There was a time—not that long ago—when the Friday after Thanksgiving didn’t have a catchy name. It was simply “the day after,” a time when families polished off leftovers and maybe, just maybe, did a little shopping. Then came “Black Friday,” a term that sounds like it should describe a stock market crash rather than a day of doorbusters and discounted air fryers.

The phrase actually dates back to the 1960s in Philadelphia. Police officers there used the term “Black Friday” to describe the gridlock and chaos downtown when hordes of post-Thanksgiving shoppers and football fans flooded the city. Stores were thrilled by the sales; the police were not amused. Retailers, understandably, didn’t love the negative connotation and briefly tried to rebrand it as “Big Friday.” (That didn’t stick—thankfully.)

By the 1980s, national chains began embracing “Black Friday” as a marketing term, flipping the meaning from gloom to profit. The idea was that retailers moved from “in the red” to “in the black” once the holiday shopping season began. Ads, TV spots, and circulars spread the word. By the late ’90s, “Black Friday” was an unofficial holiday of its own—one that required a thermos of coffee and an alarm clock set for 3 a.m.

Then things got weird. People camped overnight outside stores. Some lined up in tents. Every news station ran the same footage: shoppers stampeding through automatic doors for $10 toasters and half-priced TVs. Somewhere, someone decided that freezing in a parking lot was a fair trade for a discount on electronics they didn’t need.

Fast forward to today, and the scene looks a lot different. Most people shop from their couches in pajama pants, browsing “Black Friday Week,” “Black Friday Month,” and—our personal favorite—“Cyber Monday Extended!” Retailers stretch the deals across weeks, and the once-thrilling chaos has mellowed into a digital scrollathon.

Still, the tradition continues, even if it’s lost some of its madness. Maybe that’s not a bad thing. Families can now spend Thanksgiving night watching movies instead of strategizing their retail battle plans. No one has to run through a parking lot at dawn or risk frostbite for a discounted slow cooker.

The meaning of “Black Friday” has evolved, but the excitement remains. Whether you’re hunting bargains online or just savoring another helping of pie, it’s nice to remember that this unofficial holiday began with good intentions: getting people out, about, and into the holiday spirit.

Just don’t call it “Big Friday.” We tried that already.