Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and officially starts the Christmas holiday shopping season in the United States.  Black Friday can fall on any date from November 23rd through November 29th,since Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November.

Most retailers will start decorating their stores weeks before Black Friday in an effort to entice early shoppers into their stores.  Most retailers will advertise their super low prices for Black Friday on Thanksgiving Day.  Stores typically will open very early on the Friday following Thanksgiving.  It is not uncommon for lines to begin forming the night before.  Patrons will put up with the most commonly cold weather to be the first to receive the super bargains promised to them for their efforts.  Once inside the stores, customers will fight and grab for the treasured low priced items they are seeking. Electronics and popular toys are often the most sought after items and may be sharply discounted.  Unfortunately, many stores nationwide will advertise these items, but only carry a few for their customers to purchase.

The term Black Friday has only been traced back to the 1970’s.  In current day, the term “Black Friday” is considered to refer to the time in which retailers are turning a profit (“in the black”).  It was previously regarded “Black Friday” because of the heavy traffic on that particular day.  Target stores nationwide have decided to call the Friday after Thanksgiving, “Green Friday”, because of all of the “green” they will be making.

Most media outlets refer to Black Friday as the busiest shopping day of the year.  Some years, this is a true statement.  At times though, the Saturday before Christmas has proven to be the busiest shopping day of the year.

So if you feel brave; dress warm, grab your coffee or hot chocolate and hit the streets to find some great bargains!