THE RUSH, RITUÁL.CART FULL - BUY NOW, THINK LATER: WHY SRI LANKANS FALL FOR THE SALE OF THE CENTURY, EVERY YEAR

As November rolls in, Sri Lankans brace for the season of flashing banners, urgent emails, and "up to 70% off." But behind the checkout frenzy lies something far more human, the search for joy, optimism, and a good deal.

- Moiz Mustafa

It starts with good intentions.

"This year, I'm just browsing," we tell ourselves.

And yet, by midnight on November 10th, screens glow across Sri Lanka. Daraz tabs open.

Credit card in hand. KOKO payment plan ready.

A shopping cart that looks suspiciously full.

Someone's debating whether a 42% discount on a rice cooker counts as "financially responsible." Welcome to the annual ritual of 11.11 and Black Friday in Sri Lanka, a global shopping festival that has somehow become a local season of its own.

Once upon a time, 11.11 (Singles' Day) was a cheeky Chinese student celebration. Then Alibaba turned it into the biggest shopping event on Earth, last year alone, it reportedly crossed US$84 billion in global sales.

Meanwhile, Black Friday began in the U.S. as a post-Thanksgiving retail rush before morphing into a worldwide online marathon.

Now, Sri Lanka joins the party every November.

Platforms like Daraz, KOKO, Singer, and Abans lead the charge, while local supermarkets, fashion stores, and gadget retailers roll out their own "Mega November" deals.

Even small Instagram boutiques and family-run stores from Nugegoda to Jaffna play their part.

It's globalisation in its most relatable form, we may not celebrate Thanksgiving or Singles' Day, but we'll definitely celebrate a discount.

Here, the sale season has its own rhythm.