How soon history is forgotten. Although in this reporters defense, they might not be old enough to remember how what is now "black Friday" came to be.<p>If one is old enough (and old enough is generally about 40+) one remembers that what is now "black Friday" was originally the <i>very first day</i> of the Christmas shopping season. The stores simply did not put out any Christmas products until the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is why that Friday is so associated with Christmas shopping.<p>But the Friday after Thanksgiving was <i>not</i> a day of discounts and sales to try to drive shopping (as it has become). Back when it was the <i>start</i> of the seasons, there were also typically <i>no</i> discounts or sales until the day after Christmas. It was the first day to shop, which is why so much shopping happened that day. In the ensuing 40 some years it has morphed into the "big discount day" it has now become.