The peak holiday shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday have morphed over the past decade, but, in my over 40 years in retail, this was the weirdest Black Friday I’ve seen, and Cyber Monday wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, either. Beyond the sales results, this year’s shifts have deeper meaning for the future of holiday shopping.

Early reports ran the gamut from glowing to cautionary. Social shopping came back into the mix on Black Friday — which boosted traffic — but there weren’t as many shopping bags to indicate actual purchases.

The lists of winning categories were similar for both Black Friday and Cyber Monday weeks, demonstrating the loss of distinction between the two events and the two shopping forms. The timing, promotions and product focus that used to be unique to specific days and channels have blended, diluting the meanings of what those days once were.

Shopping during this holiday season has become even less about coveting the deal — which consumers know they can obtain anytime — and more about curating ideas around what to give as gifts. Instead of seeking out the hot, new items, newness is coming from lifestyle classification — gifting products related to an individual’s hobbies and interests.

Uniqueness, innovation, convenience and socialization are now all critical to the formula for holiday selling. This is a trend that will continue into 2026, and it is something that manufacturers and retailers need to be mindful of and address now as holiday 2026 planning gets underway.