TGIF, or Thank God It’s Friday, originated in the 1960s as a universal mantra to express relief at the end of the workweek. The weekend as we know it did not come into being until the five-day workweek became standard in the United States and many other industrialized countries in the 20th century. TGIF has become so popular that many other phrases and names use it for their acronym.
Anyone who attends school or works Monday through Friday will tell you that the last day of the week is greeted with a lot of anticipation. Every Monday counts down to Friday and so of course Friday is received with open arms. TGIF, an acronym for Thank God It’s Friday, or Thank Goodness It’s Friday, originated in the 1960s as a universal mantra to express relief at the end of the workweek, as well as a reference to the good times expected over the weekend at come.
The weekend as we know it did not come into being until the five-day workweek became standard in the United States and many other industrialized countries in the 20th century. Until then, many workers worked seven days a week or only had Sundays off. Sabbath, which varies in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, plays a large part in what a weekend comprises. In the United States and other predominantly Christian countries, the weekend is Saturday and Sunday. Although Friday is considered by many to be unlucky, some cultures believe that Friday is the luckiest day for marriage and fertility, as it was named after the Norse goddess Freya, the goddess of fertility.
One of TGIF’s earliest references can be found at the perennially favorite grill and bar, TGI Fridays, which first opened in 1965 on Manhattan’s Upper East Side as a meeting place for young professionals and students. Their slogan soon became “In Here, It’s Always Friday”®, evoking the celebratory Friday vibe that everyone looks forward to all week.
While TGIF remained an oft-used phrase shared by many employees or students on Fridays, it reached its climax in 1978 when Donna Summer starred in the film, Thank God It’s Friday. Surely, the disco and club scene of the 1970s and 1980s contributed to the party atmosphere that seemed to permeate Fridays. Even non-party-goers relished the opportunity to stay up late Friday and Saturday, and sleep late the next day, or catch up on sleep lost during the work week. PDFs or Pay Fridays are even more special, knowing you can relax or play with your paycheck just deposited into your bank account.
In the 1990s, the ABC network launched its Friday night lineup TGIF that hooked viewers with family-friendly comedy. For families, it was a relaxing night where the kids could be up a little later than usual with their parents.
On college campuses, TGIF means partying and often heavy drinking. Some universities have used tactics to entice students to sign up for Friday morning classes to avoid the Thursday night parties. In an effort to extend the weekend party by another day, many bars have introduced the mantra, “Thursday is the new Friday,” to convince students that the standard weekend needs an extra day. While “TGIT” doesn’t sound the same, it seems to be working, as more students report avoiding registering for Friday classes in order to have more time to socialize.
The acronym TGIF has become so popular and memorable that many other phrases and names use it for their acronym, including “Thank God I’m Female”, “That Girl Is Fine”, The Global Institute of Finance & Banking”, “ The Green Initiative Fund” and the “Texas Geriatrics Interest Fund”.
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