Every year, as soon as Thanksgiving is over and the fall decor starts to go away, people begin to turn their attention to one thing: shopping. Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become two of the biggest shopping days of the year, kicking off the holiday season with excitement, long lines, and major discounts. 

For many families, these days are important for their traditions, savings, and the thrill of searching for the best price. For others, the craze makes them question overspending and the pressure to buy. Either way, these two shopping holidays continue to influence how Americans experience the end-of-year season.

Black Friday began long before online shopping even existed. Traditionally held the day after Thanksgiving, it got its name from the idea that retailers would move “into the black,” or become profitable, thanks to the huge number of purchases made that day.

 For decades, shoppers rushed to malls early in the morning, sometimes even camping outside stores, to be first in line for outstanding deals. Shopping centers would consist of packed parking lots and long lines wrapping around buildings, which became a yearly reminder that the holiday shopping season had officially begun.

In recent years, Black Friday has changed. Instead of waiting until the morning, many stores began opening at midnight or even late on Thanksgiving Day, which could allow shoppers to shop with less of a crowd. This started to upset people, because it would take workers away from their families and friends on Thanksgiving, so many stores reverted to opening in the morning on Black Friday. The excitement of waking up early, grabbing coffee, bundling up, and hoping to get a huge discount on all the things you have wanted to get remains a loved tradition for many shoppers.

While Black Friday continues to thrive in stores, Cyber Monday has risen as online shopping has become a thing. First introduced in 2005, Cyber Monday quickly became known as the biggest online shopping day of the year. As internet shopping grew more popular, many people realized they could skip the crowds and shop from the comfort of their own homes instead. This shift especially appealed to students, busy parents, and people who prefer convenience over chaotic aisles and packed parking lots.

Today, Cyber Monday is equally as successful or even more than Black Friday in total sales. With the growth of smartphones and mobile apps, people can shop from anywhere, on their lunch break, on the bus, or while relaxing at home. Major companies like Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart have limited-time “lightning deals,” which create a sense of urgency for shoppers to purchase the items they want as soon as possible. For many shoppers, Cyber Monday feels less stressful and more controlled than Black Friday, allowing them to avoid the crowds while still getting amazing deals on their items they want to purchase.

Despite the differences, Black Friday and Cyber Monday share the same major goal, offering huge discounts to encourage people to make purchases. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have all of their upsides, but that doesn’t disregard their downsides. According to goodonyou.eco, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday have many downsides. One of these includes environmental and waste problems. Because Black Friday and Cyber Monday lead to large purchases and orders, more goods are manufactured, packaged, and shipped globally. During 2023’s Black Friday alone is estimated to have emitted 429,000 tons of greenhouse gases just from product deliveries.

There are additionally some ethical concerns about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Some retailers try to put a “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” label on Black Friday discounts, but it is argued that often this is superficial. Overpurchasing by customers, even of items advertised as “eco-friendly,” still creates waste and emissions, making these claims unethical.

The pressure to score deals encourages people to buy things they don’t need, contributing to waste and financial strain. Limited time deals, and social pressure associated with Black Friday and Cyber Monday lead many people to purchase items they don’t need and later on, having regrets.

Overall, whether shoppers prefer waking up before sunrise to stand in line or prefer shopping for deals on their laptop from their home, these days have become key parts of the Thanksgiving week experience and of shopping in the US. As long as people are searching for the best deals, the excitement of Black Friday and Cyber Monday will continue to exist, and continue to be the biggest shopping event of the year.