The anti-Black Friday: How else to spend the day after Thanksgiving, from hiking to baking

Some people love the thrill of Black Friday so much, they make a whole ritual out of it: Up at 3 a.m., hot chocolate in hand, waiting in line wearing pajamas, running shoes laced and ready for the rush for good deals.

But for many, Black Friday symbolizes all that is wrong with a consumerist society: The fight to grab that coveted product, the desire to replace a 55-inch TV with a 65-inch one, the fact that so many low-income workers are forced to leave their families on Thanksgiving or early the next morning and brave the product-hungry masses.

It can all be a bit much, especially when Black Friday bargains are becoming available days or weeks earlier and with Cyber Monday just around the corner. Plus, there are many other ways to spend Black Friday that can be good for the soul and even the whole community.

Here are some alternative ways to spend Black Friday this year:

#Optoutside and enjoy the outdoors on 'Green Friday'

Outdoor retailer REI began the #optoutside hashtag in 2015, announcing that it would be closing its stores on Black Friday and giving its workers a paid day off.

"We put our people ahead of our profits," then-CEO Jerry Stritzke wrote. "As a co-op, we share a simple belief that time in the outdoors makes us healthier and happier – as individuals and as a society."

The hashtag and the idea took off, with national and state parks encouraging Americans to spend their Black Fridays outside in nature.

Whether it's hiking, hitting the slopes, ice-skating, mountain-biking or simply going on a long walk, being active outside has both physical and mental benefits, and can help reduce stress and increase lifespans, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Rather than a trip to a store on Black Friday, take a trip to #VaStateParks to #OptOutside!" Virginia State Parks posted on X last week.

"It's not Black Friday - it's Green Friday!" San Mateo County Parks in northern California posted on X, saying that its usual $6 parking fee is being waived on Friday.

Embedded content: https://twitter.com/SMCParks/status/1725891640852611407/photo/1

'Kinder to the planet':REI encourages shoppers to #OptOutside instead of shopping

Put away the wallet, take out the rolling pin

For many families, holiday traditions wouldn't be the same without a little baking, especially when there are interested children. Baking the day after Thanksgiving not only adds some goodies to the family stores but creates life-long memories.

"I have hosted a baking day after Thanksgiving for the last five years," Justina Wong, an associate professional clinical counselor in California, wrote in a blog post in 2021. "I invite my sister and cousins to attend because it might be the only time I see everyone together all year."

Wong's family bakes seven or eight treats, like cinnamon rolls pistachio biscotti, and then packages them and sends them in care packages to combat veterans, Wong wrote, adding that the process "is about diving deep and opening your heart to others."

"When you think of baking this holiday season, ask yourself which part of your heart you want to share with others," she said.

Yum:Dazzle guests with Martha Stewart's favorite sugar cookies with cognac recipe

Recharging instead of retailing

Baking, hiking and shopping all might be a bit overwhelming after Thanksgiving. For many, the day is best spent eating leftovers and recharging.

That can mean yoga or meditation, or a day curled up on the couch watching holiday movies or catching up on some reading.

Meditation can have major benefits to practitioners, both psychological and even in how our bodies function, said Rudolph Tanzi, a neurology professor at Harvard University and director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital.

"Meditation is one of the ways to engage in restorative activities that may provide relief for our immune systems, easing the day-to-day stress of a body constantly trying to protect itself," he said in a statement about his research into the health benefits of meditation, which he says could lead to healthier aging.

As for yoga, Johns Hopkins Medicine has found its benefits include improved heart health, easing of arthritis and other pain, better sleep and brighter moods, among others.

How to meditate:Start an everyday mindfulness practice that leaves you feeling zen

Get a jump-start on holiday decorations

A lot of families have discovered a little secret about Christmas. By showing up at the Christmas tree yard first thing on Black Friday, they can avoid the rush, have plenty of options and get a jumpstart on the season.

Many people take the day after Thanksgiving off for various reasons, but it could be the best time to transition from Thanksgiving and make the most out of your Christmas, Hanukkah or Festivus decorations.

Instead of a week or two, your home can sparkle for all of December and well into January if you want to milk it even more. Just don't forget to keep that tree watered.

Tinsel-up your home on the cheap?Here's how to find deals on holiday decorations

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Give back and volunteer or donate to your favorite charity

Another way to spend Black Friday is by making someone's holiday a little bit brighter either through volunteering or donation.

That could include dropping off donations at shelters for the unhoused, cleaning up bedraggled streets in your community or hosting a holiday toy drive.

Volunteering is not purely selfless. Research has shown it can have a lot of health benefits for those in the giving spirit.

"Volunteering reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine," according to an article by the Mayo Clinic. "By spending time in service to others, volunteers report feeling a sense of meaning and appreciation, both given and received, which can have a stress-reducing effect."

The benefits can be even more remarkable for older adults.

Research has found that people who volunteer experience lower rates of depression and anxiety, particularly for those over 65, Mayo says.

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