things to do on black friday that don't involve spending money

hello.

how was your thanksgiving? i hope you ate delicious food with good company, had good conversation, with good music, and had lots of leftovers to take home to make thanksgiving sandwiches for the next couple of days.

tomorrow, i will be sending out a christmas requisites list filled with books, films, music, and art to consume during this holiday season so stay tuned for that.

i don’t do black friday. i will be opting out of shopping festivities and instead, going to a jazz bar tonight after a day spent at the library. if you’re an online shopper like me, consider sifting through this gift guide i created for some inspiration if you’re in the space to shop a little this season.

if not, let me present some ideas your wallet will thank you for…

things to do on black friday that don’t involve spending money:

-eat pumpkin pie for breakfast: in bed. while reading the new yorker. with black coffee.

-organize the notes in your notes app: i know this is your personal bible filled with your deepest darkest secrets. let’s organize them a bit and put them into little folders.

-make some new playlists: christmas time is here. make a jazzy playlist to enjoy over the holiday season.

-take an everything shower: decompress from the overstimulation of yesterday’s festivities and take a long, much needed, therapeutic shower.

-play chess: you can play on chess.com if you don’t have a partner to play with. and if you don’t know how to play. learn.

-eat fresh fruits: growing up, eating frest fruit after a heavy meal was a way to “cleanse the body”. don’t ask me why, i just listened to my mom and ate fruit and it always made me feel better. recommending fresh oranges, apples, pomegranates, berries, etc.

-visit an antiquarian bookstore: take your time and browse. put your phone away. talk to the booksellers. explore. discover.

-listen to christmas music: something jazzy.

-burn holiday candles: there’s a hot cocoa and cream candle from bath and body works that is absolutely delectable. i also recommend this candle from the new savant. i found it at co bigelow this week and i can’t stop burning it.

-organize your bookshelf: this is something i did recently (and i’ll have to do it again since i’m moving into a different apartment in the city). it’s exhausting but it’s also relaxing and therapeutic. and rewarding.

-decorate your home for christmas: take out your christmas boxes from storage and adorn your home with warm and welcoming decor.

-spend the day reading and writing: what a breath of fresh air. to sit at home and read and write all day? cuddle under a blanket, burn the good candles, sip hot cocoa or hot tea and call it a day.

-make a homemade wreath: trader joe’s has lots of foliage for a decent price. or you can talk a walk in the park or forest and forage your own foliage. attach dried oranges or cranberries (pinterest has lots of ideas).

-journal: get out your stationery, decorate the pages in your journal and write.

-podcasts: sift through spotify and gather a playlist of episodes that catch your eye to listen to throughout the week. i’ll be sharing suggestions in this weeks media report on sunday.

-test bake your favorite christmas cookie recipes: planning on gifting sweet treats this year? now is the perfect time to practice your baking skills.

-watch your favorite holiday films: make a list of all your favorite holiday films and spend the month working your way through them.

-make leftover thanksgiving recipes: thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, hot pockets, turkey barley soup, turkey stuffing meatballs, and more.

-a long walk outdoors: for mental clarity. bundle up, put on a podcast or a playlist and take a long, much needed, decompressing outdoor walk.

-budget planning for gift giving: if you are getting gifts this year, map out a budget plan and strategically organize your own gift guide for your recipient(s) to avoid overspending.

okay, that’s all i have for you today.

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i love you.

bye.

(follow ig, tiktok, pinterest and spotify for more)