Black Friday 2026 Date and the Holiday Sales Calendar
Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27. That is the day after US Thanksgiving, which falls on the fourth Thursday of November — November 26 this year. Cyber Monday follows on Monday, November 30. Between and after those two days sit a handful of other named shopping dates that retailers use to structure promotions. This guide lists each one, says what it is, who it matters to, and how much weight a sensible shopper should give it. You can watch the clock for each date on our holiday countdown.
The 2026 calendar at a glance
| Date | Event | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 26 | US Thanksgiving | Fourth Thursday of November; many stores open early deals online |
| Fri, Nov 27 | Black Friday | The day after Thanksgiving; the biggest in-store and online sales day for many US retailers |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Small Business Saturday | US promotion encouraging shopping at independent shops |
| Mon, Nov 30 | Cyber Monday | Online-focused sale day after Thanksgiving weekend |
| Mon, Dec 14 | Green Monday / Free Shipping Day | Mid-December retail promotion days with free-shipping offers; terms set by each retailer |
| Sat, Dec 19 | Super Saturday | Last Saturday before Christmas; busy for in-store last-minute shopping |
| Thu, Dec 24 | Christmas Eve | UPS and FedEx target delivery by this date |
| Fri, Dec 25 | Christmas Day | |
| Sat, Dec 26 | Boxing Day | UK, Canada, Australia and other countries; begins post-Christmas sales |
Thanksgiving, the real starting gun
In the United States, the holiday sales season is measured from Thanksgiving. Because Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday, Black Friday can fall between November 23 and November 29. In 2026 it falls late, on the 27th, so there are only 28 days between Black Friday and Christmas. That matters for shipping: if you plan to buy from retailers that ship slowly, such as marketplace sellers or international shops, you have less margin than in years when Black Friday arrives on the 23rd or 24th.
Black Friday
Black Friday began as a day for in-store crowds, but for years the bulk of the activity has been online. Adobe Analytics, which tracks online transactions across large US retailers, reported that US consumers spent $11.8 billion online on Black Friday 2025, up 9.1% from the previous year. Retailers now start promotions weeks earlier and often run them for the whole month of November, so “Black Friday” in practice means a period, not a single day. The “doorbuster” items that remain tied to the day itself are normally limited-quantity items in the electronics, appliances and toy categories.
Small Business Saturday
The Saturday after Thanksgiving is promoted in the US as Small Business Saturday, a day to shop with independent businesses. It is a good day to buy gifts from local shops, and some of those shops now run online stores, which can ship well before the national carrier deadlines.
Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday began as the online counterpart to Black Friday. It is still a big day: Adobe reported $14.25 billion in US online spending on Cyber Monday 2025, up 7.1%, and described it as the largest online shopping day of the year, with the five-day period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday reaching $44.2 billion. Typical Cyber Monday promotions focus on electronics, clothing and software. Our guide to Black Friday vs Cyber Monday compares them in more detail.
Green Monday and Free Shipping Day
Mid-December has its own pair of promotional dates. Green Monday is commonly given as the second Monday in December and Free Shipping Day as a mid-December day when many retailers advertise free shipping; in 2026 both fall on Monday, December 14. These are marketing events rather than official or carrier-defined dates, and each retailer decides what it offers, including whether free shipping comes with a guaranteed Christmas delivery date. Read the small print: a “free shipping” offer is not the same as “arrives by December 24”.
Super Saturday
The last Saturday before Christmas is called Super Saturday and is traditionally a day of heavy in-store traffic as people finish their shopping. In 2026 it is December 19. If you are relying on an in-store pickup, check with the store a few days ahead because popular items may be gone.
Boxing Day and the sales after Christmas
In the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and several other countries, December 26 is Boxing Day and the traditional start of post-Christmas sales. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday. Many retailers also run sales until New Year, and some begin their “Boxing Day” offers online before December 26. See our Boxing Day and New Year guide for planning tips.
How to use the calendar
- Decide what you want before the sale starts. A list with a price you are happy to pay for each item beats browsing.
- Record a baseline price now. Note today’s price for each item so you can tell whether a “50% off” is real. See how to tell if a deal is real.
- Set a budget and a stop date. Without one, deals feel urgent every day for a month.
- Check delivery dates, not just prices. A cheap price that arrives after the carrier’s last-ship date is not a bargain. See the shipping deadlines.
- Know the return window. Use the return calculator after you buy.
Outside the US
Black Friday is now a feature of retail in the UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries, although it is not tied to a local holiday there. Retailers in those markets often run it for a week or the whole of November, then follow with Cyber Monday and, in the Commonwealth, Boxing Day. Local consumer law applies to your purchases: for example, UK online buyers have a statutory cancellation period, and Australian shoppers have consumer guarantees. The offers themselves are set by the retailer, so check each store’s local site.
Budgeting for the season
The holiday period can easily push your spending beyond what you intended, because many small purchases add up. A simple approach is to set a total budget for the season, divide it by the people on your list, and set aside a small buffer for wrapping, shipping and last-minute items. Check the total as you go. The deals calendar helps by showing when the offers are likely to be available, but nothing on the calendar obliges you to buy. If a date passes without a deal you wanted, there is usually another sale within a few weeks.
Some shoppers prefer to use a single payment method for gifts so that they can see the total on one statement. Others use prepaid cash envelopes. Either way, the goal is to be able to answer the question “how much have I spent so far?” at any moment in November and December.