We have been noting local businesses advertising “Black Friday” retail events yesterday, Friday, November 24.

What’s this Black Friday thing? Is it commemorating the Friday before Easter as some Christian traditions describe it? Can’t be.

Perhaps it’s to do with the 1939 Black Friday bushfires in Victoria? No, that was on January 13.

Maybe it has something to do with the British label of Black Friday marking last year’s Brexit vote? No, that was in June.

Some Brits call the last Friday before Christmas Black Friday, but last time we checked there were still four Fridays to go. Scary thought that one.

Sadly, it’s an American thing. It’s the official start of the pre-Christmas buying season and has been hijacked by the retail industry as a day of cheap prices to try to get your money out of your bank account as early as possible.

In the US there are entire websites devoted to who’s taking part in Black Friday and what they’re trying to flog you. It’s creeping into Australia with some reports saying the Black Friday “spending frenzy” saw a six per cent lift in pre-Christmas retail sales last year.

You will be annoyed to hear that this Monday is – according to US retailers and some here – Cyber Monday.

DTM is declaring today: Leave Me Alone Saturday.

+++

Not all advertising is so shallow it would be out of its depth in a car park puddle.

We gleefully report the following noted in our neck of the woods in the past week.

In the window of a shoe repair shop (this, we assure you is not a load of old cobblers):

“I will heel you. I will save your sole. I will even dye for you.”

+++

And these offerings came from handmade signs on bikes outside a cycle shop.

On a tandem: “Two-wheeled marriage counselling. Hire a tandem for a day from just $35 and ride the Great Victorian Rail Trail together. Will your marriage survive it?”

On a child’s bicycle: “Sweat is fat crying.”