Happy almost Thanksgiving!

This post may come as a bit of a surprise, especially on a blog that promotes the consumption of product: I hate Black Friday.

Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely love shopping, as you all can tell. I need to be a better person and start paying my rent at Nordstrom. It’s time.

I will be the first to post about my favorite pair of shoes, new jeans, or an amazing facial cleanser. I love sharing those kinds of things. I love beauty, fashion, etc – we know this.

But I don’t love Black Friday. I don’t love the rabid consumerism that triumphs over people’s humanity. I don’t love the insane lines, the fighting for that item you just “NEED,” and I don’t love the hassle and stress. To be honest, I don’t think anyone does… right?

When did a deal on a material possession become SO GOOD that we all had to get up at ungodly hours of the morning to stand in line and fight strangers for a TV or a winter coat? Honestly, wtf. How did we become so brainwashed that saving a few dollars (or a few hundred, given your level of commitment) meant sacrificing your dignity and stampeding through a department store?

I don’t care if Stuart Weitzman is hawking Lowlands for $25, I’m not getting up at 3AM to charge a department store and stand in line for hours, possibly at the expense of my limbs and feet being trampled. Okay……….. maybe I would. But come on, LOWLANDS for $25?!?!

That’s obviously NEVER happening, so I’m safe.

What I’m trying to say is – do yourself and your dignity a favor. #OptOutside on Black Friday. My mom forwarded me an email (is it just me, or do you guys email with your parents on the daily?) from REI, and I was immediately captivated by the campaign.

Fresh air > Lines & angry people in a store, amirite?

Plan an adventure. Here are some ideas for your alternative day:

• Get up early to hike a trail instead of getting up early to hit a sale (ha! rhymes!). If you’re in San Diego, try Torrey Pines, Potato Chip Rock, or Mission Trails. The typically crowded locales will be much more open thanks to shopping.

• Go to the beach! In San Diego, the temps are still hovering around 70 in the afternoon… Plan a picnic, pack an umbrella, and off you go!
• Go for a run at a local park, through town, or at the beach. It’ll be a great way to get outside and burn off the excess sweet potato casserole you snuck when you thought no one noticed oh was that just me last year okay

• Head to the mountains. Big Bear, Arrowhead, and Julian are all close enough to do a day trip. Again, get up early, and head out to spend some time in the snow or eating pie. Mine might be pie in the snow.

• Ferry to Catalina! Another place that should be less crowded due to the shopping is just a quick boat ride away from most places in Southern California. If you’re not from SD, but near an ocean or lake, consider a day of boating or spending some time seaside. I wish I was closer to Monterey or even Morro Bay, which reminds me…
• Go to the Aquarium near you – it’s a different way to get in touch with nature, but amazing all the same. I miss the otters at Monterey SO. MUCH.
• Go camping. You have the rest of the weekend off, so if you’re not tied up with family events, make the most of your time and grab a cabin or pitch a tent. S’mores are everything.

• Visit a State Park. Trek through the woods, pack a lunch, and visit a new place. Really wishing I was close enough to Muir Woods or Yosemite to do a day trip… or even the Redwood Forest. Would be awesome to check out Cleveland National Forest! Not a lot of big trees but still pretty coo.

What are your plans for the day after Thanksgiving? Btw… tomorrow is my favorite pre-game before Christmas.

Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. I hope you enjoy your time off, and find some time go get outside and appreciate all the beauty that our world has to offer. Happy adventuring!

xx,
Dominique