Thanksgiving day 2011 in USA: Frenzy started as Thanksgiving day kickstarts US holiday and frenzied sales and travels

New York / NationalTurk – Thanksgiving day 2011 started the holiday shopping season this Thursday in US, with retailers and travel agencies anxious to see how eager U.S. consumers are willing to spend despite an endless stream of although headlines in the US media about the fragile economy and their own inconsistent finances scares a nation ever apprehensive.

American economy counts on the shopping frenzy that engulfs American citizens at holiday times. However, in the eyes of retailers, the shopping period has been churning along for some time as retailers like Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Toys R Us started early by offering layaway programs, and others offering major deals to lure shoppers. These incentives have raised the stakes for retailers, and when Americans are done with their turkey dinners on Thursday, many will be getting a jump-start on ‘Black Friday’, the biggest shopping day of the year, and one that sets the tone for the entire season and is of great significance for trembling US Economy.

Thanksgiving Day USA : Let the travel and shopping mania begin

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel periods of the year as families make their way over rivers and through miles of woods to Grandma’s and other relatives’ houses for the traditional feast.

The 42.5 million Americans whom AAA projects will take to the roads and airways is up 4% from just a year ago. In 2008, the low point as the recession hit home, Thanksgiving travel was just 37.8 million people.

The cost of travel is also expected to be about 20% higher since the recession began, AAA said. Ninety percent of holiday travelers plan to drive, and will pay almost 20% more for gas, which has reached an average of $3.42 a gallon, the organization said. The cost of air travel is also up by 20%

These incentives have increased the stakes for retailers, and when Americans are done with their turkey dinners on Thursday, many will be getting a jump-start on ‘Black Friday’, the biggest shopping day of the year, and one that sets the tone for the entire season.

Thanksgiving 2011 : Moral and Financial boost for USA at the same time

The National Retail Federation expects sales in November and December to be up 2.8 percent over last year. So retailers see little margin for error in their fight for sales.

In the East, the holiday rush got off to a bit of a messy start after motorists were snared and slowed by sticky goo from a leaky tanker truck that spilled driveway sealant along a 38-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for families and friends to get together for a special meal. The meal often includes a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and vegetables. Thanksgiving Day is a time for many people to give thanks for what they have. Since so many homeless people suffer in America, it is a good day for them too, where they will be remembered and given food and temporary shelter.

Thanksgiving Day parades are held in some cities and towns on or around Thanksgiving Day. It gives partyhappy Americans extra time to party. Some parades or festivities also mark the opening of the Christmas shopping season. Some people have a four-day weekend so it is a popular time for trips and to visit family and friends.

Thanksgiving Day in USA : Black Friday

Black Friday, so named because many retailers become profitable then, serves as the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. Holiday sales may rise 2.8 percent this year, or about half of last year’s 5.2 percent gain, according to the National Retail Federation. The Washington-based NRF will release Thanksgiving weekend sales numbers on Nov. 27.

A 1966 Philadelphia newspaper published what may be the earliest recorded use of the term Black Friday, which referenced the mobs of traffic and people that city police would have to deal with on that day.

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