Black Friday is the biggest shopping event of the year, taking place the day after Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November). Although it began in the United States in the mid-20th century, it has since become a major retail event across the globe — including here in the UK and Ireland, as well as in countries like Germany, Brazil, India, Norway, and France. It’s now widely recognised as the busiest shopping period of the year, offering some of the most exciting deals and discounts across a wide range of products.

Black Friday starts on the last Friday of November. This year, that’s the 28th.

Although Black Friday traditionally lasts for one day, many stores now extend their sales across the entire weekend.

Cyber Monday, which is regarded as the online version of Black Friday, is a 24-hour online shopping event which started in 2005. It takes place on the Monday after Black Friday.

The term “Black Friday” originated in 1950s Philadelphia, when police used it to describe the busy day after Thanksgiving, marked by heavy traffic and crowded streets. Another theory links the term to retailers going from being “in the red” (losses) to “in the black” (profit) thanks to a surge in sales.Though Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in the UK or Ireland, Black Friday has grown into a major shopping event here, with retailers offering some of their biggest discounts of the year.

More info on this will be released closer to the start date. Stay tuned!