Black Friday – that yearly event where countless people endure neverending queues and trample each other in the hope of getting new TV at a slashed price – is upon us. Here at Vilda we’re big advocates of creating a beautiful life, which can of course include beautiful things, but we are also advocates of only owning things that you have a connection to – and we don’t think that the consumerist hysteria of Black Friday plays into that. Plus, our environmentalist values aren’t aligned with a “holiday” which basically exists to promote mindless consuming. To counteract the “shop shop shop!” mood with some positivity and our signature minimalist-with-a-twist spirit, here are ten things we will be doing today instead of filling up our bags in a shopping centre.
“Don’t shop – dance! Even better if you invite someone to dance with you.”
– Emilee Seymour, Art Director
“I love low-key travelling with family during the holidays. For the day after Thanksgiving in the States (a.k.a. Black Friday), I enjoy getting out of town and seeing a different part of the state (we’re living in Texas at the moment), and this year we’re going to Texas wine country. Instead of braving the malls, we plan to see the countryside, enjoy each other’s company, and hopefully find a good cup of coffee 🙂 ”
-Mary Hood Luttrell, Beauty Editor
“This year Black Friday is also (more importantly) my mum’s birthday – so I will be celebrating instead of shopping! I also highly recommend Fur Free Friday and Ethical Black Friday. ”
-Sica Schmitz, Fashion Writer/Stylist
“Instead of buying something new for me, I would invest the same amount into something much better: a donation to an animal shelter or welfare organisation. Because if you have the money for a new pair of shoes or a new phone, you also have the money to make a donation, right? And helping others will make you feel much better than any material thing, I promise.”
-Elisa Brunke, Fashion & Lifestyle Writer
“”Focus on experiences and memories rather than material possessions. Think of all the great things you have done this year, and enjoy planning what you would like to do in the next year. Whether it’s big things like holidays or little things such as a walk in the woods, make sure you take time to truly appreciate everything that you are able to experience. When we obsess over buying lots of stuff that we think we want but don’t actually need, it is easy to take life for granted.”
– Jessica Sjoholm, Beauty Writer
“This Black Friday, I will be embracing the minimalist movement by downsizing my clothing collection and attempting to create a capsule wardrobe. All clothes and accessories I no longer wear, like or fit will be donated to charity therefore benefitting those less fortunate and giving me a little festive glow in the process. My growing interest in buying less but higher quality products also benefits the environment as well as my mind set as less clutter = clearer mind. A Christmas win.”
-Karen Denton, Merchandising & Partnerships Manager
“On Thanksgiving day, we all celebrate what we are thankful for in our lives. People come out and donate their time in soup kitchens, church kitchens etc. It’s one of the most popular days to volunteer in the USA. I think it’s great to volunteer on another day, when the help is not as present. Spending some time volunteering on Black Friday instead of thanksgiving day, is a great way to keep the spirit of giving thanks and being grateful year round.
Before shopping on Black Friday. Spend some time harvesting your own closet to give donations to those who really need it. Look for whatever is in good condition, no longer fits, no longer suits your personal style or no longer brings you joy. Package it up nicely and donate it to a worthy organization that will be able to give those clothes another lifetime. Clothes4souls, Room to Grow, and The Arch are great places to start. Also look for local organizations. Every year my friend runs a clothing drive to benefit the Bronx public defenders office. The clothing donations dropped off there, go towards women who need court appropriate clothing options. I love donating to them because it gives new life to your old clothes, and also helps to insure fairer representation for all in the justice system. ”
-Djuna Da Silva, Fashion Writer/Stylist
“This Black Friday, I’m getting rid of unworn clothes. You know those impulse buys that end up in the back of your wardrobe? In order to get to the perfect minimalist wardrobe, I’ll be donating those still-new items to charity.”
-Sara Carraro, Food Editor
“Do some research and learn something that will inspire you and make you feel accomplished. It could be learning the basics of a new language on youtube, watching a documentary, or just reading the newspaper. For example, I recently decided to learn music theory and I couldn’t be happier!”
-Giulia Panna, Innovation Officer
“Spend time with friends. Instead of heading out to the shops, simply spend some time together. Go for a drink, cook a lovely dinner together, see a movie, just have a chat. Anything to get you away from the hysteria of consumerism and into a space where you can invest time in your relationships instead.”
-Sascha Camilli, Founding Editor
Photos by Brooke Cagle, Ian Schneider, and Josh Felise, all via Unsplash
