As Black Friday nears in 2025, Buy Nothing Day encourages people to reject consumer frenzy. Conceived by Canadian artist Ted Dave in 1992, the event challenges participants to step outside shopping culture for one day. It offers activities like DIY gifts and volunteering to foster year-round mindful consumption.
Buy Nothing Day, lying between a protest and an alternative holiday, aims to transform relationships with consumption. More people than ever are opting out of the Black Friday shopping rush, which often leads to significant debt. The average American incurs more than $1,000 in holiday credit card debt annually, with fewer than half paying it off before Easter.
Ted Dave created Buy Nothing Day in 1992 to let people experience life without consumer culture for a single day. Participants can engage in various socially distant alternatives that promote sustainability and personal growth.
One option is making DIY gifts, which are more meaningful and environmentally friendly. Using items like essential oils, Mason jars, old books, and even cut-up credit cards, people can craft eco-chic presents such as handmade beauty products. These skills can extend to birthdays and other events year-round.
Getting outside provides another fulfilling activity. Outdoor exercise boosts mood, immune health, and metabolism, benefiting kids as much as adults. Families can try a winter nature scavenger hunt, find nature in the city, or follow Scandinavian habits of biking, hiking, or playing in all weather, easing into summer routines.
Reading a book offers relaxation over shopping. Use the long weekend to tackle environmental nonfiction, books countering consumerism, picture books on recycling, or Green Earth Awards-winning children's titles that teach about the environment.
Gardening keeps the activity alive through winter. Replant, build a cold frame, go vertical, and mulch to sustain the garden, or start an indoor one with leftovers. Involving kids makes it educational, and growing food proves economically beneficial year-round.
Hosting a swap party refreshes wardrobes or homes without spending. Participants bring gently used clothing, books, or household items to exchange freely, reducing waste and building community. Resources include guides on organizing swaps and platforms like Swap.com.
Volunteering shifts focus to contribution. Help food banks, animal shelters, or environmental groups via VolunteerMatch, Idealist, or United Way, creating lasting purpose.
Learning a new skill online, through YouTube, Khan Academy, Coursera, or edX, enriches life and saves money on repairs or cooking.
These choices benefit the planet and budget, as the article, originally from 2020, notes in its 2025 update.