"Saturday November 27th 2004 is Buy Nothing Day (UK), the self proclaimed festival of frugal living and culture jammers jamboree. It's a day where you challenge yourself, your family and friends to switch off from shopping and tune into life. Celebrated as a holiday by some, a street party by others - anyone can take part provided they spend a day without spending!"Buy Nothing Day is a day close to my heart in some aspects. I was brought up in a relatively non-materialist way - things were bought when needed rather than when fancied, and simplicity was valued over the throwaway culture. Some of my siblings have taken this to heart more than others with the result that I see us in two camps in this aspect - the "activists" and the "collectors". Three guesses what camp I fall into.
This is the way I see it. BND's a fine idea, even if you separate the global political aspects of BND away from the day itself. What the hell is wrong in simplifying for a day? It doesn't have to be showy, it doesn't have to be a statement. Just simplify. Go down the park. Read a book. Make things. Do anything as long as you stay out of the shops. Try and end the day with as much capital as when you started.
They won't miss you. Or will they?
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