November 10, 2000

Plenty of activities on Niet-Winkeldag!

(By Dick Verheul)
Throughout the Netherlands, at least 15 Dutch cities will be celebrating 'Niet-Winkeldag' (Buy Nothing Day) on the 25th of November this year. With the aid of newspapers devoted to reducing consumption, balloons, and 'buying viruses', activists will remind the shopping public how current consumption in the Western world is going (further) out of control.

In Arnhem there will be a street theatre performance. Activists, dressed up as a 'buying virus', will tempt a few obsessed shoppers to keep buying more and more. They'll hold all kinds of temptations (mobile phones, computer games, etc.) in front of the shoppers, and call out all sorts of slogans such as 'Everything is for sale!' and 'There's no such thing as enough!'
Fortunately, there will also be a couple of nurses with a huge hypodermic syringe filled with an anti-shopping vaccine to keep the situation a bit under control.
Meanwhile, others will distribute folders and newspapers about reducing consumption, and hand out balloons to small children.
This act has been done before during the carnival procession (sponsored by 'Sunday Shopping') where it was very well received.

Gift exchange

In Eindhoven a 'live painting' will be set up in the shopping center, in the form of a living room scene where tired shoppers can rest for a bit.
In Heerlen there'll be a no-shopping zone, with a similar living room scene set up on the street ('We're staying comfortably at home, we're not shopping!').
Fair trade coffee and tea will be served, and passers-by will receive a box of 'satisfaction'.

In Houten there'll be a exchange booth, where people can trade in previously-received-but-never-used St. Nicholas gifts for other gifts. Why should new things always have to be produced so people can give new gifts? There's already so much, and by exchanging people will always have something new!
Middelburg will also have such an exchange booth. Martha Blom, known from national television ('Het Lagerhuis') will be there to discuss relevant issues with those who are interested. She represents the foundation Zuinigheid met Stijl (Thriftiness with Style).

Black Pete worn out

In Roermond St. Nicholas and Black Pete, worn out from shopping, will rest their exhausted bodies in lazy chairs. They'll be distributing balloons and gift-exemption certificates (to exempt those who might be planning to give a gift).
In many other places the shopping public will be made aware that it's Buy Nothing Day with posters, buy-nothing balloons, and newspapers about reducing consumption.
In the Netherlands 20,000 copies of the 'Consuminderkrant' ('Consume Less-newspaper') will be printed, distributed during the actions, and then made available in all the public libraries.