Oh, the joys of Black Friday shopping. Fighting over the last cheap flatscreen, inconspicuously cutting into lines, waking up at wee hours of the morning and spending money on things you don’t really need just because it’s on sale. Not to mention the fact that employees’ Thanksgivings are cut into, and yours as well. Black Friday is a day of madness, and now the madness seeps into Thursday night as stores open their doors as early as 5pm Thanksgiving day – a day meant to be spent at home eating tons of food and bonding with family. There are so many other things I’d rather do than get off the couch, go out in the cold and step into a world of crazies. Here are a few of those things:
1) Embrace my food coma
Friday is meant to be spent recovering from the massive amounts of potatoes, stuffing and turkey consumed yesterday.
2) Sleep
This is of course part of the recovery process! But don’t blame turkey for making you sleepy, contrary to what myths say about the amount of tryptophan in this meat. According to WebMD, turkey contains no more tryptophan than other poultry and even contains less than chicken.
3) Exercise
I feel way better and less guilty when I go for a walk or do something active the day after Thanksgiving. Sure, you could get your exercise walking around a mall or story, but wouldn’t you rather make your dog happy and take him or her for a walk? Then, head back to the couch of course.
4) Fast
After a day of nonstop eating, I’d rather fast on Black Friday than go shopping which is saying a lot since I LOVE FOOD; I should punish myself anyway for all of the calories I consumed the day before. Of course this isn’t healthy either, but I’d seriously rather go a day of not eating than endure the stress of Black Friday.
5) Spend the day getting a massage
Rather than having sore feet and an achy back from standing in long lines at stores, spend the day getting a massage and pampering yourself. All of the food you at yesterday was a lot of work, and you’re going to be heading back to school to tackle finals in a few short days.
6) Binge-watch Christmas movies
Tis the season to consume yourself with cheesy Christmas movies. Cuddling up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate and a fuzzy blanket while I tear through every holiday flick on Netflix sounds pretty good compared to fighting over a TV or cheap DVDs.
7) Get ahead on homework
This feels weird to type, but I would rather work on homework than go shopping. Why go back to school and start the week before finals stressed out? I’m going to try and spend Friday getting ahead (and I’m not talking about getting up at 6am or cutting lines).
8) Spend time with family
I can’t wait to enjoy my family on Friday and spend the day being lazy, eating healthy and taking the dogs for a walk together! I’ve heard of families whose Thanksgiving tradition involves Black Friday shopping together, and I think this can be a good idea if done under control. As long as you’re with family on Black Friday, I think that’s a Friday well spent.
No matter how you choose to spend your Friday after Thanksgiving, just make sure you’re happy with what you partake in that day. Be sure to focus on being thankful for what you have in life rather than what you want for a cheap price. Don’t let the deals turn you into a crazy person…plus, there are still deals and great sales after Black Friday!
