Black Friday

The official start of the Christmas Season is finally here! It, as well as today’s deals and bargains, will be gone in a flash. While I am stuck at work, everyone else is out shopping like a bunch of crazies. I’m not saying $40 video games for $9.99 and $120 cookware sets for $35 aren’t great deals. I just can’t stand the stress level, dealing with the crowds and traffic that comes with it. For me, the term “Black Friday” takes a more traditional meaning.

“Any day marked by great confusion or activity” – Dictionary.com
“Any Friday in which a public calamity occurred” – Investorwords.com

However, terming the day after Thanksgiving as “Black Friday” has nothing to do with either of these definitions. As Diddy would say, “It’s all about the Benjamins.” Simply put, retailers began referring to this day as “Black Friday” because it is largely the day in which their accountants can finally start using black ink instead of red. Isn’t it sad to think that our retail world replies upon the Christmas Season to pull itself out of the negative. I could go on forever, but I think you get the point. As for the original use of the term “Black Friday” - September 24, 1869, a Friday when stock manipulators Jay Gould and James Fisk tried to corner the gold market, causing its collapse and depression – Dictionary.com

Jason