make something day
In response to the over-consumptive habits of western culture, Adbusters magazine has been promoting Buy Nothing Day for years now. The Friday after Thanksgiving is typically marked as the highest buying day for Americans. But we live in a world that can no longer handle our consumptive habits here in the west. And while we pile up on things we don’t need a large portion of the world exists without basic human needs being met every day. We applaud Buy Nothing Day… but it isn’t enough for us. As followers of Jesus, we believe that giving is a central part of the lifestyle we are trying to embody. So, we replaced the negative with something positive: Make Something Day. Go ahead and give gifts this holiday season. As they say, giving is better than receiving. But that doesn’t mean buying something is. So, we encourage folks to avoid shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Instead, stay home, put a log on the fire and try making something for someone. Don’t feel creative? Visit the BuyNothingChristmas.org website for some good ideas to get you started.
Here are a few resources that you might find helpful:
Affluenza: a great book documenting the effects of consumerism on western culture, and the world
Alternatives for Simple Living: a non-profit organization that exists to help people simplify life
Freedom of Simplicity: author Richard Foster, approaches the discipline of Simplicity from a Christian perspective
Jubilee Economics Ministries: a local organization here in San Diego declaring, “Enough!” in a world crying, “More!”
What Would Jesus Buy?: A docu-comedy coming to theaters soon, produced by Morgan Spurlock of Super Size Me
Share your photos on our Flickr Group
Post your stories and ideas on our MySpace or Facebook Groups
or, e-mail us at makesomethingday.ec [at] gmail [dot] com