If you ask anyone out of USA about “Black Friday Shopping” and most people will not know this phenomenon or understand its frenzy. Black Friday is day after US Thanksgiving as one of the biggest shopping day. Now, they are starting similar trend in Canada, Australia and UK with little success so far. Black Friday usually means that shops which were in “red” (negative profit) will turn accounting from red to black (meaning profit).

Usually Friday after Thanksgiving is one of the big shopping day, where people actually get up really early like 4AM to stand in line to buy things at supposedly huge discount. You can find out more about history of Black Friday in Wikipedia . As this was not enough, many stores are now getting open on 12 midnight on Thursday night, so people can shop earlier. Some stores actually have been open on Thursday Thanksgiving Holiday afternoon. I think the original meaning of Thanksgiving is lost and now it has became a shopping day instead. True meaning of holiday should be friends and family came together to share a meals and harvest together, now many people come together with newspapers Ads and plan how to tackle and make most out of the shopping rush.

About 5-6 years ago, we decided to not give usual Christmas gifts for adults in traditional sense, we still share meals, experience and homemade gifts. We still give present to kids thing they NEED , and some they Want, such as jackets, socks, books and one toy! I am not sure how others in our family members feel still about it, as they still occasionally do traditional gift giving which is noble thought. However, the huge pressure has been off my mind, not having to shop and buy things from everyone in your list to spouse, kids, uncle, aunts, grandparents, neighbors, co-workers, boss, mailman and so on.

See: How to Simplify Giving During Holidays

10 Things to Do Instead of Shopping on Black Friday

While, I am not saying not to appreciate the people in our life someway, but there are better ways to appreciate them. Gifts from heart are always much sweeter than some cheap electronics things that people will not even remember after 4 months after Christmas season.

Check out some out articles from Heart and Mind to make your heart filled instead of stuff;

10 ways to help someone during bad economy

20 ways to be Romantic for Free (or cheap)

How to have Stress Free Thanksgiving

White Friday No shopping day

Gifts from heart during Holidays

So what we did during this Holiday?

We had family over for meal, we saw some DVDs and played with kids, met visiting relatives, talked to family who are in other part of countries, relaxed. We stayed away from walmart and any shopping area. We went to bookstore and read books! We shared a meal with a neighbor!
We looked at the newspapers filled with bargains and decided we did not NEED any of these things. Maybe not very traditional but it was very meaningful to me.

So, what is wrong with saving money and giving gifts to loved ones?

No, there is nothing wrong. Actually I truly think people who are shopping at 3 AM and 4 AM to buy things for themselves and other are actually have best interest at heart and are well meaning people. I know as my best friend and my younger brother is pro at black Friday shopping and gets many great deals for everyone he knows. I am sure if you are shopping you do that too. Average American spends about $689 on Christmas gifts, that is huge. One does not have to go broke while giving gifts!

However, there is secret I want to share with you all, that is your loved ones will be happy with simplest things, like spending time, listening to them, giving things they truly need, such as groceries, clothes, educational books, jackets. Most of all many of us need simple appreciation from heart more than anything. Not a flattery but heartfelt appreciation.

People may like shiny things like diamonds, electronic gadgets, toys and other shiny objects but that joy is not as long lasting as things we get it from heart. I can see my 5 year old, who gets so excited when he gets Super hero toys (things he is into right now) but he simply as happy drawing super heroes and talking about them and creating stories with us.

I want to share a new video for Story of Electronics! by the creator of Story of Stuff. It is little over 7 minutes and worth watching once! Check it out.

Having meaningful and happy living

Regardless of where you live, how you choose to shop or not, how you celebrate any holidays regardless of your religion, enjoy and cherish the time spent with your friends and family. Share meals, give experience gifts and spend time with each other, listening to each other.

Further reading;

Reconnect with people and community around you

Irony of recession

Story of Stuff

8 ways to live happy and content life

Zengirl