I heard about Buy Nothing Day a few years ago and I really like the concept of it and this is my favorite thing to post about on this Friday after Thanksgiving.
Waylon Lewis: Happy Buy Nothing Day!
Check out Mr. Lewis' article in the Huffington Post if you're fed up with "Black Friday" craziness as I am. When did spending money and consuming stuff for the sake of spending and consuming become a national pastime? I try to avoid spending anything on the day after Thanksgiving but inevitably, I have to gas up the car or run to the grocery for a few things, as I will do tonight after work. But I'll make up for it another day when I will spend nothing at all.
Ever since I learned about it, I have tried to make a conscious effort to spend TIME with my family and my friends instead of buying them stuff. For instance, the fam agreed that we will draw names and each member gets only one gift for Christmas. The money Don and I would have spent on buying multiple gifts for each one goes toward a holiday experience that we all enjoy. Some years its been a vacation at a ski resort and other years it has been going to the movies together. The important thing is that we participate and enjoy it TOGETHER.
This year I heard about "Buy Small" on Black Friday. That means if you're going to shop, patronize your local hometown stores instead of only the big box stores. Makes sense to me.
I don't advocate not spending at all, but let's keep it sensible. Fighting and shoving and possibly injuring each other, all in the effort to get the "perfect" Christmas gift, doesn't really add much to the season of "Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All," does it?
Totally agree Barb. I haven't read the article you mentioned--yet--but I've always thought the craziness surrounding Black Friday and other shopping extravaganza days is pure madness. And you're right, an item can't possibly compete with quality time with the ones you love.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya! Spending time with family and friends is priceless!
ReplyDeleteWe did have to make a stop at the grocery this morning, but no other shopping. We spent time with family, which was much more relaxed than sittin in sub zero weather to go shopping! I heard about the "Buy Small" push on tonight's news. That we might do tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteI am right there with you Barb. I didn't spend anything on Black Friday. I have been making stuff to sell but at a local gift shop and even her business is not doing well because people would rather buy mass produced stuff made in China for a dollar than anything that is made well, in America, for more than a dollar. Besides kids we just don't do much anymore which I like better.
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