For many years, the term “Black Friday” has been a colloquial term for the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It traditionally marked the start of the Christmas shopping season and used to be the busiest shopping day of the year. In recent years, Black Friday creeped into Thursday and, more recently, black Friday deals have been offered online and in stores for months prior to Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving brings families together, some coming from great distances to share the holiday weekend with their loved ones. The day after Thanksgiving provides a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy other experiences and events before returning to their homes. Some go shopping, while others go to the movies. Some participate in sports, and others use the day to decorate their homes for Christmas.
Recently, I learned about “White Friday,” a wonderful tradition of many families. These families set aside the Friday after Thanksgiving to enjoy time together in the temple performing temple ordinances for their ancestors. On the Friday after Thanksgiving this year, the Draper Temple was filled with families coming to perform proxy ordinances for their deceased ancestors. One or more of the family members had done the research to find ancestors who needed their work done and the entire family participated in doing baptisms, initiatories, endowments and/or sealings.
This year, I had the opportunity to serve in the temple on White Friday. To see families all dressed in white performing ordinances for their ancestors brought joy to my heart. Their countenances glowed and the love they felt for each other and their deceased ancestors was clearly evident. I also felt the joy of those beyond the veil as the saving ordinances were performed for them, giving them the opportunity to accelerate their growth in becoming more like the Savior and Heavenly Father. What a beautiful way to start the Christmas season by providing such a wonderful gift to those on the other side of the veil. I am deeply grateful that I was introduced to White Friday this year and hope to make it a tradition in my family next Thanksgiving.
– Dave Castleton, Director, Granite Family History Center