What you need to know about Black Friday
Now Halloween and Bonfire Night are over for another year, we are well and truly on the road to the festive season and all the celebrations that come with it. As the nights draw in and the weather gets colder, it’s officially that time of year to get wrapped up and watch your favourite film with a hot chocolate or go on a crisp winter walk.
In recent years, many will know of another festive tradition that has become increasingly popular in our high streets and from online retailers – and that’s Black Friday. But what are its origins and why do we have it in the UK?
Here at BBC Bitesize, we’ve taken a look back at the history of Black Friday, when to expect the deals in 2025 and more as customers get ready for one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
1. What is Black Friday and where did it originate?
Featured in much-loved films and television programmes known to generations, Thanksgiving is an American holiday celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday in November.
Dating back to 1621, the celebration sees families from across the United States feast on traditional food such as turkey and pumpkin pie, while giving thanks for everything good in their lives. Black Friday has long been synonymous with the occasion, and every year takes place the day after Thanksgiving (the fourth Friday in November), marking the start of the festive shopping season.
Originating in the States in the 1950s, the day sees shops and retailers temporarily lower prices and draws in crowds of shoppers who are hoping to get their hands on discounted gifts ahead of the festive season - and there’s no doubt thousands upon thousands of families have taken home some absolute bargains through the years.
Why is Black Friday called Black Friday?
Through the years, there has been a lot of debate around where the term Black Friday came from.
Today, it is associated with being one of the biggest shopping days of the year, but the term was first used in the US over a century ago. It was on 24 September 1869 that the term was used in reference to the crash of the US gold market that took place that day.
By the 1950s, the day drew much attention as there were high levels of sickness the day that followed Thanksgiving. But during that decade, the term was popularised in Philadelphia, US, by frustrated local police officers dealing with the chaos as shoppers rushed to buy their Christmas presents the Friday after Thanksgiving. In later years, the retailers wanted to rebrand the name as “Big Friday” - but it didn’t stick.
In later years, some tried to use the phrase more positively, claiming that it marked the day when more retailers and businesses “went into the black” and turned a profit. When discussing money, a business is described as “in the black” when they are making a profit or have no money owed, whereas they can be “in the red” if they have made no profit or owe money.
Today, many know it as the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season.
3. What happens on Black Friday?
On Black Friday, many shops and retailers dedicate the full day to promoting discounts on tonnes of items, from televisions and clothes to toys and gadgets, home appliances, beauty products and more.
It varies depending on the business, but some offer deals from the early hours of the morning through to midnight.
Before the days of online shopping, customers only had the option to head to their favourite shops to see what they could get in their shopping basket and were often met by long queues. While this does still happen, today, a great Black Friday deal may only be one click away.
4. Why do we have Black Friday deals in the UK?
While the tradition first started in the United States, in more recent years, it has been widely adopted by many shops in the UK, both physical and online.
It was in the 2010s that several American-owned retailers, like Amazon, Argos and Asda, began to offer Black Friday promotions here in the UK.
In the early days, it wasn’t uncommon to see news reports and videos on social media that captured the chaos as shoppers competed for the best deals. Not too dissimilar to our long tradition of Boxing Day sales, it’s no wonder we’ve come to mark Black Friday here in the UK.
5. When is Black Friday 2025?
This year, Thanksgiving takes place on 27 November, meaning Black Friday will be on 28 November in 2025. However, several big brands and independent businesses like to start the sales a little earlier.
Black Friday deals can begin in early November - or take place over the week or weekend that Thanksgiving falls on. At this time of year, you’ll likely hear phrases like Cyber Week or Cyber Monday online, which is usually the first Monday after Thanksgiving.
It’s not long now until Black Friday comes back around – so keep your eyes peeled if you want to bag a bargain!
This article was written in November 2025.
