Every year, after our bellies are filled with savory turkey and warm pumpkin pie, American citizens all over the country head out to the malls to find the best deals of the year. With 90% off 65-inch televisions and 85% off iPhones, people go crazy and rush the stores for these bargains.
The Black Friday we know is all about finding gifts for loved ones at a cheap price for Christmas. The bargain holiday known as Black Friday hasn’t always been about finding low price gifts for friends.
The term Black Friday comes from Philadelphia. Before 2009, the annual Army versus Navy football game was held the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was at the Municipal Stadium, now named Franklin Field, at the University of Pennsylvania. This rivalry game was considered one of the biggest games of the year in college football. Because of the game’s popularity, many people flooded the city on the Friday before the game. With thousands of fans pouring into Philadelphia, it caused many problems for the city’s police force. Many people used the day to cause mayhem in the city. They would create fights with others and trash the streets, leaving the city a mess. Year after year, the police force would have to deal with the same mischief and because of it, people started referring the day before the big game as Black Friday.
Although the day was a nightmare for the Philadelphia Police Officers, it was like an early Christmas to the Philadelphia retailers. The massive surge in people in the city caused a major sales spike for the stores. The shop keepers and retailers also started calling this day Black Friday because of the boost in sales. This name for the increase in shopping on the Friday before the game became a national sensation in the 1980s. The term and day went from a dreaded day for the Philadelphia police, to a nationwide day of great sales we now know as Black Friday.
Even today, Black Friday continues to be a successful day of sales for many businesses nationwide. Based on an article posted by Zippa.com, in the year 2022, shoppers spent $9.12 billion on Black Friday. This was 2.3% more than the year 2021 Black Friday.
Though Black Friday is still a little over a week away, the sales have already started to pop up in stores. In the technology department, Apple Airpod Pros are 25% off this holiday season at Walmart Shopping center. The new LG 65-inch Smart OLED TV is 20% off at Target, priced at $1,600. Tech deals aren’t the only low prices this year, there are many low prices in the clothing department as well. Nike Air Jordan 1’s are 24% off this season at $93.97,
With new deals and great bargains, you can easily find the perfect gifts for your loved ones this holiday season. Although the term Black Friday had a dark past, the term now brings so much light and joy to the holiday season!
