黑色星期五在美国也用来指每年感恩节之后的第一天。这一天通常被认为标志着圣诞购物期的正式开始，被看作是每年零售业圣诞销售业绩的晴雨表，也是一年中各个商家最看重也是最繁忙的日子之一。

关于黑色星期五这一叫法的起源，较普遍的一种认为看法是，由于这一天是感恩节（11月第四个星期四）后开业的第一天，同时人们通常由此开始圣诞节大采购，很多商店都会顾客盈门从而有大额进帐。而传统上用不同颜色的墨水来记账，红色表示亏损即赤字，黑色则为有盈利。所以把这个星期五叫做黑色星期五，用以期待这一天过后，年度营收由负转正，由红字转为黑字。而商店的员工则使用黑色星期五这一名字来自嘲，表示这一天会忙得要死。

虽然黑色星期五这一天一般都会是一个大的采购狂潮，但基本还只能算是一年中销售额第二或第三高的一天，通常圣诞节前夜或之前的一个星期六才是最高潮。

在黑色星期五这天，绝大多数商店都会清晨五、六点钟就开门，有的甚至更早。商家更会采取提前在感恩节几天前的报纸上刊登广告，发放优惠券，对商品大幅降价等措施来吸引顾客。很多消费者把这一天看作准备圣诞礼物或买到便宜货的黄金时刻，由于降价商品数量有限，很多热门商店（如沃尔玛）门前在前一天晚上就会排起长队。而商店开门的一刻也偶尔会由于过于拥挤争抢而酿成踩踏事件。

由于各商家往往到最后一刻才公布自己的降价商品清单，并把这看作商业秘密，而网络上往往在几个星期前就出现了从各种渠道得到的降价消息，从而引发了一些法律纠纷。

When is Black Friday? 黑五是哪一天？

The day following Thanksgiving: 感恩节的后一天

*Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November: 感恩节是11月第四个星期四

Black Friday history: 历史悠久

The concept has been around for many decades now: 黑五的概念已经存在很久了

It started in the 1930's. FDR wanted to get people shopping to boost the economy: 30年代，美国总统富兰克林罗斯福希望通过节日购物来刺激经济

Where did the name come from? 

为什么叫“黑五”？

Many different versions of the stories: 有很多版本

1) It refers to stores numbers turning from red to black: 商家的收支从红色变成黑色

In the red: 亏损

Turn black: 扭亏为盈 

Break even: 收支平衡、打平

Become profitable: 盈利

2) Refers to heavy traffic and people going to town to shop: 形容黑压压的车流和人潮，涌入市区购物

黑五情景小对话

A: I can’t believe you dragged me out here at 4 am to wait for Best Buy to open. I’m still in a food coma from last night.

B: Are you kidding? Did you see the door buster deals this year? We would’ve been stupid to not come.

A: I don’t understand why you want all this stuff, though. Couldn’t we have just slept in today and bought these things at home from the comfort of our pajamas on Cyber Monday?

B: Yeah, but the deals just aren’t as good. I really want a new DSLR, and the first 15 people in can get one for only $299.99.

A: That’s the only reason we’re out here waiting in the bitter cold right now?

B: No, they have some great deals on DVDs and other gadgets, too. We can stock up on small gifts so that we don’t have to do anymore Christmas shopping next month. This is such an exciting way to get into the holiday spirit!

A: But honey, I’m Jewish – you know that shopping like this isn’t really my version of “holiday spirit”.

B: You’re right, Hanukkah isn’t really about consumerism in the same way that Christmas is these days. I’ll make sure then to not get you that new4k TV that is only $499.99 for the first five people in the door.

A: What?! $499.99?! When are these doors going to open?!

All couples argue the same way, no matter where they're from: 世界上所有的夫妻斗嘴都是一样的

这段对话：实用、真实；学语言、学文化

具体看看对话里的金句

#1. Drag someone out：硬拉去购物

The husband isn't very eager about shopping on Black Friday: 对话里的老公对黑五好像没什么热情

他说：

"I can’t believe you dragged me out here at 4 am to wait for Best Buy to open."

Drag someone to somewhere/ to do something: 硬拉某人出来，对方不情愿

#2. Food coma: 吃撑了

If you eat way too much and can't even move, you're in a food coma: 吃得太撑了，完全不能动，你就进入“食物昏迷”状态了

Many Americans are in food comas after the Thanksgiving feast: 很多美国人感恩节大餐后都有food coma

Many Chinese too after the Chinese New Year feast: 中国人春节团圆饭后也是

#3. Door buster deals：秒杀抢货

Get door buster deals: 商店一开门，就冲进去抢打折货

To bust doors: 挤破门

You need to go super early to wait for the stores to open in order to get the best deals: 要天不亮就去排队、等商店开门，才能抢到最大的折扣

Limited supplies: 限量供应

Sold out? Out of luck? 没抢到货？

No sweat! 没关系! 

#4. Cyber Monday：网购周一

Don't worry if you missed out on Black Friday deals, there's Cyber Monday: 错过黑五折扣也没关系，还有网购周一

Discounts will continue online: 电商继续打折

There'll also be the Christmas sale, New Year sale, etc. You'll have plenty of opportunities to spend money: 之后还有圣诞打折、元旦打折，要花钱，机会很多

#5. $99.99: 美国价格都是9

口语怎么说价格？

$299.99: two ninety nine, ninety nine

$4999: forty nine, ninety nine

You'll hear a little pause after the digit: 小数点后面会有一个小停顿

＃6. Gadgets: 电子产品

Gadgets are always popular on Black Friday: 电子产品黑五特别受欢迎

DSLR (digital single lens reflex): 单反相机

Lens: 镜头

#7. Stock up on things: 囤货

Stock up on things: 囤货

比如：

Stock up on toilet paper: 囤点厕纸

Stock up on baby formula: 囤奶粉

You're very practical: 你好会过日子

＃8. Happy Hanukkah! 美国犹太人不过圣诞节

Prominent Jewish community in the US: 美国的犹太人地位很高

They don't celebrate Christmas: 他们不过圣诞节

They celebrate Hanukkah:  他们庆祝光明节（也在12月 ）

If you know someone is Jewish, you can say "Happy Hanukkah" to them: 所以如果你知道对方是犹太人，12月可以说光明节快乐