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The day after Thanksgiving has always been the traditional start to holiday shopping. Over the years retailers have offered discounts on that day to lure shoppers into their stores.

The Black Friday as we know it today (long lines of people outside stores at 5am or even midnight) didn't gain popularity until the end of the 20th Century.

It had been a long standing tradition to have big sales starting the day after Christmas. It was during the Carter years that retailers tried jump starting the holiday shopping season with super sales on the day after Thanksgiving due to a predicted slump in Christmas gift sales. The previous year the "Day After Christmas" sale had pulled many retailers out of red ink as cash strapped shoppers took in the bargains after a disappointing Christmas season.

Double digit inflation and high unemployment after the Nixon/Ford years had put the nix on spending for luxury items like expensive gifts.

These sales were intended to get would be shoppers motivated and into the stores and re-igniting the "Christmas gift giving spirit"

The plan worked and became an American tradition known as Black Friday as shoppers lined up outside in the predawn darkness all across the country.

The term "Black Friday" was coined in the 1960s to mark the kickoff to the Christmas shopping season. "Black" refers to stores moving from the "red" to the "black," back when accounting records were kept by hand, and red ink indicated a loss, and black a profit. Ever since the start of the modern Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924, the Friday after Thanksgiving has been known as the unofficial start to a bustling holiday shopping season.

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When Black Friday sales start?

Black Friday sales usually begin the Friday after Thanksgiving at 12 A.M. The times of Black Friday sales may vary from store to store.


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The day after Thanksgiving at 7am.


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It depends on the store, but most of the time it is at 12:01 AM.


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When is Black Friday 2009?

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. In 2009, Black Friday falls on Friday, November 27.


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When is the Black Friday in December?

Black Friday is November 29th this year. If you'd prefer to avoid the chaos that happens on Black Friday, there's also Cyber Monday which happens the Monday immediately following Black Friday (December 2nd this year) which is a recent trend in which shoppers that couldn't make it to Black Friday shopped for their deals online.


When is Black Friday 2008?

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