The earliest evidence of the phrase Black Friday originated in Philadelphia, dating back to at least 1961, where it was used by police to describe the heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving.
It’s not the busiest shopping day of the year, though. The Saturday before Christmas is!
Not all the best deals are offered on Black Friday:
Most deals for electronics are offered at the beginning of November. The best day to save on Christmas decor is November 22. Discounts are 23 percent on average. The best day to buy toys is the day before Thanksgiving. Many online sales discounts are better on Thanksgiving Day for items such as sporting goods and apparel. The average discount is 24 percent. If you dare to wait, the last few days of the shopping season often advertise products 10 to 15 percent cheaper than on Black Friday.
Holiday shoppers indirectly determined the date for Thanksgiving.
From the mid-19th to the early 20th Century, the US president would declare a “day of giving thanks” on the last Thursday in November.
This changed in 1939 when the last Thursday was the last day in the month.
Retailers were afraid that the holiday season would be shortened and therefore, petitioned the president to declare the holiday be held one week earlier.
In 1941, Congress created a joint resolution to clear things up.
After that, Thanksgiving was always celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, which gave shoppers one extra week to shop before Christmas.