Black Friday is best known for its crazy deals and the even crazier consumers that come along with it. As the first day after Thanksgiving, the last major holiday before Christmas, Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. But have you ever wondered, Why call it Black Friday? You’re not alone.

This day was originally dubbed Black Friday because so many people went out to shop that there were many more accidents and also heightened likeliness of violence. However, retailers didn’t appreciate these negative connotations associated with the day that brought them so much business, so they decided to the name Black Friday to reflect their success.  Accountants use black to signify profit when recording each day’s book entries. Red is used to mean loss. Therefore, Black Friday means profitable Friday to retailing and to the economy. This is also why prices are so low on Black Friday.