Alternatives to Black Friday

The holiday season commences earlier and earlier each year. Forget eclipsing the Thanksgiving holidays, Hallmark began showing Christmas movies before even the Halloween decorations were removed this year. If you turn on your TV, you will notice holiday classics like A Christmas Story and Home Alone have already begun to appear amidst your regularly scheduled programming. Yet such incursions notwithstanding, the holiday season does not officially begin until the day after Thanksgiving—a date now behind us, known as Black Friday. Black Friday, lately accompanied by its consumerist frenzy bookend Cyber Monday, is a day retail workers fear more than any other due to the excessive and often intimidating customers who pile into stores looking for seemingly great deals on iPhones, t-shirts and books. Yet there are many people who are not fans of the huge crowds, long lines and angry customers. There are indeed alternatives to celebrating the day and it is to those who prefer to stay curled up in bed with a favorite book and some hot cocoa, or to take home a DVD from their local library to watch it alone or with family to waiting outside in the cold at 3am that I direct this post.

There are many fun titles available at your local library that effectively skewer the consumerist aspects of the holiday season including The Customer is Always Wrong: The Retail Chronicles edited by Jeff Martin, a tragicomic and all-too revealing collection of essays by writers who have done their time behind the counter and lived to tell their tales. Similarly, who can forget David Sedaris' depiction of his time as an elf in a Macy's department store "The Santaland Diaries," nestled amongst other hilarious tales in Holidays on Ice. Caps for Sale written by Esphyr Slobodkina, which follows a peddler’s efforts to outwit the monkey trying to steal his caps, is also an excellent choice at bed time with your kids. And for those seeking a less involved bit of retail-therapy, therapy, given that the holiday season has officially begun, consider indulging in a holiday movie marathon with favorites like It’s a Wonderful Life and The Muppet Christmas Carol. 

The library is a place where you can find something for everyone on your list, including you. If you are looking for self-care, check out Yoga: Awakening the Inner Body by Donald Moyer.  And while you care for yourself, how about some slime recipes to keep your kids occupied? Check out The slime book : all you need to know to make the perfect slime. And no holiday reading list is complete without a reminding you not to overthink it: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and T’was the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore are classics for a reason.

When in doubt this holiday season, remember that all Brooklyn Public Libraries are open and offering free services to the public. With computer basics for older adults, craft sessions for kids and knitting classes for adults, you can make a meaningful gift like a handknitted hat, homemade card or a beautiful craft. Whatever you decide to do, have fun and enjoy the holidays!