After Cyber Monday, the most-hyped shopping event of the year is Prime Day, when subscribers to Amazon Prime get big discounts on probably-not-necessities for just a day or two. Not wanting to be left out, other online shopping giants offer their own discounts, and like Black Friday, it’s started leaking into the week before. I received at least two different newsletter updates advising me what to snap up on Prime Day—because there are so many products promoted on these sites that I wouldn’t be able to find the best sales without knowing what to look for. One national newspaper has a Deals Editor, who assures me that these deals are 100% worth it.
Another Definition of Prime
If you need a kitchen gadget or robot vacuum, this might be just what you need, but I can’t be the only one to occasionally get caught up in the artificial scarcity of the limited-time offer. Next thing I know, there are cardboard boxes filled with plastic I don’t really need on my doorstep. If what you crave is a dopamine hit without leaving your house, may I suggest another way?
This year, I’ve been spending more time with shepherds, yarn companies, designers, and knitters, both in person and through their stories. Thinking of the gorgeous wool I've petted, the sheep I’ve sniffed, and the knitwear I’ve scrunched, I realize . . . I want more of that. A new home-networking gadget doesn’t bring the world I want to live in closer to reality. So as an alternative to all the articles telling you what to buy this week, here’s my list of ways to engage in recreational consumption. (Spoiler: natural fiber is in, future e-waste is out.)
Shop the Bigger Picture
Set aside what you want to buy . . . What do you want to buy into? Consider whether your dollars are going toward a business or product you believe in. For a purely recreational shopping opportunity, funding the practices and values that you believe in gives you a much more meaningful, joyful experience.
Embrace Your Senses
When your deal arrives at your door and you open it, how is it going to smell? How will it feel? Will it fill your home with appliance noises, or will there be a smooth rustling and the clack of needles? (I’m not going to ask how it will taste, because robot vacuums and wool both taste awful, probably.)
Keep Anticipating
Although you might think that receiving, opening, and using a new goodie brings the most pleasure, evidence is strong that anticipating enjoyment is a powerful effect. A skein of yarn, a pattern, and a subscription are all potential—you get to anticipate using them. (For next-level anticipation, reserve a spot on a fiber vacation.)
What’s the Endgame?
When I click “Buy Now,” I’m imagining the first time I use a new gadget, but it’s easy to forget the trip to the electronics recycling when it breaks or ages out of usefulness. Contrast that with natural fiber, which returns to the soil at the end of its useful life. (Check out 7 Ways to Use “Waste” Wool in Your Garden for ideas.)
Far be it from me to pretend that Prime Day has no appeal, but when you think about what you really need, you may find that a full-price skein of natural wool, knitting pattern, bottle of wool wash, or deposit for an amazing fiber expedition give you a lot more joy.