It seems hard to believe that we are just a few weeks away from our annual Thanksgiving Day celebration! After the family gatherings, the feasting & festivities (and of course the mid-afternoon naps!)- many people begin the planning and preparation for BLACK FRIDAY! Let’s take a look at the origin of the term and some statistics.

The day after Thanksgiving has been the unofficial start to the Christmas shopping season since the 1930s but the history of the Friday after Turkey Day began in 1966 when the term ‘Black Friday’ was used to describe the overcrowded streets and shopping conditions in Philadelphia. Today, overcrowded stores and streets are still a part of the scene but we have also added Internet Shopping, 24 Hour Shopping and some have even made taking care of their holiday shopping on this one day of the year, a family tradition. Retailers ramp up for this day, commonly referred to as the day they turn a profit or the retailer’s Black Friday.

As a credit card processing company, we know that many businesses typically see a boost in sales on Black Friday. Our staff is ready to handle the increase in processing activity and while the focus may be on retail- our team would like to say:

• Happy Thanksgiving
• Embrace your Family
• Acknowledge your Blessings

…and then, after you have taken care of the REAL things- Be Safe and Have Fun on BLACK FRIDAY!