no shopping day

White Friday: 10 Things To Do Instead Of Shopping On Black Friday

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Everyone, okay not everyone but many people in North America are busy right now shopping for Black Friday deals. I have done in past, some of my close friends and family do it now and many hard working Americans can afford some niceties during heavy discount during black Friday.  I am not Christmas or gift hater, as I buy them myself but not on Thanksgiving weekend. I am simply too lazy and too broke to do any shopping during Black Friday. If you are like me, you will like this.

White Friday: No shopping day

Gifts from heart during Holidays

Irony of recession is hard on all of us, no matter how much money we make, there is always things getting expensive as I have written about it on Irony of Recession: Expensive and Cheaper things.

You can still avoid crazy rush of shopping and give gifts to your loved by Simplify Gift Giving During Holidays and Meaningful Happy Holidays From Heart, Not Wallet.

Download Free ebook: No Optin or email required:

Meaningful Celebration: Free eBook download
Rush of Black Friday 2010: Target:

I am not an early morning person, broke and not fit enough to run on Black Friday

10 Things to Do Instead of Shopping on Black Friday:

1. Get up Late:

Lure of sleeping in late in cold morning under warm blanket sounds wonderful to many. Sleep in, wake up in bed, do pillow fights with family members and catch up on Zzzes.

See: Laidback Mornings: without an alarm

2. Sip in Hot Tea:

I love my morning tea, specially the way Zenguy makes it. Sip in hot ginger tea in my pajama, not waiting in line sounds good to me.

101 Changes: Change 9 – Drink to your Health: Benefits of Drinking Tea

How to Make Best Ever Chai-Tea at Home

3. Cook something with kids or spouse:

Make some unique recipe (easy ones) with kids or a spouse and share it. If it turned out good, take pictures and share recipes with others. If it turned out bad, laugh together, take a picture and NOT show it anyone.

4. Declutter

Just look in closet, attic or garage for getting rid of stuff. You may find some brand new, unopened possible gifts to give away or donate. Best thing, it did not cost you anything, and your house got bit cleaner.

Read:

10 Ways to declutter your house

7 ways your clutter is costing you

11 reasons we hoard on things

5. Go to Park:

While many people will be busy shopping, many parks will be empty, so go ahead and enjoy in kiddie slides or swings, yes you as an adult can have fun with kids, like kids.

6. Set up Christmas lights:

You can set up Christmas lights on your house or other decoration. Many people take out their Plastic Christmas tree and decorate it and have truly early start on holidays without spending anything.

7. Cook food for Homeless or others:

We actually did this as we wanted at least one more person to have a good thanksgiving. We looked at local shelter and food banks and they happened to be close this holidays. But there are always someone hanging by local stores and you can share you extra hot food and pumpkin pie with them. Always put extra napkins, plastic spoons, fork and water bottle to it is easier for them.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving: Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes

8. Watch a movie or read a book.

I love watching movies, specially mushy romantic ones, either with dashing romantic heroes such as Mr. Darcy or Mr. Thronton, I am up for good drama, sci-fi and action movies. But with two little kids, we are watching “Cauliou” , but we still are having fun.

I am always up for reading new bestseller books or catching up on up on my old favorites novels by my favorite authors.

Great Classic Books that Everyone should Read (At least once)

8 Kids Books That Everyone Should Read

9. Write a blog post:

See, I am practicing what I am preaching. Instead of shopping, I am sitting on my laptop, sipping Chai and writing  here:-) You can write journal as well.

10. Just relax

This is something very hard for many of us do, as we are constantly on the go, doing things and checking off from our “things to do list”. We can simply take little break from everything and DO NOTHING,  on buy nothing day!

Screw productivity : at least for a day

You may also like:

8 items to spend money on;
8 items to save money on
Story of stuff : Must read and Must watch : Free

Your turn: How are you spending you Black Friday? Take a little break and don’t forget to have fun too!

Zengirl

Image Source: Media Exposed

White Friday: No shopping day

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Black Friday is one of the most busiest and most commercial shopping day in the USA, shopping frenzy is unbelievable. Some of our friends and relatives are big in to shopping Black Friday and has so many strategies to get best deals. There are many websites that promote “leaked” deals and how to get best shopping deals and how to stay safe while you are out there. If you are looking for tips to make a best shopping experience, you will not find it here.

All these tips and wisdom are lost on me. I am too lazy to wake up 4 AM to shop and too frugal to buy things that we do not need. I wrote about how about holidays were hectic in past Stress free Thanksgiving and how we are changing it to be more enjoyable by doing less and buying less and doing more things for inner joy instead.

So, as a part of enjoying holidays more, we are having a what I call, a White Friday on November 27, 2009, meaning, we are getting up late, staying in, and not going anywhere near shopping malls or stores.

Actually, we avoid all terms of shopping (other than groceries, and gas filling) from November 20th until January 15th. Why so long? Because, stores are busy with people buying Christmas gifts for themselves and others until December 24th and then going again in store to return/exchange gifts they received and did not like, from December 26th-January 10ish. Staying in long lines to purchase and return items nor getting pushed and shoved while shopping is not my idea of enjoyable holidays, although that is exactly what I have done in past. Not anymore.

See: 10 Things to Do Instead of Shopping on Black Friday

About a few years ago, we decided to simplify our shopping and holidays, and it sure has made my life stress free and yet more meaningful. I am not the first to do this, nor alone in this way of thinking. Matter of fact there is a huge following on Buy Nothing Day , which has been getting successful here in US and a few other countries by avoiding shopping on Black Friday.

Here is what Thanksgiving means to me;

Thanksgiving: Giving heartfull thank you to everyone an everything that keeps me alive;

a) People you know, and who has helped you (your inner circle)
b) People you do not know and has helped you (your city, country)
c) People you know and who has helped others (your city, country)
d) People you do not know and has helped others (other countries)
e) People you know, who has not helped anyone but surviving life (your and other countries)
g) Animals/plants/insects/fish/bees who indirectly help us with food, life and love.
h) I am also thankful for clean drinking water, air and land that our planet has, for us to live on.

It may sound idealistic, but if you really think of it, there are so many reasons for us to be thankful and blessed without any store bought gifts. You can not put a price on that. And shopping may provide instant joy for a few people, but it does not bring long lasting joy of being content.

What are you thankful for? How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Zengirl

Photo: Adbuster Buy Nothing Campaign