day of discounts in the United States has become a global event that involves millions of consumers worldwide, eager to take advantage of deals before they run out.
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