Black Friday In Bahrain: A True Celebration?

Black Friday is celebrated in Bahrain, although it is not a public holiday. It falls on the day after Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the last Friday of November. In Bahrain, Black Friday is a time for shopping deals and discounts, with many stores offering promotions and sales. The event is relatively new to the Middle East, having started in 2016, but it has gained popularity among Muslims as it provides an opportunity to purchase gifts for loved ones at discounted prices.

Black Friday sales in Bahrain

Black Friday sales are indeed celebrated in Bahrain, and they are a cause for celebration for bargain hunters! The event started in 2016 and has been growing ever since, with more and more brands joining in and offering amazing discounts and promotions.

In Bahrain, Black Friday falls on November 25 this year, the day after Thanksgiving in the US. While it is not a traditional Muslim holiday, many Muslims in Bahrain have embraced it as an opportunity to purchase gifts for their loved ones at discounted prices.

The best part about Bahrain's Black Friday sales is that they are not limited to just one day. Many retailers extend their deals through the weekend and even into the following week, with some stores offering promotions throughout the entire month of November.

So, what can shoppers expect from Bahrain's Black Friday sales? Here are some highlights:

• Electronics: Xcite offers a 70% discount on home appliances and personal devices. SharafDG.com Bahrain offers up to 70% off on selected items and vouchers with every purchase.
• Clothing: Tommy Hilfiger offers 25%-50% off selected styles, while brands like Calvin Klein, La Vie en Rose, and Riva Official offer flat 40% discounts on everything.
• Shoes: LC Waikiki GCC, Birkenstock Middle East, and Dune London ME offer flat 40% discounts on everything.
• Accessories: Eyewa offers up to 80% off on eyeglasses and coloured lenses.
• Home Furnishings: West Elm offers a 15% discount on all products, plus free shipping to Bahrain until the end of December. Pottery Barn offers an exclusive 15% off promo code and free shipping to Bahrain.
• Cosmetics: Sephora Middle East offers a buy-one-get-one-free deal on the Sephora Collection.

In addition to these deals, many other retailers in Bahrain offer special promotions and discounts during Black Friday sales, including Gap, Modanisa, Styli Shop, and Ubuy.

With so many amazing deals, Bahrain's Black Friday sales are definitely worth checking out!

History of Black Friday

The History of Black Friday

Black Friday, the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, has become one of the most important days for businesses. It marks the start of the Christmas shopping season, with retailers offering discounted sales to attract large crowds. While some form of Black Friday has been around for over 100 years, the term "Black Friday" has darker roots than one might imagine.

The first recorded use of the term "Black Friday" was in 1869, referring to a financial crisis caused by a plunge in gold prices. Two Wall Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, conspired to buy up the nation's gold to drive up prices and sell for astronomical profits. However, the scheme unravelled, causing a stock market free-fall and bankrupting people from all walks of life.

In the late 1800s, stores sponsored Thanksgiving parades, and by the early 1900s, it was common for retailers to kickstart their holiday sales right after Thanksgiving. The term "Black Friday" began to be associated with post-Thanksgiving workforce absenteeism and the chaos that ensued as hordes of shoppers flooded cities like Philadelphia for the Army-Navy football game held the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Philadelphia police coined the term to describe the congestion and mayhem it caused.

By the 1940s, Black Friday gained momentum. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving a week earlier at the behest of business leaders, ensuring retailers could start their holiday sales before December. The term "Black Friday" spread across the nation in the 1980s, with retailers reinventing its origin story. They claimed that it referred to the day when stores finally turned a profit for the year, going from "in the red" to "in the black."

Since then, Black Friday has evolved into a four-day event, with stores opening earlier and earlier, even on Thanksgiving night. The advent of online shopping and events like "Cyber Monday" have further expanded the shopping frenzy, diluting the singular focus of Black Friday.

Black Friday has now gone global, with countries worldwide adopting Black Friday sales, adjusting local customs or creating similar events. In the Middle East, for example, Bahrain has embraced Black Friday sales since 2016, with many Muslims taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase gifts for their loved ones at discounted prices.

Black Friday deals in Bahrain

Although Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Bahrain, Black Friday sales are. In fact, Black Friday is one of the most anticipated shopping events in the country, with retailers offering huge discounts and promotions to shoppers.

Black Friday in Bahrain falls on the same day as in the US, the day after Thanksgiving, which is November 25 this year. However, some online retailers in Bahrain start their Black Friday sales as early as the beginning of November, with deals lasting through the weekend and, in some cases, even longer.

Where to Find the Best Black Friday Deals in Bahrain

If you're looking for the best Black Friday deals in Bahrain, there are plenty of retailers offering amazing discounts on a wide range of products, including electronics, clothing, accessories, and more. Here are some of the top places to find Black Friday deals in Bahrain:

• Online retailers: Many online retailers in Bahrain offer Black Friday deals, with some starting their sales as early as the beginning of November. Popular online retailers for Black Friday deals include Amazon, West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Ubuy.
• Malls and shopping centres: Bahrain is home to several large malls and shopping centres that offer a wide variety of brands and stores. The City Centre Bahrain, for example, is the country's largest mall and features international brands, restaurants, a cinema complex, and a Carrefour supermarket. Other malls such as Al Fateh Mall, East Riffa Mall, and Seef Mall also offer a range of fashion boutiques, jewellery stores, and electronics stores that may have Black Friday deals.
• Traditional markets: For a more unique shopping experience, you can explore Bahrain's traditional markets, such as the Al Aqeelat Souq and Shakhoora Market. These markets are great places to find souvenirs and gifts, and you may even be able to bargain for a better deal.

Popular Black Friday Deals in Bahrain

• Electronics: Up to 90% off on electronics such as tablets, smartphones, and appliances.
• Fashion and accessories: Up to 80% off on clothing, shoes, and accessories from popular brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Nike, and Charles & Keith.
• Perfumes and cosmetics: Up to 50% off on perfumes and cosmetics from brands like Pandora, Swarovski, and Sephora.
• Home appliances: Significant discounts on home appliances from retailers like Xcite, with offers lasting until November 27 in Kuwait and November 28 in Saudi Arabia.
• Furniture: Up to 70% off on furniture and home decor from stores like West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Tatayab.

Remember to check the websites of your favourite retailers or their social media pages for the latest information on Black Friday deals and promotions. Happy shopping!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November and marks the beginning of the holiday season. It is a time when families come together to share a meal, give thanks for the past year, and spend time with loved ones. The holiday is deeply rooted in American history and tradition, dating back to the 17th century when the Pilgrims shared a harvest meal with the Wampanoag tribe.

Black Friday, on the other hand, is the day following Thanksgiving and is considered one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, with retailers offering significant discounts and promotions to attract customers. The term "Black Friday" is believed to have originated in the 1860s during a major stock market crash caused by investors Jay Gould and Jim Fisk driving up gold prices. This event led to a 20% drop in the stock market and had a devastating impact on the US economy.

While Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Bahrain, Black Friday sales have gained popularity in recent years. Bahrain's biggest shopping event offers amazing deals on electronics, accessories, clothing, and more. With discounts extending from Black Friday through Cyber Monday, shoppers in Bahrain can take advantage of extended deals and promotions.

The celebration of Black Friday in Bahrain showcases how a day rooted in American consumerism has spread globally, with people from different cultures and backgrounds embracing the opportunity to purchase gifts for their loved ones at discounted prices.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday is the biggest sale event of the year when retailers offer significant discounts on thousands of products. The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday has become one of the busiest shopping days in the United States. National chain stores traditionally offer limited money-saving deals on a wide range of goods to attract shoppers to their stores and websites.

Black Friday is celebrated in Bahrain, although Thanksgiving itself is not. The event started in 2016 and has been growing since, with many brands offering promotions and discounts. In Bahrain, Black Friday deals are not limited to just the Friday but also run through to Cyber Monday, with some stores extending deals even further.

The name "Black Friday" has a dark history. The term was first used in 1869 following a major stock market crash caused by investors Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, who attempted to corner the US gold market by buying huge amounts of gold and driving up prices. The scheme failed, causing the market to plummet by 20%, and foreign trade stopped. This resulted in bankruptcy for thousands of Americans.

Much later, in the late 1950s to early 1960s, the term was used in Philadelphia by police to describe the chaos caused by large numbers of suburban shoppers and tourists who came into the city for the Army-Navy football game held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The crowds and traffic caused a headache for the police, who had to work long shifts and deal with accidents, shoplifting, and other issues.

In the late 1980s, retailers reinvented Black Friday to reflect the idea of a company moving from loss ("in the red") to profit ("in the black"). Black Friday was marketed as the day stores finally turned a profit for the year. The term caught on, and Black Friday has since morphed into a four-day event, spawning other shopping holidays such as Small Business Saturday/Sunday and Cyber Monday.

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