Blue Thursday

GtrsRGr8 · 12-21-2019, 01:36 AM

I would like to propose a new sales holiday.

I propose "Blue Thursday." It would fall on the day _after_ Christmas, each year.

Why blue? Because that's how you feel each year the day after Christmas, when it hits you just how much you've spent--and overspent, how many days you're going to have to work to pay for it all, and the interest on credit cards that will accrue--before you pay it all off (whatever happened to "Christmas _savings_ accounts"?). _Et al._

Since this sales holiday will always fall on the day after Christmas, it will become easy to remember. The day of the week will change each year, however. I've checked the calendar, and next year it will be "Blue Saturday". You won't need to circle the date on your calendar--being the day after Christmas, you'll automatically know the day of the week every year!

Whaddya think? Will people go for it? Personally, I predict that it will be a big hit, once people get used to it.

Remember: you heard it on MobileRead first.

ilovejedd · 12-21-2019, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

I would like to propose a new sales holiday.

I propose "Blue Thursday." It would fall on the day _after_ Christmas, each year.

Whaddya think? Will people go for it? Personally, I predict that it will be a big hit, once people get used to it.

Remember: you heard it on MobileRead first.

I'm betting retailers will find a way to cash in on that, too.

OtinG · 12-21-2019, 10:52 AM

My mom always went shopping right after the Christmas holidays and picked up leftover, discounted items like wrapping paper, etc. She also picked up a few bigger ticket items that were cheap and hid them away until next Christmas. Mom died nearly three decades ago, so people have been doing that “Blue Days After” shopping for a long time, at least 4 or 5 decades that I can remember. Nothing new here. The generation that grew up during the Great Depression invented that long before we were even around!

BetterRed · 12-21-2019, 06:34 PM

Outside of the USA its already been done, they're known as Boxing Day Sales - which run from Dec 26 through Jan 1 or thereabouts. AFAIK Boxing Day Sales predate the Black Friday Sales by decades.

I loathe that phrase. Until fairly recently "Black Friday" in Australia referred to Jan 23, that being the day in 1939 when 71 people were killed in bushfires - which is currently most apposite. Now it refers to the day people are encouraged to buy unnecessary ware, with money created from thin air, to impress people who don't really care.

BR

Uncle Robin · 12-21-2019, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterRed

Outside of the USA its already been done, they're known as Boxing Day Sales - which run from Dec 26 through Jan 1 or thereabouts. AFAIK Boxing Day Sales predate the Black Friday Sales by decades.

BR

Yes, many decades. AFAIK, "Boxing Day" is a Commonwealth thing, a relic of Empire. It's a little surprising that the OP has never heard of Boxing Day, since they're in the US and it is both a public holiday and a big shopping day just north of the border.

4691mls · 12-22-2019, 08:04 PM

I know from past posts that Gtrsrgr8 lives in the southern US. As a fellow Southerner I can say that although I am aware of Boxing Day it is not a common term around here. The first time I heard of it I mistakenly thought it had something to do with the sport of boxing

In the US, the 26th is typically the day people go to stores to return all the stuff they got for Christmas but didn't want/wrong size/etc.

binaryhermit · 12-25-2019, 01:01 AM

I mean, sometimes this sort of thing happens before Christmas, I work at a grocery store and a lot of stuff that doesn't really expire that soon had markdown coupons on it.

Like, I saw some christmas baked goods (cookies? cupcakes?) with an expiration date well into January marked down today.

crich70 · 01-06-2020, 08:27 PM

Methinks that it already has a theme song too.

crich70 · 01-06-2020, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Yes, many decades. AFAIK, "Boxing Day" is a Commonwealth thing, a relic of Empire. It's a little surprising that the OP has never heard of Boxing Day, since they're in the US and it is both a public holiday and a big shopping day just north of the border.

Isn't Boxing Day the day when traditionally servants and their master's would switch places for the day?

BetterRed · 01-07-2020, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

Isn't Boxing Day the day when traditionally servants and their master's would switch places for the day?

I was taught that Boxing day stems from the Middle Ages. Feudal lords would handout the leftovers of the lavish Christmas lunch/dinner/supper prepared by their villeins for the previous day. The leftovers were placed in raffia 'boxes' made by the lord's women-folk.

Switching places sounds like an aristocratic myth to me, unless it's a reference to the short lived Peasant's Revolt - when blood-letting would have preceded any swapping

BR

Uncle Robin · 01-07-2020, 04:02 AM

Snopes has a very good summary of the various origin theories, all disputed:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/boxing-day/

12-21-2019, 01:36 AM	#1
GtrsRGr8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,334 Karma: 27815322 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Southeastern U.S., ya'll Device: Kindle; Kindle (10.1.1) for PC; Kindle Cloud Reader	Blue Thursday I would like to propose a new sales holiday. I propose "Blue Thursday." It would fall on the day _after_ Christmas, each year. Why blue? Because that's how you feel each year the day after Christmas, when it hits you just how much you've spent--and overspent, how many days you're going to have to work to pay for it all, and the interest on credit cards that will accrue--before you pay it all off (whatever happened to "Christmas _savings_ accounts"?). _Et al._ Since this sales holiday will always fall on the day after Christmas, it will become easy to remember. The day of the week will change each year, however. I've checked the calendar, and next year it will be "Blue Saturday". You won't need to circle the date on your calendar--being the day after Christmas, you'll automatically know the day of the week every year! Whaddya think? Will people go for it? Personally, I predict that it will be a big hit, once people get used to it. Remember: you heard it on MobileRead first. Last edited by GtrsRGr8; 12-21-2019 at 01:52 AM.

12-22-2019, 08:04 PM	#6
4691mls Wizard Posts: 2,776 Karma: 30081762 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: US Device: ALL DEVICES ARE STOCK: Kobo Clara, Tolino Shine 2, Sony PRS-T3, T1	I know from past posts that Gtrsrgr8 lives in the southern US. As a fellow Southerner I can say that although I am aware of Boxing Day it is not a common term around here. The first time I heard of it I mistakenly thought it had something to do with the sport of boxing In the US, the 26th is typically the day people go to stores to return all the stuff they got for Christmas but didn't want/wrong size/etc. Last edited by 4691mls; 12-22-2019 at 08:09 PM.

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12-21-2019, 10:52 AM	#3
OtinG Old Gadget Guy Posts: 1,913 Karma: 6854865 Join Date: Jun 2018 Device: Oasis 3, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 2020, Alexa Devices	My mom always went shopping right after the Christmas holidays and picked up leftover, discounted items like wrapping paper, etc. She also picked up a few bigger ticket items that were cheap and hid them away until next Christmas. Mom died nearly three decades ago, so people have been doing that “Blue Days After” shopping for a long time, at least 4 or 5 decades that I can remember. Nothing new here. The generation that grew up during the Great Depression invented that long before we were even around!

12-21-2019, 06:34 PM	#4
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,004 Karma: 27620706 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Outside of the USA its already been done, they're known as Boxing Day Sales - which run from Dec 26 through Jan 1 or thereabouts. AFAIK Boxing Day Sales predate the Black Friday Sales by decades. I loathe that phrase. Until fairly recently "Black Friday" in Australia referred to Jan 23, that being the day in 1939 when 71 people were killed in bushfires - which is currently most apposite. Now it refers to the day people are encouraged to buy unnecessary ware, with money created from thin air, to impress people who don't really care. BR

12-25-2019, 01:01 AM	#7
binaryhermit Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,732 Karma: 20469902 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Lockport, IL Device: Kindle PW4, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	I mean, sometimes this sort of thing happens before Christmas, I work at a grocery store and a lot of stuff that doesn't really expire that soon had markdown coupons on it. Like, I saw some christmas baked goods (cookies? cupcakes?) with an expiration date well into January marked down today.

01-06-2020, 08:27 PM	#8
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,309 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	Methinks that it already has a theme song too.

01-07-2020, 04:02 AM	#11
Uncle Robin Diligent dilettante Posts: 3,448 Karma: 49052774 Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: in my mind Device: Kobo Sage; Kobo Libra H2O	Snopes has a very good summary of the various origin theories, all disputed: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/boxing-day/

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