Black Friday, the day or even the weekend teeming with discounts and deals. But how did that come about? Black Friday is essentially the Friday after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, in turn, is the American version of the harvest festival. Originally, the festival was a celebration of giving thanks to nature for its bounty. And how did this love of nature evolve into a love of consumerism?
Why is it called Black Friday?
Why the Friday after Thanksgiving (traditionally a Thursday) is called Black Friday is unclear. There are various theories . Some speculate that the large groups of people shopping together look like a black mass from a distance, or that the day helps retailers turn the year from the red into the black. Either way, Black Friday in the USA marks the start of a long weekend and the Christmas shopping season.
How did Black Friday come to Europe?
Black Friday, or at least discounts offered on this day, was already widespread in the USA and England in the 1960s . Over the past decade, these sales have steadily increased and have also spread to other European countries. In Switzerland, Black Friday has become increasingly popular since 2014 , and the day is now a permanent fixture in the annual shopping calendar. But this also has its drawbacks.
The disadvantage of Black Friday
According to utopia.de , the products aren't cheaper at all; in fact, some are even more expensive. Furthermore, the items on sale aren't always products that couldn't be sold; some are new items specially for Black Friday. Furthermore, more consumption always means more resource consumption, and this can be harmful to nature. That's why NIKIN has spent the entire month of Green November speaking out against more discounts and in favor of more love for nature. Even on Black Friday itself, we're celebrating Green Friday instead. From this month until Monday, we'll be holding no sales, but instead planting two trees per product instead of one. Because: Green is the new Black!
