"The
most commonly repeated story behind the post-Thanksgiving
shopping-related Black Friday tradition links it to retailers."
"As the
story goes, after an entire year of operating at a loss (“in the red”)
stores would supposedly earn a profit (“went into the black”) on the day
after Thanksgiving, because holiday shoppers blew so much money on
discounted merchandise. Though it’s true that retail companies used to
record losses in red and profits in black when doing their accounting,
this version of Black Friday’s origin is the officially sanctioned—but
inaccurate—story behind the tradition."
"The first recorded use of the term “Black Friday” was applied not to
holiday shopping but to financial crisis: specifically, the crash of the
U.S. gold market on September 24, 1869. Two notoriously ruthless Wall
Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, worked together to buy up as
much as they could of the nation’s gold, hoping to drive the price
sky-high and sell it for astonishing profits. On that Friday in
September, the conspiracy finally unraveled, sending the stock market
into free-fall and bankrupting everyone from Wall Street barons to
farmers."
~*~
"Beatitudes of Buylessness"
Reverend Billy, activist actor, performs with 'The Church of Life After Shopping Chorus' and 'The Not
Buying It Band' at The Sanctuary
for Independent Media in Troy, New York.
(5 minutes)
~*~
Not Shopping
Most of us will always have plenty to do so long as we have some energy, imagination and curiosity: art projects, home and personal maintenance, time with friends and family, or just walking out in the world. Reading, naps and meditation are free and freeing.
Full Moon
The precise time of the full moon is 05:39 P.M., although it's set to be impressive through the night as it rises in the east after the sun sets.
https://www.countryliving.com/uk/news/a25260017/beavers-moon-november-full-moon/
Museum of Modern Art
Offers gratis admission between 4 and 8 p.m. on Black Friday as part of its Uniqlo Free Friday event and if you want to miss the inevitably huge line, arrive after 6 p.m.
Full Moon
The precise time of the full moon is 05:39 P.M., although it's set to be impressive through the night as it rises in the east after the sun sets.
https://www.countryliving.com/uk/news/a25260017/beavers-moon-november-full-moon/
Museum of Modern Art
Offers gratis admission between 4 and 8 p.m. on Black Friday as part of its Uniqlo Free Friday event and if you want to miss the inevitably huge line, arrive after 6 p.m.
More Free Things to Do
History
1 comment:
Never paused to wonder where the term came from. Thanks! We took a walk in the cold. Just put a roast in the oven to slow cook and now reading poems by Kevin Young (about the Amistad rebels). Who wants to shop?!
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