Great Ideas for Black Friday That Don’t Involve Shopping

When the feasting and festivities of Thanksgiving are done you can head straight to the malls to stand in lines and fight crowds for “incredible deals” on everything from toasters to televisions that you may or may not actually need, or you can find creative ways to spend the day with family making the most of the long weekend. Check out these ideas for meaningful ways to spend Black Friday without suffering through the throngs of deal-seekers just to save a few bucks.

Get some off-season “spring” cleaning done. It may not be spring but instead of shopping to fill your house with more clutter, spend the time cleaning out the house to rid yourself of things you no longer want or need. When you do this as a family you can get a lot accomplished and take advantage of the opportunity to rehash memories of how you got some of your most treasured possessions.

This is also a great way to help those less fortunate — and what better time to do that than during the Thanksgiving holiday? After you’ve cleaned out your closets, take those gently used items to a local homeless shelter. It’s not only a great way to clean out the clutter but it teaches kids the value of giving back.

Instead of being indoors shopping all day head out into the wilderness for some fresh air. The day after Thanksgiving is a great day for a hike with the family. Pick one of your favorite trails and enjoy the crisp, fall air and the beautiful colors of the fall foliage. While everyone else is at the mall getting discounts on things they don’t really need you can enjoy family time with the uncrowded serenity of Mother Nature.

Make it a family movie day. Thanksgiving is a popular release date for new movies, giving you a great opportunity to have fun with the family when everyone has the day off to play around.

Plan an after-party with the family. You don’t have to let the festivities stop at the end of Thanksgiving Day and, since many people are torn between having multiple places to visit on the same day, make it fun and easy for everyone by getting together on Black Friday. This way the stress of meeting multiple commitments is out of the picture. (Helpful hint: It’s also a great way to use up those leftovers!)