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Nov. 29 is Buy Nothing Day. It’s also Black Friday (a.k.a.”buy everything day”). It’s impossible to avoid being bombarded with deals and sales and ads for all the many many things you can buy on Black Friday. And it can be hard to turn off that lizardy part of our brain that wants to have the shiny new thing.
My sister-in-law told me recently about a strategy that’s helping her reduce impulse shopping. When she is considering buying something, say a sweater, or a piece of jewelry, she says these words to herself: “That is nice. But I’ve already got one.” I’ve tried it. It helps.
However, the gift-giving season poses a challenge. It’s one thing to Buy Nothing for yourself on Buy Nothing Day. But “nothing” under the tree doesn’t have quite the same joyful feeling as, well, lots of somethings.
“It turns out our stuff isn’t making us any happier,” says Annie Leonard, the creator of the Story of Stuff animated documentary and book of the same name. She argues that it is relationships, which are “proven over and over to be the biggest determining factor in our happiness [once our basic needs are met],” and that our pursuit of possessions actually gets in the way of that. Furthermore, assistant professor of psychology Leaf Van Boven at the University of Boulder Colorado found that the most thoughtful gift might be an activity rather than a thing. “We found that people receive more enduring pleasure and satisfaction from investing in life experiences than material possessions,” he said in an interview with Science Daily.
Bluedot agrees! So, we’ve put together a list of experience ideas to give to (or try with!) your favourite people. Print out the tickets or hand-write an invitation, put it in a box, and wrap it up for gift exchange time. Not only are you giving your friend an adventure to share, which will build your relationship, you can save yourself from slogging it out in the mall (or online shopping) — and give yourself back the day to spend on a fall trail or curled up with a good book.
A Short List of Toronto Day Outing Ideas:
- Go skating at one of the city’s many free outdoor rinks and trails, including Nathan Philips Square, The Bentway, or by the lake at Colonel Samuel Smith Park Skate Trail.
- Enjoy the McMichael Canadian Art Collection’s gallery, outdoor sculpture area, and trails in Kleinburg.
- Explore the free access to art displays at the Harbourfront Centre, or sign up for one of their on-site craft classes to learn, for example, visible mending or blowing glass, or to try your hand at making a printed cushion, simple pendant, stacking rings, quilted pillow, floral embroidery.
- Stroll the Stackt Market, checking out the art installations, public spaces and athletic facilities (you can even book a curling lane from December to February).
- Send your loved one on a scavenger hunt to explore delightful spots around the city. Several companies offer online scavenger hunts for the city that you can buy, but we also found these two free ones: Free Scavenger Hunts and Goosechase. Or if you’re the creative type, design your own from scratch with all their interests in mind.
- Treat your friend to a mystery out-of-town day trip with Guess Where Trips, such as the seasonally appropriate All Things Merry and Bright trip or Small Town Charm Trail.
- Meander through the Toronto Christmas Market at the Distillery District for a day of holiday merrymaking. Admission is free of charge on weekdays until Friday at 6 p.m.
- Spend a day learning family-oriented mapping and orienteering skills with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). Choose from a handful of dates between February and September.
- Give the gift of serenity with a New Beginnings Forest Therapy Walk (Jan. 15) at the Kortright Centre for Conservation.
Have other ideas? Let us know and we’ll add them to the list.
