Happy Buy Nothing Day!
Ooooo! It’s one of my favorite days of the year. Buy Nothing Day! Stay home with me and sip tea! Maybe we could watch this video together (9.99 Girl Rocks!)
Then, at a later date, do resist mass marketing and buy handmade!
You can even be nice to your mother and avoid driving by shopping on-line at sites like this or these. Or better yet, just donate to a good cause in someone’s name. I love these cute critters, but these are good too. And all just a click away! (Thank Elaine and Katie for the tips!)
Don’t you just love being subversive in your slippers?
Entries
November 23rd, 2007 at 1:57 pm
I DO like being subversive, in my slippers or not! Your ideas are great.
The only one I’ve struggled with over the years is giving to a cause in the name of someone else. Yeah, if that’s what the individual truly wants, but I’m of the mind that if WE think a cause is worth supporting, then we should do it on our own, and give the PERSON a tangible gift. Doesn’t have to be something large, it can be sweet and homemade and small. But it always has struck me as a cop-out to hand dear bro a present which says, “Here ya go. We bought chickens in your name. Hope you enjoy it!” YES, buy the chickens, but give bro his own gift.
Just my .02
November 24th, 2007 at 9:23 am
Catriona,
In my family we often give donations for the holidays. We tailor the donations so that they match the reciever’s interests. For instance, I once donated to an agency that protected rivers in the US on behalf of my cousin who is a river rafting guide.
My parents and in-laws also give a donation each year in the names of their grandchildren. My parents donate to Compassion International by sponsoring a child. Then they wrap up the photograph of the child and other information and put that under the tree. Now my children are even old enough to write letters to the sponsored children and send birthday and holiday cards.
My parents-in-law give a donation to a local shelter for homeless men and women in their grandchildren’s name. This Summer, all the cousins went to visit the shelter with their grandparents and learned how works to provide housing, meals, and other services. They were most impressed! This was especially important to my yougest (8yrs) who has always had a compassionate heart for homeless people. In fact, she insists that we carry tuna-and-cracker kits in our car to give to the folks who ask for handouts on street corners. Her grandparents nurture that compassionate hear through these holiday donations.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Okay… I was bad, really, really bad.
I had never been shopping on Black Friday so we decided just to go see what it was like this year although I did NOT go at 3 am. And, yes, we did spend a ton of money, but most of it was for stuff we had planned ahead to buy and we did get good prices. The only spur-of-the-moment item was bought my hubbie who saw me looking at a diamond sapphire braclet and the next thing I knew I was wearing it.
How can a girl resist that?
November 24th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
aola,
wear that sparkly thing with a warm heart! good husband, good husband! :-)
November 25th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Thanks, Rachelle, for sharing more of how your family makes the “contribution in honor of . . . ” work. Casts it in a bit of a different light.