Prepare yourself for Buy Nothing Day -- November 23!

The ClubHouse: Archive: Prepare yourself for Buy Nothing Day -- November 23!
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Archive through November 23, 2001 25   11/24 11:33am

Resortgirl

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 02:12 pm Click here to edit this post
I hadn't planned on braving the crowds today. Our town of 3000 is pretty scary the day after Thanksgiving and besides I finished my Christmas shopping on Monday. But after baking cookies all morning and decorating the house this afternoon I couldn't resist. I bought a microwave for my starving college student daughter on SALE for $49.99!! And then I hightailed it home for an evening of "The Grinch who Stole Christmas" with the family. Whew! So much for a relaxing day Off. LOL!

Moondance

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 02:16 pm Click here to edit this post
I bought all my supplies to make my presents with today :)

Resortgirl

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 02:30 pm Click here to edit this post
I always have good intentions to make presents Moon! Good for you to actually do it. I am not very crafty though so I imagine that your presents are works of art and mine would be in someones garage sale next spring.

Moondance

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 02:44 pm Click here to edit this post
Not true Rgirl!... Since I was little I always made my Christmas presents... anything you make from the heart is special so I am sure yours are great!

Wink

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 02:49 pm Click here to edit this post
Now Moon please be sure when you do the life-size sculpture of Keith for me that you pay special attention to those gorgeous calves.


Note to Ocean. Many people are here posting instead of shopping. Just to keep the thread on topic

Moondance

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 02:51 pm Click here to edit this post
I wouldn't want to break my molds, Winks!

Highlander

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 03:54 pm Click here to edit this post
This year for once I am making presents. I am making all the grandchildren CD slide shows of their grandparents from their youth through the dating period, WWII leading up to their own parents childhoold and then ending in their own. Its a mammoth task with hundreds of slides to download and music but I am sure down the years they will appreciate it. This year it will be a nostalgic theme. I wont forget to throw twenty bucks in as well (just to hedge my bets.)

Car54

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 03:58 pm Click here to edit this post
I work for a chain of retail gift shops, and today, we like many retailers had our very FIRST
pre-Christmas sale.
I got called out from the office to help at our newest (and one of our busiest) stores- located in a shopping center directly across the street from a retirement community.

Whoo whee was this a fun day.... the sale was- 20% off any item in the store with a Snowman- which ended up being kind of a treasure hunt for the customers.
At the front registers it was kind of like a war-zone!
These customers are mostly elderly- do all their shopping with us, because transportation is an issue, and want LOTS of service. Almost everything has to be boxed.
I was there for about 6 hours, we were ringing all 4 registers, full out, with lines 4 deep at each register.
I love this kind of day...helping people pick out their presents, making sure they had a good time.
(course I don't have to do it every day!)
This is a new store, so the staff hasn't been through a Christmas yet, so the office staff helps out. Much fun, but I sure didn't want to stop and shop on my way home!

Highlander

Friday, November 23, 2001 - 04:01 pm Click here to edit this post
Car I have to tell you I am the queen of the online shoppers. I cant take the lines. I do most if not all my christmas shopping online. I dont have to worry about shipping or giftwrap. Jeff Bezos is my hero.

Angelnikki

Saturday, November 24, 2001 - 11:33 am Click here to edit this post
well i for one got off work a little early to go shopping and there were tons and tons of people shopping. of course i didnt get the one item that i really wanted to get being as they were sold out ALREADY!!!!!! I did however get some CD's at Kmart for 9.88 and a game boy color bundle pack including the game for only 45 dollars or something like that and i had to go to 2 different Kmarts for that. I love shopping the day after thanksgiving, it puts me in the mood for Christmas :)

Car54

Saturday, November 24, 2001 - 01:13 pm Click here to edit this post
Ok, speak up- I was just driving on Rt 9 between Boston and Worcester, and looked up at a huge billboard advertising Temptation Island 2, and in the middle of the sign, someone had climbed up and mounted a home-made banner (spraypainted bedsheet) promoting Buy Nothing Day.

I know there are a number of TVCH people in this area, anybody want to take credit?

Wink

Saturday, November 24, 2001 - 05:24 pm Click here to edit this post
Ocean you devil you.

Ocean_Islands

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 08:40 am Click here to edit this post
What a great idea that was! But no, it wasn't me.

Now that Buy Nothing Day is over, I hope the event helped everyone pause and realise that life is not made of material possessions.

Wink

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 09:32 am Click here to edit this post
Ocean if you haven't read it yet, the book, "No Logo" by Naomi Klein should be added to your Christmas wish list. She's another one of our fine "subversive" Canadians.

The Village Voice commented, "NO LOGO may itself be one of the anticorporate movement's best hopes yet."

Twiggyish

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 09:40 am Click here to edit this post
Well, I like to support the economy. I think your efforts are noble OI. Our retailers need the business, as it keeps people like me in business. This is especially true of small towns, where the economy needs a boost.

Ocean_Islands

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 09:53 am Click here to edit this post
Is No Logo a novel? What is it?

Wink

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 10:09 am Click here to edit this post
NO LOGO is a current affairs/business book Ocean. Here is a blurb from the cover.

"The most talked about book since Generation X....NO LOGO is an intelligently written and superbly reported account of a culture that has moved from selling products to hawking brands"

Wink

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 12:39 pm Click here to edit this post
How remiss of me Ocean. I should have suggested you check the book out of the library so no money exchanges hands.

Moondance

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 12:59 pm Click here to edit this post
So Ocean since you are so concerned with me spending money on my craft supplies, I guess you don't want your Christmas present!:)

Car54

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 02:36 pm Click here to edit this post
Ocean, I am one of those retailers, but I do see some virtue in thinking before we spend. I am guilty of buying unnecessary things to make myself feel better or because I deserve them.

I made it through the whole day Friday until supper and I was working, and had to buy something to eat on my break. (oops!)

Ocean_Islands

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 03:47 pm Click here to edit this post
I'm certainly not against presents people!

I don't think the founders of "Buy Nothing Day" would take it so seriously as to not have you buy something to eat, or whatever, frankly.

My interpretation is that it is just a day to get those who are wrapped up in consumerism to slow down and realise there is more to life. And it seems like you all have!

Honestly, though, those wrapped up in consumerism wouldn't take a moment to even consider the idea.

Highlander

Monday, November 26, 2001 - 04:26 pm Click here to edit this post
I looked at it differently. Usually I start getting ready for christmas around December 10th, pull out the decorations, etc. This year, to try and focus on something other than September 11th, I decided that we would start the holidays early. My son went out christmas shopping for the first time by himself on the Friday. We pulled out the decorations and it did him a world of good coming home with his packages.

So we were out there shopping on the Friday ... it felt great and was just what the doctor ordered.

Dahli

Tuesday, November 27, 2001 - 11:30 am Click here to edit this post
OI - I want to thank you for this, I read the entire site and all of the discussions, however I did miss the ad on CNN, mostly because I am so sick of the crawler on that network I could scream.
It has changed me - now all I see is how we are nothing but huge pigs eating up everything in sight. The economy is based on consumerism, and is destined to eventually fail, the suggested movement towards conservationism is fascinating.
Christmas is going to be totally different this year. Buy local and recycle is my new motto, and we are a retail family!
BTW did you see the 'buyology' special on TLC this weekend? Incredible that over 90%of our purchasing is discretionary spending!!

Ocean_Islands

Tuesday, November 27, 2001 - 11:36 am Click here to edit this post
Thanks Dahli I'm glad you got something from it.

I did watch some of the buyology items on TLC ... It was very interesting I wish I had seen more of it.

It's frightening to think of how much of what we purchase we don't actually need. My policy for the passed six months has been to not open the catalogs that come in the mail. They go from the mailbox into the garbage. I certainly don't need to be exposed to more advertising designed to tell me I need something that I clearly don't.

Dahli

Tuesday, November 27, 2001 - 11:51 am Click here to edit this post
Great plan with the catalogues - but even better maybe you could get them to take you off their list or return to sender or recycle!!
A sad fact too, what mega corporations do, more every day (in addition to downsizing staff and upsizing profits for themselves) is exploit labour and resources all over the world to that end. Thus the divide between the haves and the have-nots gets huger every day
Many of us would probably consider carefully before we purchase if we were more aware of those facts...

Ocean_Islands

Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 05:21 am Click here to edit this post
Unfortunately, glossy paper cannot be recycled (at least not around here). A lot of the catalog companies have taken me off their lists since last year.

Twiggyish

Wednesday, November 28, 2001 - 06:30 am Click here to edit this post
We plan ahead on gifts for shopping and bring a list along. This helps with impulse shopping. My family has greatly reduced the amount of gift giving. For the most part, we shop for the kids.
That doesn't mean I don't enjoy getting out during the holidays. Also, I try to shop in local stores.

Highlander, we put our tree up early, too. Our neighbors have all put out their lights and decorations. I think we feel the need for normalcy in our lives.
The trees and decorations are a rebellion to the terrorists. We will endure and our traditions will continue. (Just my thoughts on it)