BUY NOTHING DAY 2006

To start this season off right, I participated in what is called “Buy Nothing Day.” It is a holiday that is celebrated on the same day as the fabled “Black Friday” of after Thanksgiving Day sales. The celebration included members of the Simple Way and Camden House communities as well as the Mission Year volunteers dressing up as Super Anti-heroes in front of a major mall in Philadelphia and trying to stop shoppers from spending money instead of spending time with loved ones. We gave out FREE hot cocoa and FREE hot tea to any and all who wanted. We also handed out coupon booklets of free holiday gifts such as a free back rub, cookies, and a home cooked meal. As we were giving out all these free items, a street drummer set up and began playing drums. We all began dancing as well as other folks walking on the street. Pretty soon after this, there was a group of people holding up signs that read “Free Hugs.” There was one point of the day when I looked around and saw people dancing on the sidewalks and drinking free tea and giving hugs to one another and I realized that it was more than just buying nothing, but about loving people.

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