Pretty Little Green Things

Yup, you heard me.  Buy NOTHING for Black Friday.  The day after Thanksgiving, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year, is my least favorite day to be out and about.  For me it’s the crowds, the ridiculous consumerism, and the realization that no one really NEEDS any of this stuff.  So when I found the Buy Nothing for Christmas movement as an alternative to Black Friday (and really all of Christmas), in the spirit of Smaller Living, I thought, “I’m in!”

Buy Nothing Christmas was originally started a number of years ago by Canadian Mennonites with a goal to discourage overconsumption and get back to the true meaning of the holidays.  And although grounded in Christian belief, it is, of course, open to everyone.  Realizing that most people are unable to give absolutely no gifts for the holidays, Give Nothing Christmas has tons of ideas online for truly meaningful gifts, such as recipe books of family recipes, baked cookies or homemade calendars.  There are also really cool posters to help spread the word (I’ve shown a few here) and a Facebook page where you can connect with them and other people working towards a more meaningful holiday.

I think this is a truly a refreshing concept for the holidays.  Getting away from a “I must buy the perfect present for everyone on my list” mentality to one of mindful & meaningful gifts for your loved ones is so important – the best things in life aren’t always found in stores.  So with that dear readers, I challenge you this holiday season to stay out of big box retailers and think of creative & amazing ways to give to your family & friends.  I’ll be doing the same right alongside you.  Leave a comment here or on Twitter about how you plan to ‘Buy Nothing’ this holiday season and make it the best one yet.

As an ode to Buy Nothing Christmas, I’ll be doing a few giveaways of eco-friendly items from some of my favorite retailers.  No cost to you, just a thoughtful gift for a few lucky readers.  Stay tuned…

Yup, you heard me.  Buy NOTHING for Black Friday.  The day after Thanksgiving, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year, is my least favorite day to be out and about.  For me it’s the crowds, the ridiculous consumerism, and the realization that no one really NEEDS any of this stuff.  So when I found the Buy Nothing for Christmas movement as an alternative to Black Friday (and really all of Christmas), in the spirit of Smaller Living, I thought, “I’m in!”

Buy Nothing Christmas was originally started a number of years ago by Canadian Mennonites with a goal to discourage overconsumption and get back to the true meaning of the holidays.  And although grounded in Christian belief, it is, of course, open to everyone.  Realizing that most people are unable to give absolutely no gifts for the holidays, Give Nothing Christmas has tons of ideas online for truly meaningful gifts, such as recipe books of family recipes, baked cookies or homemade calendars.  There are also really cool posters to help spread the word (I’ve shown a few here) and a Facebook page where you can connect with them and other people working towards a more meaningful holiday.

I think this is a truly a refreshing concept for the holidays.  Getting away from a “I must buy the perfect present for everyone on my list” mentality to one of mindful & meaningful gifts for your loved ones is so important – the best things in life aren’t always found in stores.  So with that dear readers, I challenge you this holiday season to stay out of big box retailers and think of creative & amazing ways to give to your family & friends.  I’ll be doing the same right alongside you.  Leave a comment here or on Twitter about how you plan to ‘Buy Nothing’ this holiday season and make it the best one yet.

As an ode to Buy Nothing Christmas, I’ll be doing a few giveaways of eco-friendly items from some of my favorite retailers.  No cost to you, just a thoughtful gift for a few lucky readers.  Stay tuned…