5 Liberal Things To Do On Black Friday


For many Black Friday itself has become a holiday, a cultural ritual as much, if not more, than Thanksgiving itself. Many others including myself are challenging and rethinking the big ode to consumerism and consumption, and refuse to participate. If you are fortunate enough not to have to work, and are opting out of the Black Friday madness, here are five suggestions for other things to do.

  1. Join Striking WalMart Workers– Around the country there will be demonstrations at WalMart highlighting their poor treatment of workers. Last year many workers went on strike, and this year will be no different. If you are not participating in the hustle and bustle of buying things, you and others may not need why not support WalMart’s low wage workers who are trying to earn a living wage.
  2. Go Volunteer– Many people think to volunteer at soup kitchens on Thanksgiving and that’s great. However, people are still hungry and homeless the next day and those organizations still need your help. In fact many organizations struggle with help over the holidays, with the exception of the actual day of celebration. Ring up your local places they may need you.
  3. Make Homemade Holiday Gifts-Black Friday is a great time to eat leftovers and work on homemade gifts. From bath salts, body scrubs, no sew throws, and t-shirt totes, there are lots of fun, easy, and low cost items to make for family and friends that don’t take high skill levels or a large wallet.
  4. Have Family Game Day or a Movie Marathon– If you are able to be home all day for Black Friday why not take the time to turn off the TV and take out the board games. If board games aren’t your style why not make some popcorn gather around the TV with family and friends and create your own movie marathon.
  5. Do Nothing– Get some rest! If you have left overs eat some lounge around your house and rest. One thing Americans don’t do well is vacation. Our work ethic is so strong we work sick, through family hardship, and we fail to take vacations. When we have the chance to rest many of us need to learn to do just that.
Laurie Bertram Roberts is the president of Mississippi National Organization for Women, a feminist activist, full spectrum doula and writer in Jackson, MS. Her family suspected she was trouble when at age 8 she preferred reading weekly news magazines over girly magazines. Her early fascination with liberal ideals, women's rights, was not quite welcome in her conservative fundamentalist Christian home. She is incredibly passionate about reproductive justice and fighting all forms of oppression. When not speaking truth to power she is likely hanging out with her children watching sci fi or doing other nerd like things.