Saying NOPE to Black Friday: Sanity-Saving Alternatives

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blackfridaySome people live for Black Friday. The deals! The excitement! Kicking off the season!

I am so not one of those people. If you are, more power to you! But I personally skedaddle to the woods as soon as those Thanksgiving plates are cleared away. I enjoy quality time with my family without fighting over parking spaces or being crammed into a store with 5,000 of my closest friends.

So if you’re looking to sit this one out, I present to you a few alternatives to Black Friday!

Take a Hike

This is what my family does every year. We usually rent a cabin in a rural area, far from the madness. If you can’t swing an overnight, simply take a drive to one of our many excellent parks or nature preserves and spend the day in nature. Nobody will trample you there. Isn’t that awesome?

My Pick: Paint Creek State Park

Do A Craft

Stock up on craft supplies, gather some friends and family members and spend the day making small gifts for the office, neighbors and holiday guests!  You could even do a good deed and donate to a nursing home or homeless shelter. Bonus if you pick something that can be put together assembly-line style!

My pick: Sewing Kit in a Jar

Make Some Homemade Cleaners

I like to use more natural versions of cleaners in the winter months since I am sensitive to the harsh smells of some store-bought versions–and it’s made worse by closed windows and cranked-up heat. Gather the materials and invite a friend or two!

My pick: This post from one of our contributors

Make Some Freezer Meals

The last thing you may want to do after a big feast is cook–but I promise it’s a great way to make the upcoming month easier! By making enough freezer meals for just 1-2 days per week through December, you’re making your life much easier and likely controlling that dreaded holiday weight gain because you won’t be tempted to order pizza or get takeout when you’re short on time!

My pick: This plan for 12 meals in 2 hours

Take a Drive

If you can’t stay overnight, but want to get the heck out of Dodge, I suggest hitting the road and heading to some unique, hidden or otherwise quirky spots. Even if you don’t see a thing but rolling countryside, isn’t that better than a 1,000 degree store (yes, yes it is)? To make it fun, you could pick a theme and plot out your drive using Google Maps. A few suggestions:

  • Unique Placenames (Knockemstiff is my favorite.)
  • History Mystery (Serpent Mound comes to mind.)
  • US Presidents (Taft and Grant sites are close!)

Tools of the Trade: Roadside America and Roadtrippers. I use Google Maps to plot trips.

Shameless self plug: Check out my book from your local library or find it at Joseph-Beth for even more day trip ideas.

Wait for Small Business Saturday

Okay, okay. I have to do holiday shopping like the rest of you. But, I wait for Small Business Saturday, grab a nice cup of coffee and take a stroll around one of our excellent regional shopping districts. Some good ones:

  • OTR
  • Bellvue, KY
  • Old Milford

Further afield:

  • Waynesville
  • Yellow Springs
  • Augusta, KY

Are you planning to shop til you drop or sit it out? Tell us about it in the comments!

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Jenny Reed
I am a Cincinnati native, wife to Neil and mom to a 2 ½ year old boy named Wally. I am a project manager and consultant by trade and I am also the author of Cincinnati Day Trips, a guide to interesting places within one day’s journey from the city center. I’ll never pass up a roadside attraction and love car trips. I recently took up sewing and have a fabric stash that is entirely too large already. I share my adventures, mishaps and projects on my Twitter and Instagram accounts, @suburbinnati.

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