Black Friday – A Great American Tradition

You may wonder why the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. Many theories exist, but the most popular theory is that it originates from the old-fashioned way business accounts were kept: record books marked losses in red and profits in black.Shopping on this day can be intimidating, with surging crowds, predawn times and frustratingly long checkout lines. With Black Friday 2010 approaching, more than 80 million Americans are expected to head for the stores on Friday, November 26, 2010.Even though it is not a federal holiday, many people choose to have a day off from work to make the most of this day’s sales.Is shopping on this day worth the hassle? That depends on what you want to shop for and what kind of Black Friday deals you have in the market.Daunting or not, shopping on this day is fun. The thrill of the hunt by starting at the crack of the dawn, discovering exciting deals and following a tradition is a great feeling to many Americans.Most businesses hope for a marked recovery in sales from the day after Thanksgiving until just before Christmas. It is a great opportunity for retailers to draw crowds by big attention grabbing Black Friday ads.There are skeptics, however. They feel the frenzy is potentially dangerous. Braving the inclement weather, fighting for the coveted parking spots, or being pushed by other shoppers is too much of a nuisance. If you get carried away by the shopping whirl, you may end up spending far more money than you hoped to spend.It is all about priorities. You can stay at home and eschew the hassles or venture out to the stores and enjoy this day as another day of traditional American fun time.