While Thanksgiving has led businesses to launch Black Friday to get shoppers into stores, countries around the world have turned average dates on the calendar into must-shop events. Here, a man waits for his date during a matchmaking activity to mark Singles Day in Chongqing, China, on November 11, 2006.
Global Shopping Holidays —
While Thanksgiving has led businesses to launch Black Friday to get shoppers into stores, countries around the world have turned average dates on the calendar into must-shop events. Here, a man waits for his date during a matchmaking activity to mark Singles Day in Chongqing, China, on November 11, 2006.
China Photos/Getty Images
A woman looks at notes hung on balloons by single men and women who hope to meet members of the opposite sex in Chongqing, China on Singles Day.
China's Singles Day —
A woman looks at notes hung on balloons by single men and women who hope to meet members of the opposite sex in Chongqing, China on Singles Day.
China Photos/Getty Images
Chiaki Kobayashi, an employee of Japan's leading underwear maker Wacoal, displays 'cinema lingerie' packed in a video cassette tape case-- a gift to mark White Day, one of Japan's romantic holidays.
Japan's White Day —
Chiaki Kobayashi, an employee of Japan's leading underwear maker Wacoal, displays 'cinema lingerie' packed in a video cassette tape case-- a gift to mark White Day, one of Japan's romantic holidays.
KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images
People crowd Macy's department store in New York at the start of Black Friday shopping weekend. Thanksgiving is now victim to the Christmas shopping season, with stores welcoming shopaholics before the turkey can be taken from the oven.
America's Black Friday —
People crowd Macy's department store in New York at the start of Black Friday shopping weekend. Thanksgiving is now victim to the Christmas shopping season, with stores welcoming shopaholics before the turkey can be taken from the oven.
Shoppers queue outside of a Best Buy store during its Black Friday sale, which started at midnight on Friday in Rockville, Maryland.
America's Black Friday —
Shoppers queue outside of a Best Buy store during its Black Friday sale, which started at midnight on Friday in Rockville, Maryland.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images