Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2009

Celebrate Buy Nothing Day on November 28 in time-honored fashion: by behaving like a complete idiot. Since the early ’90s, this international grassroots event has been poking good-natured fun at consumerism, and anybody’s free to join in. The Adbusters website recommends “pranks, shenanigans, credit card cut-ups, bicycle swarms, mall invasions and all manner of culture jams and creative détournements,” but if that sounds like too much effort, you could just go and fool around in the park, do cartwheels in the shotengai, or start a band with your friends, neighbors or bewildered relatives. Keep an eye on www.bndjapan.org for events happening around Tokyo on the day itself.