Origin and impact of new mass consumption days
Consumption linked to celebrations has long been part of our calendar. Dates like Three Kings’ Day or Saint George’s Day have deep cultural roots and associate the gift with affection and social bonds, beyond the act of purchase.
In recent years, however, days marked by mass consumption have gained prominence, such as Black Friday, Blue Monday, or Singles’ Day. These dates, driven by marketing, have become globalized and have influenced the way we shop. Understanding their origin helps to comprehend the impact they have on our consumption habits.
The unexpected origin of Black Friday: from traffic chaos to global phenomenon
Despite being today one of the most popular consumption dates in the world, very few people know the real origin of Black Friday, which is celebrated on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States. Millions of people fill stores and online platforms in search of discounts, even though this tradition predates digital shopping.
The first documented use of the term “Black Friday” dates back to 1869, when a failed attempt to corner the gold market caused a financial collapse on Wall Street. However, its current meaning originated in the 1950s in Philadelphia, when the police used the expression “Black Friday” to describe the traffic chaos and overcrowding caused by the start of Christmas shopping after Thanksgiving, a term that retailers eventually adopted.
From the 1960s, the concept became popular and, by the 21st century, large retail chains transformed it into a major day of discounts, extending opening hours and opening early in the morning, thus boosting its international expansion. In our region, Black Friday began to be implemented from 2012, and in 2015, more than two million people shopped, with an average expenditure close to 300 euros in a single day.
Blue Monday: the “saddest day of the year,” a marketing creation
Blue Monday, celebrated on the third Monday of January, has become popular as the saddest day of the year, although it has no scientific basis. The concept emerged in 2005 in the United Kingdom as part of an advertising campaign by the travel agency Sky Travel, now defunct.
The idea spread based on a supposed mathematical formula, devised by Professor Cliff Arnall, associated with Cardiff University, which aimed to explain the day with the most negative emotional charge of the year based on factors such as winter weather, post-Christmas debts, lack of motivation, failure to keep New Year’s resolutions, and lack of daylight hours. Despite having been discredited by the scientific community, the date has become established in the collective imagination.
Currently, Blue Monday has become a marketing tool to reactivate consumption during a period of low commercial activity, with discounts and campaigns focused on emotional well-being.
Singles’ Day (11/11): from a celebration of singlehood to a digital commerce giant
Singles’ Day, also known as 11.11 or Global Shopping Festival, is celebrated every November 11 and has become one of the most relevant dates in the global commercial calendar, even surpassing other mass consumption days, such as Black Friday, in sales volume.
The celebration originated in China during the 1990s, driven by university students who wanted to assert singlehood and personal independence. The symbolism of the number “1,” associated with individuality, led to the date 11/11, which was initially commemorated with exchanges of gifts among friends as a gesture of self-esteem and community.
Over time, this day evolved into a major commercial event, led by e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com. Despite its roots in China, Singles’ Day has crossed borders and is now a key digital marketing tool on a global scale.
After analyzing the impact of days like Black Friday, Blue Monday, or Singles’ Day, a reflection arises on the meaning of consumption in our daily lives. Not all dates on the calendar have the same origin or respond to the same logic. Celebrations like Three Kings’ Day or Saint George’s Day originate from legends and popular traditions that are part of our collective culture, and which have associated the act of giving gifts with the expression of love, affection, and social bonds, beyond the material value of objects.
Along the same lines, days like Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, despite having been promoted with a commercial component, maintain an emotional background and recognition towards the people we love. The challenge is to preserve this meaning and prevent consumption from becoming an automatic act, disconnected from the original meaning of the celebration.
Opting for more conscious, responsible, and local consumption is also a way to defend values and decide how we want to live as a society. Because, ultimately, the way we consume also expresses who we are and what we want to be. And, therefore, to be able to say loud and clear: I am what I want to be!
