Facts And Myths About Black Friday

Fact, people flock on the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of great deals at retailers across the nation, and it's officially the start of the Christmas Shopping season.

Black Friday has an interesting history. Retailers first complained to the US Government because they said there wasn't enough time to shop from Thanksgiving to Christmas because Thanksgiving fell on the last Thursday of the month. So, according to Today I Found Out, President Roosevelt changed Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of the month.

Some years it is the last Thursday because of the way the calendar falls. If there are 5 weeks it is the second to last, but it is always the 4th week of the month. Then, after the date was changed, according to Today I Found Out, retailers would roll out their big sales in order to get people out in droves.

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In the 1960s, the sales had become so great, according to Today I Found Out, that stores would make their whole season in profits on that day, thus, instead of losing money they had already made enough to put them "In The Black".

Here are some of the common Myths and Facts for the day:

Myth: More people visit Walmart on Black Friday than visit Disney World.

Fact: On Average, 22 million people visit Walmart on Black Friday, while 18.5 million visit Disney World (US News)

Myth: The term Black Friday originated from a crash of the Stock Market

Fact: That was the term for one year the stock market was flooded by gold and crashed, black Friday wasn't a term till almost 1990. (BBC)

Myth: Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year.

Fact: The last Saturday of December is the biggest shopping day of the year. (Snopes)

Myth: Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year.

Fact: Cyber Monday is the second biggest shopping day of the year. (Snopes)

Myth: There used to be Black Friday Parades

Fact: Retailers like Macy's used to have parades to raise the excitement of shoppers to get out and shop, Many would shop right after the parade. Then the retailers figured if they moved the parade to Thanisgivng there would be more time to shop. (BBC)

Myth: You don't really save money on Black Friday

Fact: A new study from WalletHub, it says that 14 percent of products will have prices on Black Friday similar to their normal in-store costs, while 17 percent of items will be more expensive, that includes big-ticket items like electronics.. (US News)

Black Friday has changed a little over the years. For many years it was during regular store hours on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Then stores began to open early and people would wait in line at 6 or 7 in the morning.

Then in the 2000s, stores would start the evening of Thanksgiving and open at midnight or earlier. COVID did change some of that. Now, because they are short-staffed, stores are closing for Thanksgiving and opening early again.