Thanksgiving is a special holiday to celebrate an abundance of warmth & food and share the things for which we are grateful. Most people do not work on the day after Thanksgiving, deciding to spend this unique 4-day weekend with family and friends. Personally, the entire weekend is my favorite holiday.
The turkey, traditional centerpiece of Thanksgiving, is a symbolic embodiment of abundance
An aspect of our culture has decided to forego these family traditions in exchange for saving a few dollars to buy new shiny things. This phenomenon of “Black Friday” (when retailers make a significant part of their earnings, putting their yearly budget “in the black”) is the embodiment of valuing objects and money over people and experiences. Some stores have even started having their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving, which could not be a more perfect manifestation of disconnection from what is truly important, IMHO.
Fortunately, many people have begun pushing back against this intrusion of commercialism. One of the leaders in this anti-materialist movement is the Outdoor Co-op REI, who has been actively offering an alternative to Black Friday sales-seeking since 2015.
Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, REI closes every one of its stores. Rather than take advantage of an opportunity to accumulate more revenue, REI encourages its potential customers to go and experience the things that truly matter. It calls this activity #OptOutside.
Now in its fifth year, #OptOutside is a highly successful program, with an associated social media campaign of over 14 million Instagram posts. It turns out, on their day off from work many people would rather choose to spend the day out in their local park, forest, beach or other favorite outdoor place than fighting crowds to save a few bucks on a new TV.
Many other companies and organizations have joined REI in this “act of consumer resistance”, from county parks, State Parks, and even the US National Park Service.
This year, REI is also encouraging people to not only avoid shopping malls, but to spend the day Opting To Act by participating in one of many Environmental Clean-ups around the country. If no organized clean-ups are happening around you, you can start your own and Do It Yourself (DIY).
A cleanup with Hudson River Expeditions in Peekskill, NY as part of the annual RiverKeeper Hudson River Sweep (1st Saturday in May every year). We had fun, met good people, got fresh air & exercise, and cleaned up the river. A good day all around!
Being outside with friends and family, doing something good for the planet and your local environment, sure sounds like a better way to spend a day off of work than fighting someone to get a discounted video gaming system to me.
Of course, any day of the year is a good one to spend outside. It doesn’t have to be Black Friday. Every day is a chance to go to your favorite spot or explore and find somewhere new. You will feel good doing it, and the potential health benefits to you are many, from better sleep to lower blood pressure to improved mood.
So whether it is this weekend, some other day, or every day, make the choice to avoid the crowds and get outside. Share the experience with friends or go by yourself. Bring your smartphone and tag yourself (#OptOutside), or keep it as a special event just for you. No matter what you choose, you’ll be glad you did it. A whole world of health is waiting for you, right outside your door.
Happy Thanksgiving!!! 🍂🍁🦃🍗
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