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Black Friday is a term we’re all familiar with - it’s one of the biggest shopping days of the year! - but what’s it all about? Where did it come from? And how much are we really spending in total on the day?

In the United States, Black Friday has been around since the 1960s. There are many different supposed origins of the term, but a popular belief is that while stores struggled to stay out of the red throughout the year, their profits finally hit the black the day after Thanksgiving. Now that the turkey was out of the way, the next big event in the calendar was Christmas, and families wanted to start buying presents.

Black Friday in the UK

In the United Kingdom, it’s a much more recent concept. Black Friday on this side of the pond can be traced back to 2003, but it wasn’t until 2013 that it really became huge - this is when Asda (part of the US-based Walmart chain) - announced that they would be bringing the tradition to Britain.

2014 was by far the biggest Black Friday in the UK to date, with big names like John Lewis also getting in on the bargain action. However, despite predictions, 2014 sales figures failed to knock Boxing Day off the top spot. While £810 million was spent on Black Friday last year, a whopping £2.7 billion was spent on Boxing Day. This year, all that is expected to change, and Black Friday is anticipated to take over!

Experts are estimating that Black Friday sales in 2015 will be boosted by up to 17 percent online, and by roughly 4 percent in store and, according to Google, Black Friday searches are up by more than 3 percent on last year! Amazon are reported to be offering twice as many Black Friday deals this year, bringing their sales range up to 7000 products and offering more choice to bargain hunters.

If you picture ‘paradise’ in your head, you’ll probably imagine something that looks pretty close to Mauritius. This stunning Indian Ocean island has the stereotypical white sandy beaches, clear blue waters, hot and sunny weather, and the fruity (and potent!) cocktails that most holidaymakers dream of. Destinations like Flic en Flac are very popular with honeymooners who want to relax surrounded by true luxury, with the Wolmar area - located just outside the town - offering some of the most secluded beaches in all of Mauritius. There’s just you, the water, and a few weeping filaos. Perfect!

Away From The Beach

Mauritius really is a beach-lover’s dream come true, but the island actually has a lot more to offer than first meets the eye. Believe it or not, Mauritius is bursting with culture and history, and evidence of the Dutch, French, and British settlers can still be seen in many of the inland regions. Similarly, the coastal towns are also fantastic places to learn more about the island’s history. The capital city boasts the famous Port Louis Market which sells all sorts of colonial handicrafts, while Aapravasi Ghat is well worth a look if you’re interested in learning more about the Indian settlement.

While there are no less than 8 semi-official languages of Mauritius, English and French are some of the most widely spoken, which makes it a very popular destination for Brits who don’t want to worry about the language barrier. However, learning a few words in Mauritian Creole certainly won’t do any harm - try ‘Bonzur’ (hello), ‘Merci’ (goodbye) and ‘La Plaz’ (beach). It’s very similar to French.

When To Go

There’s really no ‘bad’ time to visit Mauritius. The summer months tend to be a little wetter, but the temperature remains pretty stable across the year. Whenever you choose to visit, don’t miss out on visiting a local rum distillery. With the island being on the original spice route that joined Asia to Europe via the Indian Ocean, Middle East, and Suez Canal, spiced rums with notes of cloves and ginger are hugely popular, and make a refreshing change from the standard white and dark rums available back home. Give them a try! 

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