Black Friday is an American tradition that has made its way to the British high street. Always occurring on the Friday following Thanksgiving, it marks the official start of the Christmas shopping period. The much-anticipated day often presents an unmissable opportunity to find some deals.
Even before it became commercialised, Black Friday was a popular shopping day. Back in the 1950s, people would take the day off work to get a head start on their Christmas shopping. Over time, the day has become increasingly popular and spread throughout the rest of the world.
“Black Friday is not another bad hair day in Wall Street. It’s the term used […] to describe the day after the Thanksgiving Holiday, seen as the semi-official start of Christmas shopping season.”
Evan Davis, Economist
Why is it called Black Friday?
There are many stories that claim to tell the history of the Black Friday name. One is that ‘black’ represents the colour of ink used to record profits, rather than the red used to note down losses. Another is that the police gave the day its name because of the violence that accompanied Black Friday shopping. Others claim that the name dates back to the 1800s when the stock market suffered a crash.
When is Black Friday?
Next year, Black Friday will take place on Friday 27th November 2020. However, many shops tend to extend their discounts over the weekend to allow shoppers to find the right deal. The sale period culminates with Cyber Monday. Taking place on Monday 30th November 2020, Cyber Monday encourages online shoppers to indulge in some last-minute deals.
What’s Happening at Heal’s?
Like many other retailers across the UK, Heal’s participates in Black Friday every year. Offering a competitive discount across many items in its range, Heal’s also presents a unique in-store shopping experience.