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Buy Nothing Day (BND) is annually celebrated on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and it is a day of protest against consumerism. In some locations, it is celebrated on the last Saturday of every November. When was the last time you went shopping and came back without buying anything? In this modern world, is it possible to buy nothing for 24 hours? Supporters of Buy Nothing Day think it is possible, but there is no doubt that going back home without buying anything for an entire day is a challenge in today’s world.
“Credit buying is much like being drunk. The buzz happens immediately and gives you a lift…. The hangover comes the day after” – Joyce Brothers.
History of Buy Nothing Day
Artist Ted Dave founded Buy Nothing Day in Vancouver, Canada, and later, it was promoted by Adbusters magazine based in Canada. The 1st Buy Nothing Day was observed in Canada in September 1992 as a day for society to inspect the problem of over-consumption. In 1997, this day was moved to the Friday after U.S. Thanksgiving, also infamously known as Black Friday, which is one of the ten busiest shopping days in the United States. In 2000, a few advertisements by Adbusters promoting this day were refused advertising time by nearly all important television networks except for CNN. After a short period, campaigns began appearing in the United States, Israel, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, and France. Now, about 65 nations participate in it. Buy Nothing Day got mixed reviews from the people. Some argue that this day can be the beginning of a life-changing lifestyle dedication, but few others say that this day is meaningless and that supporters only buy more the following day. In 2009, a group of participants not only avoided shopping but also kept all of their electric appliances off during the whole day, stopped themselves from traveling anywhere by car, and didn’t use their mobile phones.
Other Celebrations on November 24
November 24 is also celebrated as
- Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day
- National Maize Day
- National Flossing Day
- International Systems Engineer Day
How to Celebrate Buy Nothing Day
On Buy Nothing Day, you can do many things to express your objection to our consumer-based culture. You can only stay at home with your friends and family members instead of going shopping, or you can participate in various campaigns and events organized during the day to draw attention to the problem of overconsumption, like Zombie Walk, Whirl-mart, etc. Also, post pictures and share your thoughts about the day with others on social media by using the hashtag #BuyNothingDay.
Thank you for reading the post. You can celebrate every day with Happydays365.org and Happy Buy Nothing Day 2023.