Hi, I bet that is confusing. It is called Black Friday because..... Retailers operate "in the red" for most of the fiscal year. When Christmas shoppers finally go and spend lots of money, officially starting the gift-giving season, they finally are operating "in the black." This means they are finally making money.
When you operate in the hole, or under zero profit you use red ink. When you operate where you are making a profit, you use black ink. Does that make any sense? That's it!
Jan

Caroline, it looks like Jan gave you a really great answer - so I will give you a *4U each.

LOL-wanna be even more confused-on The View today, Whoopie and Sheri were referring it as "Afro-American" Day-love that Whoopie,she is soooo funny. I for one, don't even go near the stores until the crazies are done-nothing that I really need to get that bad. We actually just did some online shopping for the main gifts-next Thurs.& Fri. my husband & I are going to go over to Burlington,VT. Plattsburg & Watertown to do our yearly "just us 2" day(s) of shopping, eating and just enjoying the sites and sounds of the holiday season without the chaos-

Glad this question was asked, I didn't know either. Thanks.

I dont know, but I do not get in the middle of the trouble. I wait until all these crazy people go home and do mine. One year I did it and I had one of the popular toys in my shopping basket and this crazy woman took it and ran. I think my husband was more upset that me I just let her have it I think her child needed it more that mine.

Well, Jan, thank you for the info! I thought they called it black Fri. because you were in such a "black" mood after fighting all the shoppers for bargins! :-) (I really didn't know why it was called that)

Think it has to do with retailers operating in the red most of the year but on this day if sales go according to plans they'll be in the black again. But for me if I get out in the MAD RUSH, the shoving and pushing along with rude remarks being said then I'm in a BLACK MOOD....lol.. needless to say I stayed home and sent hubby for one of those fablous deals out there this morning at 4am. I kept the bed warm for him though. Wasn't that nice of me?

Thankyou for this question and the explanations. I am in Australia and didn't have a clue what it was all about. We have our bargain shopping days start on Boxing Day. I don't go these days .. did when I was a bit younger!! I'm not that desperate for the "bargains"!!