As Black Friday approaches in 2025, more people than ever are choosing to step back from the shopping frenzy. Buy Nothing Day offers a meaningful alternative to Black Friday that can transform your relationship with consumption year-round.

Lying somewhere between a protest and an alternative holiday, Buy Nothing Day was conceived by Canadian artist Ted Dave in 1992 as a challenge to people to find out what it feels like to step entirely outside of consumer culture for just one day. If you’re up for the challenge, here are several Black Friday alternatives that could even put you on the path to buying less all year long.

DIY Gifts

Gift-giving can be one of the most meaningful parts of the holiday season. But the average American racks up more than $1,000 in holiday credit card debt each year, and fewer than half will pay it off before Easter.

So instead of shopping, why not make gifts for your loved ones? Handmade holiday gifts are more meaningful, and can be more environmentally friendly, too. You can use essential oils, Mason jars, old books, and even your cut-up credit cards to make eco-chic gifts like handmade beauty products. You can use the skills to make thoughtful homemade gifts year-round for birthdays and other special events.

Go Outside

You can get a lot of exercise walking around the mall, but carrying all those shopping bags will help your wallet lose as much weight as you do.

Try getting outside instead. Outdoor exercise boosts your mood, immune health, and metabolism. Kids benefit as much as – or more than – adults. So take them on a winter nature scavenger hunt. You can even find nature in the city if you know where to look. Follow the Scandinavians’ example and get outside in all kinds of weather.

Once you’ve gotten used to winter biking, hiking, or just playing outside, keeping up the healthy habit in summer will be easy.

Read a Book

Even if you enjoy shopping, odds are that cozying up with a good book is more relaxing. Take advantage of the long weekend to catch up on your TBR list. You could dig into the roots of environmental nonfiction or explore its contemporary branches. Maybe you will change your shopping habits for good after reading books to counter consumerism.

Make reading a family affair this Buy Nothing Day with captivating picture books about recycling, Green Earth Awards-winning children’s books, or books that expertly teach kids about the environment.

Garden

You don’t have to put the garden to bed in the fall.

The long weekend is the perfect time to replant, build a cold frame, go vertical, and mulch to keep your garden going all winter. You can even get the kids involved. But if it’s really too cold for a winter garden outside, consider starting an indoor garden or using your garden leftovers inside. If you do it right, growing your own food is good economics year-round, and a little extra work in the fall will give your garden the best start next spring.

Host a Swap Party

Instead of buying new items this Black Friday, organize a clothing, book, or household item swap with friends, family, or neighbors. Swap parties are a fun, social way to refresh your wardrobe or home without spending money or contributing to waste. Everyone brings gently used items they no longer need, and participants can “shop” from the collection for free. It’s a perfect way to find new treasures while giving your pre-loved items a second life. Plus, hosting a swap party builds community connections and can become a regular sustainable practice throughout the year, not just during the holidays.

New to swap parties? Check out these helpful guides on how to host a clothing swap, organizing swap events, or find inspiration from global clothing swap communities. You can even explore online swap platforms like Swap.com if you prefer virtual exchanges.

Volunteer in Your Community

Buy Nothing Day is an ideal moment to give back to your community. Local food banks, animal shelters, environmental organizations, and community centers need extra hands during the holiday season.

Spending your day helping others not only makes a tangible difference but also shifts your focus from consumption to contribution. Whether you’re serving meals, cleaning up a local park, tutoring students, or walking shelter dogs, volunteering provides a sense of purpose and connection that no Black Friday deal can match. Many people find that regular volunteering becomes a meaningful part of their routine long after Buy Nothing Day ends.

Find volunteer opportunities near you through platforms like VolunteerMatch, Idealist, Points of Light, or United Way. You can also explore Habitat for Humanity for construction projects or search for local opportunities through your library or community center.

Learn a New Skill Online

Use Buy Nothing Day to invest in yourself. Learn something new. Countless free educational resources are available online. You can explore everything from cooking and photography to coding and woodworking without spending a dime.

Platforms like YouTube, Khan Academy, Coursera, edX, and public library apps offer free tutorials and courses. Learning a new skill not enriches your life and can save you money in the long run, whether you’re learning to repair your own clothes, fix household items, or cook restaurant-quality meals at home. The long holiday weekend provides an opportunity to explore a subject you’ve been curious about. The skills you develop can reduce your need to consume throughout the year.

Whatever you choose as an alternative to fighting the crowds of consumers at the stores this Buy Nothing Day, you’re doing the planet and your budget a favor.

Editor’s Note: Originally published on November 23, 2020, this article was most recently updated in November 2025.