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“Mom, when are we going to kick off Black Friday with a Heart of Gold? Thanksgiving is only a week from today.”
Wait a second… what do you mean Thanksgiving is only a week away from today?! But… but… but we just had Halloween, which in itself was a shock to me because it feels like we just started the school year.
Well then… I guess we have some work to do.
What is “Black Friday with a Heart of Gold” you ask? I’ll tell you the story.
Two years ago, at the age of six, my daughter curiously asked me what Black Friday was all about. (Original post here.) At that time, it was all but impossible to avoid the flyers, signage or commercials playing on the radio about one retailer or another. I hate the idea of the competitiveness of shopping on that particular day, the aggression, the greed- all of it. Too early in the morning to answer convincingly, my attempt to make it seem like it was not a big deal at all, failed miserably and my kiddo decided that she wanted to participate in the shopping frenzy. I poured another cup of coffee and wondered how I could turn the ugliness of that day into a teachable moment. And that’s when Black Friday with a Heart of Gold was created.
The first year, it was $100, at one store. The catch? We would ONLY shop for gifts to be donated to the local Westchester Christmas Dinner. Then, last year, when things were too difficult to even set aside the previous year’s amount, we told our friends and family about what we were doing. We put up a PayPal link looking for 10 people to donate $10, and we raised around $300. Not only did we increase our Black Friday with a Heart of Gold budget, but we recruited a few extra shoppers that joined us as well as friends who did their own Black Friday with a Heart of Gold, shopping with the purpose to donate. Even our favorite bookshop, Little Joe’s Coffee and Books, took it upon themselves to create an event that we joined in on, sewing together stockings and stuffing them with goodies to donate to military members. We did our shopping at the nearby big box shop, but with the extra funds raised, we also supported our small town businesses as well.
There were lots and LOTS of glittery, golden hearts on Black Friday last year.
I’m not sure when something actually becomes a tradition, but Black Friday with a Heart of Gold is now just as much a part of our Thanksgiving weekend as the turkey or pumpkin pie.
This year is no different. We’ll sit around and discuss the things that we are most grateful for, and to be honest, this year we have quite a list. We’ve been blessed with once in a lifetime opportunities and instances of pure luck. I don’t think it’s a stretch of the imagination to say that this year in particular has left a profound impression and impact upon my life as well as my daughter’s. It was the kind of year that changes you in ways that you won’t even recognize until it is far behind you.
When my daughter asked about Black Friday with a Heart of Gold this morning, my first reaction was to try and convince her to keep it small this year. Finances are as tight as ever right now, but I think we’ll be able to get close to our original $100 that we spent that first year. Simple and close to home sounded good to me. She, on the other hand, is good at challenging me, pushing me to think bigger when my first reaction is small. With her mind fresh of the experience of stocking the shelves at our local food pantry, side by side with some of her schoolmates, she asked if we could also shop for food to donate this year. As if there was any doubt in my mind of her understanding of who we truly are shopping for, she confirmed it this morning as we waited for the bus. It’s not just about toys or games wrapped with ribbon and bows, but it’s about food and clothing and shelter and warmth.
We’ll give what we can this year, to support the Annual Westchester Christmas Dinner, in addition to the work at the Community Center of Northern Westchester, and we invite YOU to join in on the fun of Black Friday with a Heart of Gold! Shop for toys, gifts or food to donate. Support local charities that assist those in times of need or when facing life’s unexpected twists and turns. Reach out to those less fortunate or to those suffering. Be the light in this sometimes dark world.
If you can, please, tag your photos on social media with #BlackFridayHOG so we can follow along with you! Your involvement is something that I can point to, telling my daughter that SHE inspired good deeds in others, like creating ripples upon the water’s surface, her acts reach further than she ever imagined. If you don’t want to brave the stores on Black Friday, I wouldn’t blame you one bit! BUT… if you would still like to get involved- then below you’ll find our PayPal link below so we can take care of the shopping for you!
Whatever you decide to do, as a thank you, I’ve whipped up a FREE DOWNLOAD for you to print and use at your Thanksgiving dinner! Adult coloring books are a trend I can embrace. Why not print one up for each of your guests, add a new box of crayons to their place setting and see if this stress reducing activity is the perfect pairing for family gatherings. It’s a great activity to do at any age!
PDF available HERE: ThanksgivingPrintable Coloring SCHWARK
Still need a spot to donate to? Then check out one of my incredibly brave, sweet and inspiring family members! You can find Shelly’s GoFundMe page here.
