Black Friday, a day for shopaholics

You must have heard about "Black Friday" either in your history books or on the news. This day is widely known in western countries for its jaw-dropping discounts. But why is the term "black" associated with it if it is about sales? Well, it is a story.

The real story of Black Friday; Image Source: andlight.com

Black Friday is observed just a day after Thanksgiving and is very famous in the west. Every year in the month of November, the fourth Thursday is celebrated as Thanksgiving, and the next Friday is known as Black Friday. Shopkeepers offer huge discounts on items on this day, and there is no doubt why every customer longs for the day to come.

People stroll around the streets with excitement on this day. It is that time of the year when they can shop their heart out in their favorite shops. But, the question is, if it is a day of celebration, then why is it referred to as "black"? Let us delve into the history of the day to find this out.

The term was first used in 1869 in America. Once, two acquaintances, Jay Gould and James Fisk, decided to buy all the gold in the market. They thought once the quantity of gold became limited, its price would skyrocket.

But, the results ended up being devastating. The gold market crashed, and people were left in despair. Its effects were so harsh that America's economy trembled for years. Since the incident occurred on Friday, this day was known as Black Friday.

Another theory suggests that the day originated in 1950 in a place called Philadelphia. A football game between the Army and the Navy was scheduled for the day following Thanksgiving that year. As it was the day before the weekend, a large number of people flocked to the city to enjoy the match. The Philadelphia police had to postpone their holidays because of the size of the crowd in order to preserve law and order.

The helpless police officers had to work in public, and their days became very hectic. While everyone was enjoying themselves with their family, they were doing their duty. So, the cops of the city named this day Black Friday.

If we look at another version of the story, we find something interesting. Earlier, American businesses kept a record where they noted their profits and losses. They usually wrote it in a register or notebook, where shopkeepers wrote their losses in a red-inked pen and gains in a black-inked pen. Gradually, they noticed people shopping a lot after Thanksgiving. Due to this, their records were filled with black ink or profits. Since this Friday was very profitable, they called this day Black Friday.

The fact that Black Friday heralds the start of Christmas can be used as justification for such a massive quantity of shopping and discounts. The festive season has to begin with a lot of shopping, thus Black Friday is associated with it.

Black Friday has now even made its way to the Indian subcontinent, where some companies have begun to adopt it. When you see such discounts now during this time, you know its history. So, as the festive season is near, we wish you happy shopping!