We’ve all heard of it. Some of us chose to ignore it, and the rest of us are counting down the days till it arrives. Yes, Black Friday is quickly approaching, and it’s time to start looking for the best deals in town. The day after Thanksgiving is known as "Black Friday," which designates the officially shopping day for the Holiday season. Black Friday dates back all the way to the 1960s when shoppers would congest stores, streets, and sidewalks in order to find the best shopping bargains. Financially, the "Black" in Black Friday represents the beginning of the period where retailers do not suffer from losses as they did during the months of January-November. Instead, they begin making profit starting with the day after Thanksgiving. Today, people arrive at stores as early as midnight to wait in line for the doors to open at 5am. Dedicated bargain shoppers will sleep in shopping carts, tents, or cars just to be one of the first in the store.

One of the main reasons why Black Friday has become an unofficial American holiday is due to the incredible bargains most department stores offer. Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, JC Penny, Macy’s, and many other department stores will offer huge discounts on items such as electronics, home goods, clothing, and miscellaneous items. Flat screen televisions will sell for half their price, fifty percent off will be placed on all items throughout the store, and door buster sales will attract hundreds of shoppers. These are just a few traditional expectations for the kickoff of holiday shopping. Television advertisements have a large impact on Black Friday shoppers because they try to attract their customers in a particular way. For example, Target created a commercial to promote their 2 day sale in 2009. In the commercial they depicted an obsessive, competitive middle-aged woman who has been counting down the days until Black Friday. Sarcastic and hilarious as she might be, the message is relaying that you as a shopper do not have to wake up at the wee hours of morning just to get the best deals because they will be available for 48 hours.

With the Holiday season quickly arriving, shoppers are beginning to prepare for the great deals that lay ahead of them on Black Friday. As a shopper, the best way to get ready for the largest shopping day of the year is to start looking online for coupons and savings. You may be surprised what you can find by just simply looking online. Do not be surprised if you start seeing Black Friday commercials in the beginning of November. Retailers want their customers to be prepared for what is expected this holiday season, and some stores may even extend their shopping hours if they are expecting larger crowds. Some stores may open the doors at midnight on Black Friday. Whatever time the doors open, shoppers will continue to line up for years to come. Black Friday is an American tradition that will continue to stimulate our economy for many years.