Friday, November 14, 2014

It's mid-November. I don't say that as if it's not known but more in a OMG!! IT'S MID-NOVEMBER!! kind of way. Where did the year go? Feels like yesterday I was getting ready for my daughter's high school graduation in June and now we're almost knee deep in the holidays with turkeys, decorating, caroling (do people still do that?) and hot chocolate.
With the rush of the next couple of months I wanted to lighted the mood a bit and share something I learned today, the origin of the phrase "Black Friday". Many, like me, have always believed it was related to the one time of year retailers made a profit. Turns out it was Philly traffic-cops in the late 1950's that coined this term to describe the terrible traffic conditions in Center City the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Reporters at the time picked up on the story in early 1960's and did what they do best, made it big news. Retailers did not like this term and tried without success to have the day after Thanksgiving called "Big Friday!". So thank you to the Philly cops of the 1950's and the reporters of the 1960's for unknowingly naming one of the biggest shopping days of the year. "Black Friday" as we know it today, more for the financial being in the black, began in the 1980's however it was still mostly a "Philly thing".
Here's to all the retail associates that work on one of the most shopped days of the year, my thoughts are with you while I join the masses to shop. :)
Hope everyone has a wonderful, safe holiday season!!