HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2011-11-23, Page 43Ritial-Star • Wednesday, November 23, 2011
As our neighbours to the south
deal with their turkey -induced
hangovers, many of there, and a
growing number of Canadians,
will be partaking in the huge
savings of Black Friday.
But when exactly did this
shopping extravaganza begin?
According to Time Magazine,
the term "Black Friday" wasused
by newspapers in Philadelphia to
describe the crazy crowds at stores
in the city of brei herly love. Pnor
to that, it was used in reference t�
a stock -market crisis in 1864:
The term caught on, after
being linked to retailers being "in
the black" or making a profit on
the massive shopping day.
Black Friday has been an "un-
official retail holiday" in the
United States since the .1990s,
according to Time, and is the sea-
son's biggest shopping day.
The Christmas shopping sea-
son traditionally° begins after
American Thanksgiving; and
has done so since the.19th cen-
tury, Time cites that American
Thanksgiving was traditionally
marked by sales and celebra-
tions, and eventually included
department stores hosting their
own parades to mark the occa-
sion -- such as the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade in
New York City.
Of course, this retail craze
has spread to Canada as well,
and people north of the 49th
can look forward to getting a
jump on their Christmas shop-
ping too.
Within this section, we'll look
at the ins and outs of Black Fri-
day, how Canadilans can. cash in
on the savings, what the hot
items are for this year, and more.
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vc the: energy t►i big
lid the thrill of the chase.
lv one Of a growing
t i anacli< n consumers•
RRlaLk t tidily on theti
t .t`.. a "MUM shop (,: V
.s wonder..- Lts .definitely
' a'st days of the year to
it, -.tore` car go online to
dim ountcd Items and
1.ty shopping donc early
'hose who enjoy .the
order shopping expert
cttng up at 3 a<.rn. to
)ttth and stand to line to
',VDD player for $10 rep -
the ultimate shopping
ttce..While many Cana-
ho
anaho will do.. justthat on
her 25, many others will
t t r y locally as more and
.+ttadian retailers come
I (t with their own Black
heals.
\•Tare many hopped on
i t h half-price and 60%
and this year, enthusi•
stile. ,hoppers can one c agauL
expect the sunt: and even better
availability of great bargains
without the expense `.of -crossing
the border.
A word to the wiseplan
ahead and know what you're
looking for —Hlack Friday. is not
a day to browse. Instead, check
.out Store ads and make a last
ahead of tune of what- you might
Tike to buy at each store .you
plan to visit Some sales only last
a 'few hours, and keep in :mind
that the hottest electronics, for
example, will be the first to sell
out, so.head.to those. stores first
II you're dropping purchas-
es off in your car and returning
to the stores, put them in the
trunk to discourage. easy theft
unlike one absent-minded shop-
per last year who left his newly -
purchased 55 -inch TV sitting in
full view in the back of his pick-
up truck while he went back into
the mall to shop!
Many other t3Lick t-ri°day
- hoppers will choose to shop
quietly, without the excitement
of throngs of shoppers around
them, with hist a.cup of coffee
and a laptop k.oniputer asthey
surf the virtual world ot=onl ne
shopping on ( •her sMonday,.
when many (.,titadian retailers
will offer their best sales of the
season
Whether you plan to plunge
into thecrowds of Black Friday
shoppers, or go online to -take
advantage -of the .matey. excellent .
deals that will : be offered on.
cyber Monday. you're ,ire to
make -a good dent in your holi-
day shopping list And.ihts year,
many shoppers will reward
themselves, too. last year, a re-
tail survey showed that 15% of
Black Friday shoppers bought
at least one item for themselves
One. thing is for certain, how-
ever Black Fnd►y has arrived in
Canada, and it's here to stay:
Lines at stores, like the one seen here at Macy's in the U.S., are a common sight on Black Friday.
Canadians can expect smaller lines than this north of the border, and also have the added benefit of
avoiding the lines and getting their deals online. Photos: OMi Files