Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving when all the stores have major sales. This year, it will be on November 29. Even though most people overspend, it is a good day to get all holiday gifts and stock up on essentials for the year.
Many may think the term “Black Friday” refers to the massive sales causing stores to be “in the black.” The real meaning is much deeper and darker. In 1869, prices of gold drastically dropped, causing the market to crash suddenly. This was the first time the term “Black Friday” was used. In the 1950s, Philadelphia police brought the term back to describe the terrible traffic and crowds this day of sales brought. Today, the term “Black Friday” references the start of the shopping season for the holidays.

This year’s Black Friday times are as follows:
-Walmart will be open at 6:00 p.m. Thanksgiving day with sales continuing throughout Friday.
-Target will open this year on Thanksgiving Day at 5 p.m. and will stay open until 1 a.m. They will re-open for Black Friday at 7 a.m.
-Macy’s will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and will close at 2 a.m. only to reopen at 6 a.m.
-Best Buy will be open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving and will be open until 1.am. on Friday morning. It will open back up at 8 a.m.
-Kohls will open at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Many people will arrive hours early to beat the lines. Line lengths can vary from a few minutes to a few hours. Stores such as Best Buy and Target will have the longest lines. This day will be very long and tiring. Because of this, it is a good idea to have a plan before attacking the day. Kaitlyn Dunn states, “This year I am staying up Thanksgiving night to go shopping bright and early on Friday. I am going to Ulta to buy holiday gift sets for my family and friends.” Kaitlyn’s plan is extreme, but having one is important.
On Black Friday, stores are bursting at their seams, and the employees are overloaded. Trying to keep up with the crowd and get them checked out in a timely fashion is a challenge. Retail stores quickly become disastrous with clothes thrown everywhere. Try to give the employees some grace on this all-consuming day.
The hard to resist prices bring out huge crowds and big lines. David Zyla, a big-time stylist, says online Black Friday sales alone brought in over 6.2 billion dollars. Each year, sales continue to rise to astonishing numbers. Many people are beginning to shop more online than wait in long lines early in the morning. This is the time customers buy big-ticket items like appliances and T.V.s. Whether online or in stores, have a safe Black Friday.