Keep Calm and Buy Nothing

The British World War Two slogan 'Keep Calm and Carry On' was already quite popular in North America when I left Montreal, but it is positively everywhere in the UK, in all its forms. I like that the UK organisers of Buy Nothing Day are using the posters' popularity to their advantage. Every year, I like to remind everyone of this anti-consumerist campaign, which falls on November 25th (exactly one month before Christmas!) in North-America, and on November 26th in the rest of the world.

Why is Buy Nothing Day/Christmas so important to me? Because. Over the years, I've become increasingly alarmed by how far we are straying away from the true meaning of Christmas: namely, good will, peace, love and humanity. I am not religious, and I would hardly consider myself a spiritual person, but if anything, I have a deep belief that the winter holidays should be about friends, family, and sharing; not about accumulating a wealth of gifts, nor about spending money on consumer goods we could all do without.

2011 was another hard year, in a long string of bad years. Most of us could really use the extra money that will be spent on gifts. Most of us already have more stuff than we really need. Many of us can't really afford to pay for the gifts we will place under the Christmas tree. I am the first to admit, that despite all my good intentions, I have accumulated more stuff than I can actually make use of in a lifetime. I especially felt it when I had to pack up my life and move to another country a mere two months ago.

The holidays are about giving, but who says that you need to give a physical object? A few alternatives are: giving your time to a charitable organization; making a donation to a cause that is close to your or your recipient's heart; sharing a cherished recipe with someone who enjoys or is beginning to cook; having a friend over for tea. You can find other ideas over here.

The Foodie's Quest is all about food and sustainability, which is why this foodie isn't going to buy anything on the 25th and 26th, and will make this holiday season a waste-free one.



Have a good Buy Nothing Day! And Bon App'!