This frenzied shopping day that marks the beginning of the holiday season, is a phenomenon that has transcended its origins to become a global consumer extravaganza.
Each year as retailers we all jump two feet into Black Friday events, but where does it come from?
The Origins of Black Friday
Black Friday’s roots can be traced back to the mid-20th century. The term was initially coined in the 1960s in Philadelphia to describe the chaotic post-Thanksgiving shopping frenzy. It wasn’t associated with bargains or deals; instead, it referred to the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that clogged the city streets as shoppers and tourists swarmed the area. The term “Black Friday” was not initially seen as positive but rather as a description of the congestion and disorder that accompanied the day.
The Shift from Chaos to Consumerism
Black Friday evolved over the years, transforming from a day of urban pandemonium into a day of consumer opportunity. Retailers recognised the potential to capitalise on the massive crowds, and they began offering special discounts and sales to lure shoppers into their stores. These deals often started early in the morning, and people lined up outside stores well before dawn to snag the best deals. By the late 20th century, Black Friday had become synonymous with extraordinary shopping deals.
The Black Friday Phenomenon
Today, Black Friday has become a worldwide shopping event, extending far beyond its Philadelphia origins. Retailers and consumers alike anticipate this day with excitement. It serves as the kickstart for the holiday shopping season and an opportunity for retailers to generate significant revenue.
Retailers continue to mark Black Friday on their calendars for several reasons:
- Boosting Sales: Black Friday typically offers substantial discounts and limited-time promotions, which draw in large crowds of eager shoppers. This influx of customers leads to significant sales volumes.
- Clearing Inventory: Retailers use Black Friday as an opportunity to clear out older inventory to make room for newer products, ensuring that their stores remain up-to-date and appealing to customers.
- Creating Hype: Black Friday generates excitement and anticipation among consumers. The limited-time nature of the deals and the competitive atmosphere create a sense of urgency, encouraging people to shop.
- Tradition: Black Friday has become ingrained in our culture as a holiday shopping tradition. People eagerly await the sales and view it as an essential part of the holiday season.
- Online and In-Store Sales: With the advent of online shopping, retailers have extended Black Friday to the digital realm, making it easier for customers to participate, even if they don’t want to brave the crowds in physical stores.
What does Black Friday mean for Welsh Witch
Yes, we want generate interest and excitement in our handcrafted spirits, however we will never use this as a way push a limited range of Welsh Witch products.
We want to use this as an opportunity to offer customers the opportunity to save money and get ready for Christmas.
This year from now until 1 December, helping to spread the magic of Welsh Witch.
Black Friday’s history is one of transformation, evolving from a term describing chaos to a worldwide shopping phenomenon. While the origins of the name might be linked to chaos, the modern Black Friday is now a celebration of consumerism and an integral part of the holiday season for people around the world.
What makes Welsh Witch different is a distinct connection with Mother Earth in all our processes and a distilling process charged by the moon.
Cleanse your space energetically in a way that feels right for you; I love clove incense, but burning garden sage, using a silver bell or even visualisation may work for you.
Lizzie Burgess, a secular divination Bosswitch, runs 
This time of cosiness and darker evenings is a great invitation to look deeper within yourself. What is it you have been working towards this year? Get reflective and look at the bigger picture: are you happy with the direction your life is going in? If not, why not? If you could relive this past year again, what would you do differently? It’s important to not be too harsh on yourself during this process. Approach from a place of kindness and compassion towards yourself; this is not meant to be a harmful exercise. Use it as a tool to prepare yourself for the winter months ahead. Is there something you’d like to try this winter? Is there an old friend you’d like to get back in touch with? Use this time to think and sink within to see the bigger picture.
Winter is sometimes long and dark, so why not try and make it as fun as possible? Autumn reminds us that it’s good to play and have fun. Do you remember how fun it was as a child running around in the crunchy leaves? Autumn invites you to play: set up a blanket fort with your loved ones, or carve out an entire afternoon just to read with a good book and a pot of tea. Indulge your cosy self in all the lovely autumnal activities and romanticise this time of year!
This one is a great way to celebrate Samhain too; this idea of honouring the change of the seasons and appreciating the cycle of the year. Make an wreath out of branches and autumn leaves and hang on your door, or create a garland out of dried oranges to invite the lovely wintery smell of citrus into your space. It could be as simple as lighting an autumnal-scented candle or adding an autumnal drink to your repertoire.
This one is a really simple one which doesn’t require anything other than a bit of spare time and perhaps a companion to join you. Get outside and enjoy a lovely autumnal walk! Get inspired by the changing of the leaves and let the cool air remind you that summer has passed, autumn is here and we are always in motion. Enjoy the right now, because with each passing day, everything is changing within the Wheel of the Year. Perhaps say aloud a passage of gratitude for nature and the ever-changing wonder it provides. You could choose to go deeper into this and opt for a nature meditation, forest bathing or a wild-camping night – make it your own!
To create our Welsh Witch Craft Gins, we use the London Dry Gin process, an age-old method which we find to be the best for our products. We start with our base of NGS (which stands for neutral grain spirit), which is what is used as the foundations of any white spirit. At this point, we mix our NGS with Welsh Water, which we use to keep our spirits packed with as many Welsh ingredients as we can. We source our Welsh water from the Ffynnon Beuno well, where it is believed over centuries to have healing powers within it. This intertwines our beloved Welsh folklore with our spirits right from the get-go.
Each bottle before it reaches the shops or your hands is hand-finished with a cork and sealed with wax, as well as a beautiful mystical label: part of our iconic witchy branding. You can really feel the love in each drop. If you decide to give your own brewing a go, picking high quality ingredients is the best tip for making sure your spirit is as luxurious as can be.
