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Black Friday is an informal name for the day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It is a public holiday in more than 20 states, and is considered the start of the US Christmas shopping season.
Many people do their Christmas shopping on Black Friday.
©iStockphoto.com/BakiBG
Is Black Friday a Public Holiday?
Black Friday is on the Day After Thanksgiving, which is a public holiday in more than 20 states. In these states, businesses may be closed.
The same day is also a state holiday in Georgia, commemorating General Robert E Lee's birthday.
Schools and universities all over the United States are closed for the entire Thanksgiving weekend.
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Bargain Shopping
Thanksgiving Day is a public holiday all over the US. Even where the day after is not a public holiday, many take a day off work or use a day from their quota of annual leave on Black Friday. Some people use this to make trips to see family members or friends who live in other areas or to go on vacation. Others use it to start shopping for the Christmas season.
Shopping for Christmas presents is also popular on Black Friday. Many stores have special offers and lower their prices on some goods, such as toys.
The Monday after, is known as Cyber Monday, a marketing effort for online retailers equivalent to Black Friday.
What's Open or Closed?
Public transit systems may not run on their normal schedule. Some stores extend their opening hours on Black Friday. There can also be congestion on roads to popular shopping destinations.
Why Is It Called Black Friday?
Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA. There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday. One theory is that the wheels of vehicles in heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving Day left many black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday.
The other theory is that the term Black Friday comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits before Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.
Black Friday Observances
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Fri | Nov 27 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2021 | Fri | Nov 26 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2022 | Fri | Nov 25 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2023 | Fri | Nov 24 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2024 | Fri | Nov 29 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2025 | Fri | Nov 28 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2026 | Fri | Nov 27 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2027 | Fri | Nov 26 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2028 | Fri | Nov 24 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2029 | Fri | Nov 23 | Black Friday | Observance |
| 2030 | Fri | Nov 29 | Black Friday | Observance |
While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.
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