What is the informal shopping name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day?

The informal shopping name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day is Black Friday.

In the United States, Black Friday falls on the day after Thanksgiving and traditionally marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers often promote major discounts, extended opening hours, and limited-quantity deals, making it one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.

The phrase did not originally refer to retailers becoming profitable. That explanation—moving from “in the red” to “in the black”—became popular later as a marketing-friendly account. The term is widely believed to have been popularized in Philadelphia during the mid-20th century, where police used it to describe the heavy traffic, crowds, and disorder surrounding post-Thanksgiving shopping and the Army–Navy football game.

Black Friday is sometimes confused with Cyber Monday, which takes place the following Monday and emphasizes online shopping. Although the name began in the United States, Black Friday promotions are now common in many countries.