A dark day?
29th November 2021I hope that you’ve had a productive week. I know it can be a grind at this time of year but we just need to see off the next couple of weeks and we are there. I’m not sure whether this Friday has been a boon day for you or not. If your inbox is anything like mine you’ll spend most of the day clearing out messages telling you how you MUST buy this Black Friday bargain or your world will fall in. I’m not a fan of another American ‘tradition’ hitting our shores.
Black Friday is a colloquial term for the Friday following Thanksgiving in the US. It has traditionally marked the start of the Christmas shopping season – by traditionally in the US, of course, we mean in the last 50 years. As we know many stores offer highly promoted sales at discounted prices and often open very early, sometimes as early as midnight or even on Thanksgiving itself. Black Friday has routinely been the busiest shopping day of the year in the US since 2005; in the US that’s almost all of the nation’s history covered.
We, in the UK, seem to have fallen for this neat marketing trick. And a trick it might be, with Which magazine suggesting that 90% of all discounted goods and ‘so-called’ deals being no cheaper than typical sales days. Brilliantly in Welsh, Black Friday is known as ‘Dydd Gwener y Gwario Gwirion’ or translated as ‘Silly Spending Friday’.
And so, as an alternative, I thought that we might benefit from celebrating an alternative 26th November 2021. Somewhere in the world it’s…
Buy Nothing Day: Originating in Canada in the early ’90s, National Buy Nothing Day occurs on the day after Thanksgiving each year. In an effort to combat the unethical and sometimes even dangerous mob shopping behaviours of Black Friday, artist Ted Dave established this anti-consumerism holiday in 1992. The idea is to counteract the madness of holiday shopping by encouraging a mindful and environmentally friendly attitude toward post-feast purchasing.
How about …?
National Day of Listening: The ability to listen is a skill we can practice on National Day of Listening, a day to get away from the chaos of the world, just to relax, hear, and be heard. It’s an unofficial day to practice listening, encouraging us to make time to record our family and local community stories. Since good listeners fight off depression and gain more familiarity with other people of different backgrounds, listening is highly recommended.
Or maybe…?
Flossing Day: This is celebrated on the fourth Friday in November. The holiday stresses the importance of flossing your teeth every day for excellent oral health. And a little aside; horsehair was used as dental floss before the invention of the modern floss we use today – mmmmm!
Now here’s something of importance…
Fur-Free Friday: Is held on the Friday after Thanksgiving, to denounce our cruelty, in the name of fashion, to fur-bearing animals, and to campaign for animal rights and protection.
Maybe be a little lighter…?
National Maize Day: Maize is rich in vitamins, fibre and antioxidants, and in the words of the Maize promotional literature, ‘this yellow gift of nature is worth so much more’. Maize is so beneficial that it has a day carved out every year just to celebrate it.
Now here’s something we can all enjoy…
National Cake Day: Congratulations to Giuseppe.
I like …
National Law Day — also known as Samvidhan Divas: Is celebrated in India on 26th November every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India. Constitution Day is not a public holiday, however, government departments and schools across the country acknowledge the day with various events and activities. As per the Department of Education and Literacy, the preamble of the constitution is read in all schools by all students. The Department of Higher Education also requests various universities to arrange mock parliamentary debates in colleges.
From our friends over the pond…
National Native American Heritage Day: American Indians are accorded special honour on this day, and their rich cultures, accomplishments, contributions, and heritage are celebrated.
But more likely …
Sinkie Day — or Dine Over Your Kitchen Sink Day: Is the day after Thanksgiving, and it is especially for those of us to whom leftovers taste much better when eaten over the sink. From the bumph ‘Imagine that after spending hours cleaning up the house, you want to give yourself a treat, a juicy or crunchy bite that will get crumbs everywhere. Taking it out of the kitchen may not be wise unless you love cleaning. One of the best places to eat that yummy but messy treat is over the sink. And some of us are natural sinkies; it’s just in us’. Yes, sinkies are a thing. A ‘sinkie’ is someone who dines over the kitchen sink, grabs a quick bite in the car, drinks milk straight from the carton, or snacks right out of the refrigerator. Oh dear!
From Down Under…
World Lewis Day: This day serves to raise awareness about the hundreds of koalas who have passed or have been displaced due to the recent Australian bushfires, and encourages people to donate to charity groups working to help them in any way they can.
Well, there you go. Something for everyone and not an unnecessary purchase in sight. Enjoy your weekend and free yourself from the shackles of the commercial and marketing horrors of Black Friday.
David