“Black” usually brings up some connotation of the abject and the ominous, when placed in front an object, the object  becomes infamous, when placed in front of a date, the date lives in infamy. If placed in front of even Christmas, you end up with a rather poor remake.   If placed in front of Tuesday, stock markets could even crash. But when placed in front of a Friday, “Black” now has the power to create sales, excitement. A Waldorf black Friday shopper suggested that some stores receive up to 1/3rd of their annual profit from Black Friday Sales. Verification is not possible at this time, though the claim, sound plausible  If some Halloween stores can make a yearly profit in the month of October, why can’t more traditional stores meet a traditional end? 

Lately even Car dealerships have taken part in Black Friday madness, Here is Southern Maryland. a local Ford dealer has taken a cue from large retailers, using the shopping hype to their advantage. :Waldorf Ford Holds an annual black Friday sale where they mark down brand new Ford’s to the years lowest prices. 

Could the day after Thanksgiving, be named in sympathy towards those store owners, who although making a considerable profit, would exert a great deal more effort dealing with a frantic public? Of course it could be in empathy with the proletariat of American superstores who sees no increase in wages? The displaced millionaires (or is it Billionaires)  may object to the above statement… but 

This question of the meaning of Black in Black Friday has lead to some interesting history and takes us to Philadelphia in the early 1960.

The term has two distinct meanings, one positive and the other, more traditionally “black”. the latter starting as an inside-joke among Philly Police at the time. and having little to do with shopping. The two days following Thanksgiving, traffic and travel would be so frustrating for the officers, they dubbed that Friday Black. 

Meanwhile, another story, tells us, that business would be “In the black” after the wonderful weekend following the Thanksgiving Holiday. For the corporations, it was red, not black that was unnameable, ineffable, and diabolic.

 Back at Waldorf Ford, Huge discounts and gifts abound. There are no gimmicks at this local dealer. just some straight forward deals. For the third year in a row, we have amazed customers with the offering and many walk away with huge smiles on their faces. 

As for the meaning of Black Friday, whichever story is the truth, is up to you.