Sir,– Black Friday originated in the US as the day following Thanksgiving, which is always on the fourth Thursday in November. For US citizens it is one of the few times in the year when they can have four whole days off work. With the result, shopping malls are overcrowded and the traffic jams have to be seen to be believed. As a result, the shops have sales with hyped-up advertising leading to the actual day.
In Ireland, we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving; it is an American celebration, one which we observe from afar.
So how on earth can we have “Black Friday” sales here for most of November when we don’t have Thanksgiving or a four-day holiday? Is it just an opportunity for shops to off-load out-of-date stock?
Or are the shops covering their rear ends in case there is a Covid lockdown in December?
– Yours, etc,
TONY CORCORAN
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14.