Black Friday In Canada
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Black Friday is a holiday in the United States that takes place every year the day after American Thanksgiving (i.e. the last Friday of November; note: this is not to be confused with Thanksgiving In Canada , which is celebrated in October). Black Friday introduces the beginning of the Christmas season in the USA, as it provides an opportunity to begin Christmas shopping with massive discounts on products of all kinds at virtually all stores.
In the context of Canada, however, Black Friday is not considered a holiday (see blog post, “holiday”), and it does not really introduce the Christmas season, as that typically begins somewhere between November 1st and November 12th (see blog post, “Christmas Season In Canada”). In Canada, Black Friday is simply a day when select businesses will offer some discounts. Though, admittedly, the American holiday is becoming more popular in Canada every year–as influence from the States continues to grow in the country–it is still not as widely observed as it is in the US (as of 2024). As a result, many businesses do not participate in the sales event, and if they do, the discounts are not always as impressive (e.g. 10-30% off vs. American discounts of 50-90% off). Consequently, there is less incentive to shop on this day in Canada–though you might find some Canadians making online purchases on American websites.
One reason why Black Friday is not as popular in Canada could also be due to the preexistence of a similar holiday in the country, Boxing Day. This day takes place during Christmastide the day after Christmas Day, December 26th. On this day, and for the week following, sales averagely ranging from 30-90% off populate nearly every store, which draws large crowds. So, having two days–or in some cases, two-plus weeks–of such a sales event could be considered difficult to manage for certain businesses, particularly smaller ones.
Do you celebrate Black Friday where you live? How do you celebrate it? Let me know in the comments below.
