Taken from my friend Jody's blog.
“In retail and online shopping the first day after Thanksgiving in the United States is referred to as Black Friday. Black Friday is generally perceived to be one of the largest major U.S. holiday shopping days for the retail industry, and is the day that most retailers become profitable for the year (i.e., go into the black). “
The official beginning of the Christmas shopping season.
And we’re going counter-cultural on Friday.
Americans spent 20 billion dollars on Black Friday last year.
The average shopper spending $343 dollars on this shopping day.
On the same day (and everyday) 25,000 people will die from water related illnesses.
So what if?
What if we said, “not this year.”
Not this year.
What if we all cut out just 10% of our average spending?
What if we stayed home, or came home early, or simplified the shopping list?
What if on Black Friday we spent our money on Water instead of the doorbuster deal?
What if this year we give out of our abundance and out of our poverty.
We give because we want to.
We give because water is life.
And we fund the drilling of wells.
Black Friday is coming up.
And I’m going to keep pushing our $10 Friday. Or $20 dollar. Or whatever Black Friday sacrifice you would like to make. *
I can imagine this being a history making day. A day where charity: water and it’s water drilling partners ‘go in the black.” Where they have the funds to go to more villages, schools, and hospitals than they ever dreamed. To the villages, schools, hospitals, family, people, children waiting for clean water.
A broken record?
Or are we are the cusp of something?
Counter-cultural this Friday.
Black Friday.
Redefined.
(*donate at water4christmas.com (the red donate button). If you don’t do online giving, write a check to Charity Global with Water For Christmas in the memo line and mail to Charity Global, 150 Varick Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10013.)
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1 comment:
Perhaps those insanely early hours of doorbustin' have some benefit.
Take my short list of "great deals," chalk up a savings of...over 50%, and I can legitimately be glad I rolled out of bed at 4:30 this morning. Not to mention the priceless bonding time I had with my mom (who is one of the most generous people I know) and my future sister-in-law (who stuck 100% to her humble budget for family Christmas gifts). I commend both of them for their generosity toward others (within the family AND throughout thirsty nations). Perhaps we should be encouraging people to bust outta bed on Black Friday in an effort to 1) burn off yesterday's turkey 2) spend quality time with friends and family instead of sleeping til noon and 3) save a few more bucks so that in the end we can have more to give.
I acknowledge the motive behind this post (and others like it) is good and for the record I do love the author of this blog.
Simply some hopefully decent thoughts to add to some already quality thoughts.
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