Hand & Stone Introduces "Back Friday," a New National Holiday Devoted to Rest, Recovery and the People Who Carry the Season on Their Backs

New survey by leading massage & facial spa franchise reveals who's really carrying the holidays on their backs

TREVOSE, Pa., Nov. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The holidays may be merry and bright, but they're also back-breaking. This year, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the nation's leading spa franchise, is giving America's most stressful season a well-deserved break with the introduction of a new national holiday, Back Friday.

A recent survey commissioned by Hand & Stone reveals that half of Americans admit the week after Black Friday is more stressful than an average week, signaling the official start of "holiday burnout." Landing exactly one week after Black Friday, Back Friday transforms one of the most exhausting weeks of the year into a new reason to relax. This year, Back Friday will be celebrated on Friday, December 5. The survey also found:

• Moms Make It Happen: Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) say moms carry the holiday season most on their backs.
• Special Delivery: Nearly one-in-four (23%) respondents say delivery drivers carry the holiday season most, and another 40% rank them second. Altogether, 63% place delivery drivers in their top two, showing strong appreciation for those keeping packages moving.
• Holiday Hustle: With half of Americans (49%) saying the week following Black Friday is more frazzled than an average week, a majority (56%) either feel stressed or uncertain during this time.
• On The Wishlist: One in three respondents (34%) say they'd rather have a massage over any material gift, proof that experiences and self-care are the real luxuries on everyone's wish list.

"Black Friday has become a cultural phenomenon built on chaos, and Americans are maxed out from the holiday hustle, so we thought, what if we flipped it?" said John Teza, CEO of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa. "While this is the most hectic time of year, we realized people aren't taking time for the self-care needed to push through the madness. Through our spas, we see every day that even a few minutes of calm can make all the difference. Back Friday is about giving people permission to slow down, recharge and honor the ones who make the magic happen for the holidays."

To officially ring in the new holiday, on Friday, December 5, Hand & Stone is bringing the Back Friday experience to life with a spa pop-up hitting NYC, the epicenter of holiday hustle. As the city that never sleeps, New Yorkers will be rewarded with some much-needed rest and relaxation amidst the chaos. The pop-up will offer NYC consumers a chance to win free chair massages, self-care prizes and spa gift cards, offering an opportunity for rest in a season full of stress. Hand & Stone invites guests to attend as a reminder to pause, decompress and make wellness a part of the holiday routine.

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa locations nationwide will join the celebration with in-spa activations designed to spread the spirit of Back Friday in every community by gifting up to three complimentary services to deserving guests, honoring those who carry the holiday season on their backs. Hand & Stone will also be supporting their holiday gift card promotion during Back Friday, where guests can purchase a $150+ gift card and receive a $50 promotional card (*at participating locations). Consumers can also enter an official giveaway starting on November 25^th through Hand & Stone's pinned post on Instagram by nominating in the comments who carries the holiday season the most on their backs.

Back Friday is officially certified by the National Day Calendar, the original and authoritative entity curating, registering and celebrating national days, weeks and months. Following the inaugural Back Friday on December 5, the holiday will be celebrated annually one week after Black Friday, marking a new cultural moment that reinvents the holiday season and inspires Americans to put self-care at the top of their wish lists.

For more information about hand & Stone and its offerings, visit www.handandstone.com, and follow the brand (@handandstoneusa) on Instagram for ongoing news.

METHODOLOGY
This 2025 survey was commissioned by Hand & Stone and conducted online by Talker Research with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Americans.

ABOUT HAND & STONE MASSAGE AND FACIAL SPA 
Hand & Stone is a more than 600-unit massage and facial spa franchise with a mission to deliver premium spa services to the middle market in a professional, affordable, and convenient manner. Launched in 2004, Hand & Stone now has locations across 36 states and Canada. Each spa features best-in-class massage and skincare treatment. Available for women, men and teens, a wide range of services are tailored to each individual's needs or skin concerns. Hand & Stone facial treatments are performed by licensed estheticians, using top-of-the-line products backed by science including Dermalogica, IMAGE Skincare and ClarityRx Clinical Skin Care. The fastest-growing spa franchise in the country, Hand & Stone has been named No. 1 in the spa category by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2023, 2021 and 2020 and was ranked No. 8 on Forbes' Best Franchises to Buy list in the high investment category.

SOURCE Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa