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Original poster

To wonder what you call " Black eye Friday"?

161 replies

Nolongera · 06/12/2024 08:59

Posting here for traffic.

Inspired by another thread.

Many there wondering what " black eye Friday " is.

Here in the North East of England, it's the last working Friday before Christmas, everyone out on the pop including the once a year amatuer drinkers and the first timers cluttering the bar ordering their port and lemon.

Black eye Friday because so many people get in a right state and end up in a scuffle and getting a black eye.

Last year was very quiet. Only saw 2 fights.

OP posts:
Howinthehelldidthishappen · 06/12/2024 11:34

South East. I'd only ever call it the last Friday before christmas to be honest, no special name.

Missamyp · 06/12/2024 11:32

Nolongera · 06/12/2024 08:59

Posting here for traffic.

Inspired by another thread.

Many there wondering what " black eye Friday " is.

Here in the North East of England, it's the last working Friday before Christmas, everyone out on the pop including the once a year amatuer drinkers and the first timers cluttering the bar ordering their port and lemon.

Black eye Friday because so many people get in a right state and end up in a scuffle and getting a black eye.

Last year was very quiet. Only saw 2 fights.

It’s the combination of male blue-collar and white-collar workers. Usually, the chirpy white-collar workers ended up being clobbered by the blue-collar workers.
Hasn't Mad Friday died a death now?

70sShmeventies · 06/12/2024 11:16

Never heard a special phrase for it. Kent.

TheThreeCheesesOfTheApocalypse44 · 06/12/2024 11:10

Black Eye Friday. Couldn't pay me to go out on that night, no thank you.

mitogoshigg · 06/12/2024 11:10

Never heard an expression for the last Friday before Christmas because nearly everyone works until Christmas Eve here. Also work parties are any time from mid November until well into January depending on when you get a booking. Never heard of people going out and getting drunk the Friday before Christmas particularly despite living in 4 different cities (none in the north though)

BertiesBox · 06/12/2024 11:09

West Yorkshire - Builders Friday

leia24 · 06/12/2024 11:09

Mad Friday here (Merseyside)

Compash · 06/12/2024 11:09

BlackeyedSusan · 06/12/2024 09:02

Blackeye Friday here is any Friday I get a lie in, and a day off responsibilities!

(Check user name)

😂😎🌻

TabbyM · 06/12/2024 11:07

Mad Friday - Scotland

EveryDayisFriday · 06/12/2024 11:05

Mad Friday in NW. We have our work's xmas do in town then 😲

YorkshireTeaCup · 06/12/2024 11:05

Im from North Yorkshire and have heard it called Builders Friday and Black Eye Friday. DH is a Londoner and has never heard of it.

HouseofHolbein · 06/12/2024 11:04

North Devon it's known as factory Friday.

ValentinesDayCryingInTheHotel · 06/12/2024 11:02

Mad Friday in a few cities in the North of England & Midlands

SingingSands · 06/12/2024 11:01

diddl · 06/12/2024 10:58

Occasionally I call it My Birthday!😁

"Bonkers birthday" perhaps?!

peachgreen · 06/12/2024 11:01

I googled it when I saw that thread as I've never heard it before. I wouldn't even consider the last Friday before Christmas to be a thing!

diddl · 06/12/2024 10:58

Occasionally I call it My Birthday!😁

Cattyisbatty · 06/12/2024 10:56

Never heard of it in the south east!

popandchoc · 06/12/2024 10:56

I'm from the south and not really heard of it until recently and heard mad friday,

EveryOtherNameTaken · 06/12/2024 10:56

EveryOtherNameTaken · 06/12/2024 10:55

From London and know it ad Nlavk Eye Friday.

*Black Eye

Justlovedogs · 06/12/2024 10:55

kitchenplans · 06/12/2024 09:13

I live in the SE, and I'd call it " the Friday before Christmas", and it would be a totally normal day round here. Nothing different happens on that day to any other.

100% this as I'm also SE England.

EveryOtherNameTaken · 06/12/2024 10:55

From London and know it ad Nlavk Eye Friday.

FreeMilkshakesForYou · 06/12/2024 10:54

Kbroughton · 06/12/2024 10:51

It's a Northern thing. I am from Cumbria and it was, and is, called black eye Friday. Last Friday before Christmas. Extra special if it also falls on Christmas eve! People knock off early and go out all day and get messy. Was loads of fun as a teen. Been in the south in various locations for 15 years and no one has ever heard of the term!

I've never lived in the North, so makes sense it's specific to there as I've never heard anyone mention it

StormingNorman · 06/12/2024 10:53

Southern fairy - no black eye Friday here.

MrsAvocet · 06/12/2024 10:53

I was always under the impression that historically this was a big night because in the days when most working people were paid weekly and in cash this was the last pay day before Christmas. Certainly in the area where I grew up people (well, men mainly) would flood out of the factories and the pit that evening and head more or less straight to the pubs with their wages.
There does seem to be something of a geographical divide so I wonder if it didn't really become a thing in less industrial areas because you didn't have such big numbers of weekly paid staff all ready to celebrate at the same time in the same place?

Luddite26 · 06/12/2024 10:52

North Yorkshire coast Mad Friday
West Yorkshire I've heard black eye Friday.
Last working Friday before Xmas as you say OP.