BlockFriday -- A Collective, Positive Response to Black Friday!

We never fully understood Black Friday. People travel across the country to spend Thanksgiving with the people they love. And then the next day, they get up at 6 a.m. to find the best deal and go on autopilot. Isn't there so much else we can do on this day, surrounded by our families?
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In this Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, photo, shoppers stop to look at a display while shopping at Dadeland Mall, in Miami. As reports of shopping-related violence rolled in this week from Los Angeles to New York, experts say a volatile mix of desperate retailers and cutthroat marketing has hyped the traditional post-Thanksgiving holiday sales to increasingly frenzied levels. (AP Photo/ Lynne Sladky)
In this Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, photo, shoppers stop to look at a display while shopping at Dadeland Mall, in Miami. As reports of shopping-related violence rolled in this week from Los Angeles to New York, experts say a volatile mix of desperate retailers and cutthroat marketing has hyped the traditional post-Thanksgiving holiday sales to increasingly frenzied levels. (AP Photo/ Lynne Sladky)

"What are you Blocking Friday for this Thanksgiving?"

We never fully understood Black Friday. People travel across the country to spend Thanksgiving with the people they love. And then the next day, encouraged by retailers, they get up at 6 a.m. to find the best deal and go on autopilot. Isn't there so much else we can do on this beautiful day surrounded by our families?

At Holstee, we definitely think so. We exist to encourage a mindful lifestyle and Black Friday is far from our spirit. Last year we took our shop offline on Friday after Thanksgiving to allow our team and community to enjoy that precious time with friends and family.

This year we are taking it to the next level and are launching BlockFriday, the collective and positive response to Black Friday. Instead of centering the discussion around what not to do, Block Friday focuses on all the beautiful ways people could spend their time -- a potluck with friends, pickup football with family, or even a movie marathon with siblings. At the heart of the movement is one simple question: "What are you Blocking Friday for this Thanksgiving?"

How can you get involved? We are looking to make this a nationwide movement and are encouraging anyone to share their thoughts on what they will be doing on Friday November 23rd. Over 100 people, including thought-leaders like Seth Godin and Maria Popova and organizations like the Center for Social Innovation, have shared their plans in a 10-second video message. Record a video and tag it #blockfriday and #holstee on YouTube and we'll add it to our video series. And tweet out your intentions for Friday using #blockfriday.



For more information visit www.blockfriday.org.

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