You’ve just spent a day giving thanks for all you have.
Now go forth and take down some weaker shoppers for that flat screen you’ve been eyeing! However, if you don’t wish to be on the news in the background of that hundred-plus-person-stampede at Target, we’ve pulled together some alternative ways to spend your Black Friday.
1. Support local businesses on Small Business Saturday
Avoid Black Friday lines while supporting your local businesses by participating in Small Business Saturday! Check out deals HERE.
2. Spend the day sitting near your family, all on your phones without looking up
You traveled near and far to spend time with your family, many of which are obligatory holidays-only-relatives. What better way to show them how thankful you are to be with them than to gather around the table, all passively refreshing Twitter? (Bonus: You can tag your family in funny memes, while silently sitting next to them, in the name of togetherness.)
Thanksgiving is a time where unfortunately not all have access to healthy, plentiful meals. Pack Friday is working to change this. With a shift on Friday at La Quinta Inn, you can take part in packing meals for those in need.
Pack Friday packs over 200 meals in one hour, providing meals for those who need it most in your community. The event takes place at the Pack Away Hunger headquarters.
4. Break out your Ying Yang Twins Christmas CD
Time for your holiday favorite. Blast this while you Deck Da Club.
Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, with a mission to “help others through the gift of your time, donations, goods or your voice.” Instead of shopping, you selfish millennial consumer, on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving use the power of social media and global collaboration to give back in any means you can. Their website has great resources to help you get involved with #GivingTuesday, including a directory of area charities. (Be sure to use #GivingTuesday on social media throughout the day.)
6. People Watch
Spend no money at all by sitting in your warm car and watching the madness ensue from a safe distance. A fun social experiment to try would be handing out free food to the savage campers who have been in line since 2 AM, two days ago. This is a great way to be a hero of Black Friday, and also maybe get bitten on accident.
Let's be honest - do you really want to be stuck inside Walmart with 10,000 other people trying to snag a Samsung TV for $350? No, you don't. Instead, you should #OptOutside. Join REI as they close their doors on Black Friday and get out to one of Indiana's fantastic state parks for FREE!
8. Is there a Black Friday sale on student loans?
Your move, Sally Mae.
9. Shop online on #CyberMonday
All of the sales, none of the “Hey lady, get off of me - my paws were on this Xbox first!” Shop deals in your holiday pajamas from the comfort of your couch by shopping #CyberMonday.
Sales are much sweeter when you don’t have to elbow hundreds of other shoppers while camping outside Macy’s. If you really miss that aspect of it, pitch a tent in your one bedroom apartment and stay up all night refreshing your favorite store’s website.
10. Sleep (Seriously, just sleep...)
There's no discount worth getting up at 4 AM for. Stay in your tryptophan coma until its time to wake up and eat leftover pie.
11. Keep trying to convince your well-meaning grandma that you've had enough to eat
No, you don’t want to take more leftovers back to school with you.
“Did you get enough to eat honey?”
“Are you eating enough at school?"
“RETURN MY TUPPERWARE, OR SO HELP ME...”
12. Tell yourself you're going to go Pinterest crazy and craft your gifts this year
End up on the floor covered in glitter, Mod Podge, sweat and tears, fingers singed from hot glue, cursing your lack of creativity because it looks NOTHING like it did on Pinterest. End up purchasing last minute gifts from Target. Repeat cycle next year.
13. Don’t go shopping on Black Friday. In fact, don’t shop at all this Christmas.
Bring Kanye into your holiday season by telling your friends and family: “My presence is a present, kiss my ass.” (Sorry, Grandma.)
Written By: Shannon Rostin
