After the Turkey: Buy Nothing Day

I was trying to explain Thanksgiving to some folks here in Germany and it was actually harder than I thought it would be. The name kind of says it all but I was pressed for the meaning and the history and all sorts of other answers.

I did my best explaining how it started which somehow rounded into a bit of cynical history lesson. Then I tried to explain the getting stuffed part - which is what Germans do all the time BTW! just kidding. The turkey hangover, the sports, the family together - all the good stuff just seemed hard to relay. I guess you just had to be there, every year, to get it. But the true meaning, to me, is to just be thankful.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’d like to recognize that we have plenty to be grateful for in our lives, all of us. Tomorrow is Black Friday for shoppers but it is also Buy Nothing Day, a day meant to slow our consumerism and face the fact that we really have enough of what we need.

Sure there are enticing sales on Black Friday but the question is do you need what you’re buying or is it just a reaction to marketing and advertising? If you’ve got family visiting from out of town, wouldn’t it be nicer to spend the day together away from packed escalators and busy malls?

Today, many of us will feast. Tomorrow, on Buy Nothing Day there is an opportunity to fast that just might bring a bit of balance back into hectic lives and a little perspective on the things for which we give thanks. Going green is about consuming less and appreciating what we have, a beautiful planet.

For a little inspiration check out Why Living a Life of Gratitude Can Make You Happy at Zen Habits and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!