The day after Thanksgiving in some circles is not known as Black Friday, but rather, Buy Nothing Day.

It’s a simple idea that started with the alternative magazine Adbusters – make a statement about the rampant consumerism in our culture by refusing to buy anything on the busiest shopping day of the year.

Many of the religious leaders I’ve interviewed in the seven years I’ve been covering faith and values for the Arizona Daily Star have commented on our society’s materialism.

It’s not merely a values issue – it’s also environmental. As Americans we produce four times more garbage per capita than anyone else in the world.

Take a trip to the county dump sometime and you’ll see our spoils, sitting in the landfill with no hope of decomposing.

A few years ago some industrious students dressed up as zombies and wandered through the Tucson Mall, to protest the day-after-Thanksgiving buying frenzy.

I don’t know that similar efforts are going on this year in Tucson, but they are around the world.

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store…Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!

The year the Grinch movie came out (2000), I did a story about alternatives to the buying craze during the holidays. Some of the ideas included making presents, like recordings, videos and artwork, and giving non-material gifts like a trip, a story, or a donation on behalf of the gift recipient to a charity.

Many organizations like the World Wildlife Foundation and the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah offer gift giving ideas like providing food and shelter to a rescued or endangered animal.

Sounds better than a knicknack from China, don’t you think?