🇺🇸 The Confusing History of Black Friday

POWERED BY

Good morning, and happy Friday! Guys, we know that not all of you are soccer fans, but the US plays England today at 2 PM ET. Is it fitting that today is also known as "Evacuation Day", or the day when British soldiers finally left New York after the American Revolution? We think not.

Today is also more famously known as Black Friday. But where did this term come from? It's actually a little confusing, keep reading to see why.

POWERED BY RYSE

Hey Alexa, Open My Window Shades

Introducing the RYSE SmartShade, a smart home device that converts your manual window shades into automated Smart Shades.

Ryse works with any window shade that has beaded chains. Not only that, but you can control these Smart Shades with a mobile app and even set schedules. Use Ryse to have your shades magically open every morning to help you wake up to natural sunlight. Ryse is also compatible with Alexa, Google Home, or Apple HomeKit.

Check out the Black Friday sale for up to 20% off!

QUICK CLICKS

Deals to Avoid, Top Lists, and Random Finds

Expert Advice: 4 ‘deals’ to avoid on Black Friday—and 2 that are worth the money, according to experts (CNBC)

A Massive List: The 409 best Black Friday 2022 deals to shop now (CNN)

Impulse Purchases: 14 Truly Random Amazon Finds to Impulse-Purchase on Black Friday (CNET)

Another List: The 65+ best early Black Friday sales at Amazon, Walmart, lululemon, Best Buy and more (USA Today)

Sharp Pricing: The best Black Friday 2022 deals for under $50 (The Verge)

Bargain Hunters: 57 Epic Black Friday Deals Under $25 (CNET)

HISTORY

The Confusing History of Black Friday

Black Friday is here, and that means the deals and discounts have arrived. Traditionally, this consumer-focused holiday marked the official start of the Christmas shopping season. However, with retailers offering savings earlier and earlier, that point is probably up for debate.

Another topic of debate is the term “Black Friday” itself. Where did this phrase actually come from? When did it originate? There are a few leading theories that we – as avid fans of US history – thought would be worth sharing as you scan the digital aisles today. Let’s dive in.

Three Leading Theories

There are several theories about how the term “Black Friday” came to be associated with the day after Thanksgiving.

One of the earliest known uses of "Black Friday" was in the journal, Factory Management and Maintenance, in November 1951 and 1952. In these instances, “Black Friday” referred to workers calling in sick after Thanksgiving to have an extended holiday weekend. While this partially makes sense, the term doesn’t seem to have caught on at the time.

Another theory is that it originated in Philadelphia in the 1950s. At that time, there was a lot of traffic congestion around downtown Philadelphia. This is because so many people were coming into the city to do holiday shopping after Thanksgiving and before the Army-Navy football game that’s held on Saturday. Apparently, the police referred to this heavy traffic as “Black Friday” and the term slowly started seeing more widespread use.

A third theory about how Black Friday got its name is that it is based on accounting practices. Retailers typically operate at a loss (in the red) for most of the year and only make a profit (in the black) during certain peak times, such as Christmas. Therefore, Black Friday marks the beginning of retailers’ journey into profitability for the year.

Bonus Black Friday Fact

Whatever its origins, the term “Black Friday” has become synonymous with massive crowds and deep discounts at stores across America. The holiday isn’t reserved for just retail outlets, however.

Believe it or not, another segment of America’s workforce sees increased activity: plumbers. Yep, that’s right. According to Roto-Rooter, plumbers are usually 50% busier than normal on “Black Friday”. This is mostly because people try to discard leftovers in the sink. However, with the amount of food everyone ate the day before, we’re sure they are called for other reasons as well.

FLAG FINDS (BLACK FRIDAY EDITION)

Smart Shades, Grab a Gift Basket, and Get Your Finances In Order

🌞 One of the best ways to wake up is with natural light. Phone alarms are reliable, but sometimes they're like nails on a chalkboard. Check out Ryse this year for Black Friday. You can retrofit old window shades to equip them for the modern era. Click here to scoop up a 20% discount.

🧽 If we learned anything over the past few years, it's that keeping the house and office clean is important. Not to mention it's actually shaping up to be a pretty bad flu season. Clean It Supply is having a "massive warehouse savings event" where you can get up to 58% off some of America's favorite brands. Use code BLK49 while the deal lasts.

🍎 Harry & David knows gift baskets, baked goods, fruit and food gifts. Shop famous pears, honeybell oranges, gourmet food & wine delivery for any occasion. Use code EARLY75 for some massive savings.

👗 Boston Proper is a one-of-a-kind women’s clothing boutique that puts fashion, confidence, and ageless style at the forefront, creating uniqueness to make all your own for everyday...with distinctive, on-trend, and always affordable looks. Here's $25 off $125 or more + free shipping on select styles. Use Code: BLACKFRIDAY.

🌿 UMZU provides natural solutions to real problems. In fact, their story is honestly kind of insane. Every supplement contains clinical doses of quality ingredients, without any fillers. Give the gift of health this holiday season with 43% off on new site subscriptions (for life!). Sale ends 11/29.

🏠 Frontgate believes there's no greater feeling than being surrounded by who – and what – you love. It's their goal to help you create a home you'll love to live in, whether you're entertaining the whole family or enjoying some quiet R&R on your own. From furniture and accessories to pool floats and holiday decor, they design everything with you in mind. They have some pretty crazy Black Friday deals last time we checked, click here to take advantage while the going is good.

💵 With Quicken, you can manage your finances, create a custom comprehensive budget, track your investments and plan for retirement. Take control with Quicken and save 40% during their Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sale.

WATERCOOLER

Evacuation Day, The World's First Author, "Elf" Storage

On November 25, 1783, nearly three months after the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the American Revolution, the last British soldiers withdrew from New York City, the last British military position in the United States. After the last Redcoat departed New York, U.S. General George Washington entered the city in triumph to the cheers of New Yorkers. The city had remained in British hands since its capture in September 1776.

The New Yorker: The Struggle to Unearth the World’s First Author

The War Zone: These Images of an F-22 Raptor’s Crumbling Radar Absorbent Skin Are Fascinating

Gizmodo: Why Do We Love the Music We Love?

Today I Learned, In 2007 Tacoma Self Storage was visited by a flock of birds. One of the birds landed atop the neon sign and accidentally hit the switch on the ‘S’. Ever since this day, the ‘S’ has been turned off on Black Friday, going dark to help ring in the season. Click here to see the picture.