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November 25, 2015

black friday alternatives

 ^photo credit to pinterest^ 
 
The end of this week marks one of the heaviest shopping days of the year in this country. This week on Thursday night or Friday morning, stores will fill, credit cards will swipe, and Christmas shopping will be underway. Oddly enough, I don’t have a huge problem with Black Friday shopping.  I believe people can have a great time being off work, spending the day with loved ones, getting gifts for one another, and finding great deals doing it.  There is a lot of fun in the tradition of gift giving.  What is bothersome to me is the unnecessary spending, the violence that occurs when there are too many people going after a small amount of products, and the attitude of buying new just because it may be a good deal.  With that said, I want to offer alternative suggestions to you for your Black Friday and holiday shopping.
 
 
1.       Small Business Saturday.
This is fantastic! To follow the day of the big box store deals, this Saturday has turned in “small business Saturday” for the 6th year running (thanks for heading this up Amex)! If we can support our local businesses and industries, studies show that “with every $100 that is spent at a local retailer, $68 will return to the community in taxes and payroll”.  See more here. Some retailers even have a lot of incentives and deals going on as well.  Get out there and support the local economy!
 
 ^photo credit to pinterest^
 
2.       Secondhand, secondhand, secondhand.
Writing a blog about living secondhand and having/wearing used, I cannot encourage this enough.  I know that there are times when shopping secondhand is unpredictable, inconvenient, and you certainly don’t always know what you will find. But, it never hurts to look and see if there is the perfect gift to be thrifted of upcycled.  Disclaimer: this one is tough sometimes with giving a gift- see my thoughts on that more here 
 
3.       Serrv or other Fair Trade products
 Serrv is a company that sells all fair trade products from around the world. Their products range from jewelry to home decorations, and they feature a lot of products made by women, encouraging further education and sustainable income for their families and communities.  Check them out at Serrv.org.
 
 4.       Etsy
Etsy is a huge resource for finding products made by small businesses around the world. This website offers links to a wide variety of products for almost anything you are searching for.  Check out Etsy.com for more.
 
5.       Heifer Project International
For a super alternative gift (but so meaningful to the world), try donating an animal in a loved one’s name. This company connects communities that need sustainable income or food with animals donated! I feel especially attached to this cause because my Grandfather helped work with this company when it started after WWII, delivering horses to help repair a destroyed Europe.  heifer.org.
 
 
6.       Pura Vida Bracelets
 This past year, I came across PVB online and ended up buying a bracelet with some birthday money from my sisters. I can’t say enough about how fun it is to have colorful bracelets on my wrists that remind me that our world is small and I am a part of it.  This company sells bracelets that help support the economy in Costa Rica.  Many of their charity bracelets also give procedes to a specific cause.  Or check out Woman at Risk International that helps raise money to stop human trafficking and support women who have survived.  check them out here: puravidabracelets.com or warinternational.org.
  
7.         Make something!
Lastly, but certainly not least, try making something.  I know homemade isn’t always loved by everyone, but if time and your creativity allow, try it. Some of my favorite gifts in the world are homemade.  You may find you have more skill than you thought too! Another idea is thinking about an experience you can gift someone, such as tickets to a show, a day out at an amusement park, lessons of an activity they want to try, etc.
 
In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
 

 

2 comments:

  1. Would love a follow up post on the gifts you end up giving this year! I personally love "experience" gifts, and like making things as time allows. I find photo gifts to be pretty easy and meaningful, too, without adding much clutter. :) Lastly, I love Agros International, which also has an alternative giving catalog. This and others like Heifer are great options for great grandparents who already have it all! Thanks for writing this reminder!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Would love a follow up post on the gifts you end up giving this year! I personally love "experience" gifts, and like making things as time allows. I find photo gifts to be pretty easy and meaningful, too, without adding much clutter. :) Lastly, I love Agros International, which also has an alternative giving catalog. This and others like Heifer are great options for great grandparents who already have it all! Thanks for writing this reminder!

    ReplyDelete