Black Friday origins
Discussion
Like most I have been pestered by emails from everyone and his Uncle about the pleasure they have in offering me their Black Fridays deals.
I wonder is they would be quite so happy were they aware that historically Black Friday is generally thought to have come from the term given to the first Friday after Thanksgiving when slaves were sold on !! - not quite such a pleasant day !!!
I wonder is they would be quite so happy were they aware that historically Black Friday is generally thought to have come from the term given to the first Friday after Thanksgiving when slaves were sold on !! - not quite such a pleasant day !!!
why would anyone try and understand it from a heritage perspective - there is none. It's just the first weekend after thanksgiving (which admittedly does have some heritage). It's like asking where the boxing day sales originated from.... clearly it wasn't king john or anything interesting, it's just the day after xmas. People are done with buying each other presents, bored of their family, fed up eating and drinking, and have a feeling of wanting to sort the house and their lives out. So, they go shopping. Retailers noticed a peak, and decided to capitalise. Over time this has become an "arms race" of more deals, more marketing, more people, more deals etc etc, and now everyone is just a horrific 
about it. There is nothing interesting about it, and definitely no history to discuss.
about it. There is nothing interesting about it, and definitely no history to discuss. 
V8FGO said:
The Spruce goose said:
probably same as boxing day, no one has a fing clue.
Long ago it was traditional to give servants and tradesmen a Christmas Box.This would traditionally be given on the 26th.
Boxing day custom is older than the definition, which they mentioned in a dictionary in 1833, but it suited. The custom does not necessarily mean the term is correct it just fitted the current customs at the time.
Keep going back and there is no defined meaning, it has multiple explanations to the term.
Keep going back and there is no defined meaning, it has multiple explanations to the term.
Edited by The Spruce goose on Saturday 5th December 21:30
Am I the only one who had never heard of this 'tradition' until last year (or maybe the one before?) where people started brawling and shooting each other over it?
We had black eye Friday before Christmas where people would settle their scores for the year in my village, but I would be amazed if this tradition came from Northumberland.
We had black eye Friday before Christmas where people would settle their scores for the year in my village, but I would be amazed if this tradition came from Northumberland.
AJS- said:
Am I the only one who had never heard of this 'tradition' until last year (or maybe the one before?) where people started brawling and shooting each other over it?
We had black eye Friday before Christmas where people would settle their scores for the year in my village, but I would be amazed if this tradition came from Northumberland.
Same here, to me Black Friday has always been the last Friday before Christmas when all the tradesmen knock off early get sWe had black eye Friday before Christmas where people would settle their scores for the year in my village, but I would be amazed if this tradition came from Northumberland.
t faced and knock lumps out of each other!American nonsense coming over here ruining our traditions.
KungFuPanda said:
Did the sales ever start in January rather than Boxing Day or is that just me?
I'm 47.Growing up, the sales started new years day, 99% of shops were closed until then.
I can remember watching the telly and people would camp outside shops waiting for the new years day sales to start.
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