Let us give thanks, Black Friday has nothing to do with religion
Retailers hijack all Christian festivals. At least this shopping bonanza unashamedly worships consumerism
‘The church has been useless at exploiting the merchandising possibilities of its festivals. It would prefer the shops to be shut on its big days: Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, er, Sunday.’ Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA
Friday 28 November 2014 02.00 EST
Paul Handley
Nope. I’ve just looked through my Book of Common Prayer, and there is no special liturgy for today. Not even in Common Worship, the modern collection of official Church of England services which, despite its name, aims to cater for all tastes and occasions.
Black Friday, that excitable new entry into an already crowded month, is almost unique in having no relationship with a religious festival. No, Thanksgiving is not a religious festival, nor is it ours: it might be wrong to be complacent, but its over-indulgent bonhomie is one of the few US traditions that has failed to take root in UK soil.
Until now, this is how it all works. A medieval church, maybe an abbey, holds a service once a year to mark the Feast of the Holy Sandal (say). Pilgrims arrive in the town, and need feeding and watering. Local merchants sniff the money and start producing special sandals. Soon, there are little leather sandals on a rope to hang round your neck. The abbot will bless them for you, for a small consideration in the collection plate.
Next, the merchants figure that the product doesn’t have to be sandal-related, really. A sandal-shaped loaf does well, a sandal-branded scrip flies of the shelf, and Sandal Day is up and running. Next, any old tat can be palmed off on the pilgrims, who are primed by now to come to town expecting to shop, or the medieval equivalent (stall?).
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/28/black-friday-nothing-to-do-with-religion-shopping
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