The origins of Black Friday
Black Friday is widely recognised today for its massive discounts and sales, but its origins are full of history and quirks that not everyone knows. Although it is now a worldwide event that marks the start of the Christmas shopping season, Black Friday began quite differently in the United States.
A Chaotic Day in Philadelphia
The term Black Friday originated in the 1950s in Philadelphia, and it didn’t initially have a positive connotation. Local police used it to describe the Friday after Thanksgiving, when the streets were flooded with shoppers and tourists. This surge in traffic caused chaos and made policing particularly challenging. For the officers and security staff, it was a particularly difficult day, so they started calling it "Black Friday" in a tone of complaint.
From Red to Black
In the 1980s, however, retailers saw an opportunity to put a positive spin on the term. With a new approach, they promoted this Friday as a special occasion to attract shoppers with big discounts. This is where the well-known idea of "black" figures comes into play: in accounting, losses are recorded in red and profits in black. Since this day marked the beginning of the Christmas season and drew thousands of people to the shops, for many businesses, it was the perfect opportunity to “go from red to black” and end the year on a profitable note.
Black Friday in Today’s World
Since then, Black Friday has become a global phenomenon. What began as a local term in Philadelphia has evolved into one of the most significant and eagerly anticipated shopping days in several countries. Today, both in physical stores and online, millions of people around the world take advantage of Black Friday discounts to buy everything from electronics to clothing and home goods.
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