Buy Nothing Day

Black Friday sales are an abomination! All I want to do on the day after Thanksgiving is eat pie and whip cream, and think about Advent. I make about half of my holiday gifts, and usually spend this free day at home, working on projects.

Agenda:

1. Read "Wake Up Grateful"

2. Compile a family wish list

3. Creativity brainstorm and gift-making calendar

1. Read "Wake Up Grateful":

I've been reading this book by Kristi Nelson (2020), with the sub-title "The Transformative Practice of Taking Nothing for Granted". She explains how she met Brother David Steindl-Rast, and eventually began to work with him on The Network for Grateful Living website, and that this book is a guidebook based on Brother David's teachings.

Chapter 2 is Grateful Living as a Way of Life. It covers the five guiding principles of Brother David's teaching.

The fifth principle is Love is Transformative. "Grateful living is a practice of love in action. ... A loving and grateful heart is a generous heart. ... When we open our eyes wide our hearts follow. When we open our hearts, our actions follow. Love ... is tenacious ad fierce, capable of deeply touching and transforming lives."

The rest of the book is about the practice of gratitude, and I will continue to touch in with it throughout the next month.

2. Compile a family wish list:
It's a family tradition that we make a list on Thanksgiving of what we each want for Christmas. (This now requires some cajoling texts and email nudges.)

3. Creativity brainstorm and gift-making calendar:

Today I will kick off my season of gift-making creativity with a look through project of the past, and make a plan for things I will make and things I will help my grandsons to make.

1. Look through books and past projects for inspiration and write about my gift ideas.
2. Make a backwards calendar for gift projects, with a list of things I need to collect.
3. Start one handwork project that I can do in the evenings while I watch tv - this year, beaded butterflies!
4. Gather supplies and begin to make a few small items for St. Nicholas gifts and stocking stuffers.