The day after Thanksgiving Day will be marked by millions of shoppers and businesses as something worth celebrating. Some people like it as much as the holiday turkey.
Store sales are plentiful and prices are dramatically lowered on the 23rd.
Although Black Friday comes during what many have come to believe is a 4-day holiday, it's not. Most people have to work on Friday, unless they've taken the day off or their state has proclaimed a legal holiday. Mail delivery resumes.
Some major retailers open at midnight with a "midnight madness" tactic; some even earlier. They want to capture as many shoppers as possible before they run out of spending money. But that's not a problem in many stores that have layaway programs: buy now, bail out your stuff before Christmas.
Increasingly, people are concerned sales will begin on Thanksgiving Day, and some already do. They're signing petitions against Thursday hours that can spoil the attitude of togetherness and thankfulness for blessings that underlies this once-a-year family holiday.
Many remember when no-Sunday shopping ended and businesses were open as usual on Sunday. They don't want this approach to retail to creep into the Thanksgiving holiday. In some cities, it already has.
Why is it called Black Friday? One old theory says it's because of the black markings on streets left by the car tires of speeding shoppers.
Another says it refers to the black ink once used on ledgers to show a profit, rather than the red ink of losses. Many retailers showed red ink on their books until holiday season, beginning with Black Friday.
If you join the throng of shoppers, keep safety in mind. People can be injured during the door-opening stampede that includes pushing and shoving to reach the come-on bargain first.
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