5 Things You Should Do Instead of Shopping on Thanksgiving

It’s too bad Thanksgiving has turned into such a shopping holiday. There aren’t special gifts for Thanksgiving or even particular candy with turkey wrappers made for it. It’s just a day for giving thanks – and eating really good food!

It used to be the best holiday – and one that everyone celebrates – until it became a shopping holiday. Don’t let shopping ruin a perfectly good holiday! Here are 5 fun (and inexpensive!) things to do over the Thanksgiving holiday instead of shopping.

5 Things You Should Do Instead of Shopping on Thanksgiving

1. Go for a hike :: Get outside and go for a hike! Breathe in the crisp fall air and get some exercise. Walking or hiking helps us connect with nature. Make walking sticks like mine out of old ski poles and get an upper body workout, too.
2. Ride a bike :: Don’t leave the bike riding for the summer! Fall is a gorgeous time to bike and admire the leaves changing. Watch out for wet leaves – they are slippery.
3. Dig in the garden :: Dig out those tomato plants and plant a cover crop. Skip the gym and rake leaves instead! Raking leaves is another favorite upper body workout of mine.
4. Cozy in :: Rent movies or get several from the library (yes, libraries have movies, too!) and cozy in for a movie marathon. Kick off the holiday season with some family favorites – “Elf,” “Princess Bride,” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” are a few of our favorites.
5. Serve :: Volunteering does wonders. Helping at a shelter by serving a meal or lending a hand to someone in need is helpful. It always makes me feel better (and makes my problems seem minuscule!) when I can help someone else. Even the simple task of raking leaves in a neighbor’s yard makes me feel good. Serving others and volunteering is good for everyone.

Stores are open for business on Thanksgiving day and opening earlier in the morning for Black Friday shopping. What happened to the holiday? Gobbled up by retail shopping trends and consumer spending. Don’t let shopping get in the way of enjoying Thanksgiving. Just give thanks and save your money instead.

How are you spending Thanksgiving? Are you getting outside or shopping?

Go Gingham related links:

Oyster and sausage stuffing for Thanksgiving – it’s the best!
Celebrate Thanksgiving more simply and enjoy the holidays more
Cloth napkins for Thanksgiving that are made from an old skirt
A Thanksgiving tablecloth made with quilting techniques
Pumpkin spice cake would also make a nice dessert at Thanksgiving
Homemade cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving – make it the day before!

More related links:

Shopping? Consider Little Boxes – A Different Way to Shop this holiday season. It’s all local + small – in Portland. Don’t live in Portland? Start a shopping revolt where you live. Support small businesses! Also, REI is another business to support. They’re closing their stores for Thanksgiving and Black Friday – unheard of – and encouraging their employees to spend time with their families and get outside. And, they’re paying their employees for the day, too. They’ve got their own hashtag #OptOutside and are counting down to Black Friday. Love it!