“Supermarket chain desperately wishes for Britons to celebrate holiday based on purchasing large quantities of food” was probably too honest.
Wait, what!? You people don’t have Christmas stuff crammed into every available space in your stores from mid-October? Where do you live? Is the weather nice there and do you have a spare bedroom? Just asking for…no reason.
My historical knowledge is so-so, at best: my reaction when reading the above – based on pretty well the only thing I knew about 1869 – was “what has Claverhouse got against the opening of the first transcontinental railway in North America?”. A quick Google application revealed that the reference is to something greatly different (and four months later).
One of my earlier signatures on the internet was from Stewart H. Holbrook’s The Age of the Moguls.
***Jay Gould had himself elected president of Erie. Fisk was made vice-president and comptroller. Continued tragedy for the Erie was assured. ***
I think Nava might be from Spain.
think you Americans should worry too much about inflicting ‘Black Friday’ on us Brits.
In 1972 I was a student and worked for a week as a temporary sales assistant in Harrods. This was just after Xmas and was publicised as the ‘Harrod’s Sale’.
I was astonished by how big the crowds were on the pavement (US ‘sidewalk’ 
) outside the store minutes before opening.
When the doors were opened, a human wave poured in - I can only describe it as a vast mob with manners. :eek:
My department was Glass and China and I was told that we averaged £500 worth of accidental breakages a day. Allowing for inflation, that’s about $9,700 daily! :smack:
I saw ads in Islamabad and we don’t have Thanksgiving either. Americanists I tell you.:eek:
They could be naughty lads, those railroad tycoons…
I was in Romania a couple of weeks ago and the stores were preparing for Black Friday sales. They’ve never heard of Thanksgiving, but they’ve sure heard of Black Friday. Anything to make a buck!
The U.S. is always to blame for these sorts of things.
Let me put it plainly: it’s the filthy greed and consumerism and stupidity of your own countrymen that’s to blame here.
That goes for all you in mainland Europe as well. Especially YOU there. Yes you!
What njtt said. Harvest Festival is called harvest festival - mainly a church (and primary school) thing. People donate food (used to be fresh produce, but nowadays, more usually non-perishable foodstuffs) that is distributed to those in need, There’s singing, sometimes feasting and drinking, etc.
I suspect a large fraction of Americans would be perfectly OK with this compromise 
Seriously, Black Friday is conspicuous consumption at its ugliest. People lining up all night, usually in cold weather, just to get a good price on a new TV or something. Why, because it’s on sale !!!
While it is consumerism, do note that most merchants world and retailers world over have the concept of special sales. Falling as it does, last week of November, just before the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and before the end of the year, it is a good time as any to have a sale. Many people have been at work more or less continuously since September and are planning to go on holiday in late December. Its a good time for a sale.