It’s only Tuesday, but I am looking ahead to Thanksgiving on Thursday, my favorite holiday! Being with family and friends to celebrate and be thankful for all that we have seems like the best kind of day. Tomorrow we bake pies (lots) and Thursday we have very traditional turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and cranberry sauce. It’s our stay-at-home holiday, and not traveling –especially this year, with predictions of bad weather for Wednesday– make it a leisurely day. A long walk after dinner, and maybe a game of Scrabble or Seven Wonders as night falls.
Just as I always talk about my favorite holiday in this post, I also take the opportunity to let you know about the annual Buy Nothing Day and, in Rhode Island, Winter Coat Exchange on Friday. Buy Nothing Day is an international day of protest against rampant, out- of- control consumerism. As Scott MacKay, Rhode Island journalist and historian says:
“The coming of a New England winter reminds us once again that poor Rhode Islanders face a tougher time than the better-off. So once again it is time for us to search those closets for old winter coats to donate to the annual Rhode Island Buy Nothing Day Winter Coat Exchange. The brainchild of community activist and environmentalist Greg Gerritt, the coat exchange will be held on the Black Friday shopping day, the day after Thanksgiving. The main site will be at the founding location, on the State House lawn in Providence, which is located in the shadow of both the Independent Man and the Providence Place Mall.
‘Buy Nothing Day is the international day to point out how consumerism is destroying our planet and our communities. We collect and giveaway winter coats to give back to the community while pointing out how consumerism is a dead end,’ says Gerritt,”
Coat collection and giveaway runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Nov. 28 on the State House Lawn. In South County, coats will be gathered and given away at St. Francis Church, 114 High Street, Wakefield, between 10 a.m. and noon on Nov. 28. For more info contact Tom Abbott at dawgdays@cox.net or call 401-364-0778. There are many other locations around the state to donate coats or pick them up; the list is here: Winter Coat Exchange
From the URI Botanical Gardens and your grateful gardener, I wish you Safe Travels and a Happy Thanksgiving with those you love!
URI Botanical Gardens Blog 