upworthy

Skip Black Friday and shop discounts at these companies making a positive impact on the world

Michelle Gant
11.27.19
Courtesy of DoneGood

While Thanksgiving is meant to celebrate all we have to be grateful for, it's also the unofficial kick-off to the holiday shopping season. Last year, Americans spent about $1 trillion on gifts. What if we all used that purchasing power to support companies that reduce inequality, alleviate poverty, fight climate change, and help make the world better?

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the coming days will have spending on everyone's brains. But in an effort to promote the companies doing good for the world, DoneGood founder Cullen Schwarz created Shop for Good Sunday (which falls on December 1 this year.)

Dubbed the "Alternate Black Friday," Shop for Good Sunday is dedicated to encouraging people to shop brands that do good for people and the planet. It also serves as a reminder to support local businesses making a positive impact in their communities.

While Shop for Good Sunday technically falls on a single day, this year, participating ethical and sustainable brands are running discounts for the whole week prior.

Where you invest your dollars matters, and there's great potential to put that money to good use if you know how. Check out these six brands that sell amazing products while also making a positive impact on the world. You'll not only be getting your loved ones meaningful gifts, but also making the world a brighter place along the way.

Isn't that what the holidays are really about?

Functional outdoor gear

Parque Rain Shell

Cotopaxi makes unique, sustainable outdoor gear, like this Parque rain shell, while keeping ethics at the core of its business model. The company gives 1% of its annual revenue to organizations that fight poverty and improve the human condition.

Modern furniture

Simbly Coffee Table

Simbly is a direct-to-consumer furniture company that sells modern, sustainable products built in the U.S. made of FSC-certified wood. And for every product sold, the company plants a tree.

Beautiful jewelry

Tho Bar & Geo Buffalo Horn Earrings

Hathorway is a jewelry company that handcrafts its accessories with materials like ethically-sourced up-cycled buffalo horns and handwoven rattan. Each item is designed and assembled in the U.S. with thoughtfully selected materials sourced from Vietnam, Thailand, and South Korea. A portion of the company's profit goes to initiatives that empower young, underprivileged women.

Luxe linens

Bamboo Charcoal Sheet Set

Ettitude crafts its home textiles from CleanBamboo fabric, a unique material made from 100% organic bamboo, the most resource-efficient plant on the planet. It also requires significantly less water to grow and produce than traditional cotton textiles. The products are also ethically made and come in packaging made from extra pieces of fabric.

Unique wood wares

The Charcuterie Board

Would Works creates and sells beautiful household wood products handcrafted by people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty. The company works with its artisans to provide job skills, financial literacy, and an income so they can reach their financial goals.

Empowering candles

She Inspires Candle

Prosperity Candle products are created by women refugees building a brighter future for themselves and their families. Each candle is made of soy-blend wax with essential oils hand poured in a well-designed container that is easily refilled or repurposed.

Find more of these great deals at DoneGood!

*Upworthy may earn a portion of sales revenue from purchases made through affiliate links on our site.

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Business

New dad says being stay-at-home parent is actually 'easy.' People let him know why he's wrong.

"Update us when you have a kid who can move more."

Photo Credit: Canva

A baby cries while playing with blocks.

Every now and then, someone will come along on TikTok, state an opinion and then sit back and let the Internet do its thing. Such was the case for Cass Casperson (@Cassandrian) who posted a video where he claims that "stay at home moms are lying."

He writes, "Is this how people get canceled?" He then proceeds to say the following: "What I get to do for work, I can still stay home and pay all the bills. And my wife will have to go to work to make her money. I have a one-year-old daughter. So I'll stay at home and take care of my daughter. And while I'm taking care of my one-year-old daughter, I can cook her three meals a day, change her on time, do naps, play time, arts and crafts time. And still make sure the entire place is clean."

@cassandrian

Is this how people get canceled #stayathomemom #sahm #sahd #momtok

Dad says it's esy to be a stay-at-home-parent

He continues, "I can clean the whole apartment while watching her before 12:00 or 1:00. And yes, I know an apartment is different than a house, but I have a 2,300-square-foot apartment. So it's not tiny. But I do know that I can just be ignorant to a lot of people's situations. So can someone please tell me—when does being a stay-at-home mom become hard?"

Well, at least he asked. Now many in the comment section agreed with his sentiment that "staying at home with a child is easy." Some were actually rather unpleasant about it, but everyone has the right to an opinion. The key here though is those who wished him to see another point of view mostly stayed calm and collected while they taught him the lesson he sought.

One commenter shares, "My wife is a SAHM of two kids. One just started school and the other is a feral toddler. You’re on easy mode right now champ. Update us when you have a kid who can move more."

Another person gently explains that having two parents can be easier than one, in terms of hands-on help. "I think the issue has a lot more to do with SAHMs often being the only active parent. While the husband works, he comes home, does no parenting, cooking or helping around the house at all. It is definitely easier when your partner is contributing more than just paying bills."

moms, dads, parenting, kids, sahp An unruly child kicks and screams. Giphy

Postpartum depression and being a stay-at-home mom

But it was this TikToker who brought up a discussion that isn't always easy. "It’s also harder for women who have gone through emotional and hormonal changes as they step into motherhood. Postpartum depression and anxiety do not care if the tasks are easy to do."

In no way were they putting the OP down; they were just bringing up a topic that perhaps he might have missed. Casperson responded, "I hear that."

Postpartum depression is an essential topic to discuss for both new moms and their families. According to an article on PostpartumDepression.org, "Nationally, about 1 in 8 women experience symptoms of postpartum depression after giving birth. However, this rate can be as high as 1 in 5 women in some U.S. states."

Lately, more people with a platform have been open about their struggles. Recently, actress Reese Witherspoon opened up about how awful it was for her. She told Harper’s Bazaar, "In the first six months, I was simultaneously happy and depressed. I just cried all the time, I was up all night, I was exhausted. It was a hormone drop I didn’t expect, which I experienced right after birth and again when I stopped nursing six months later.”

Elizabeth Tenety, co-founder of the parenting platform Motherly, cites a 2018 U.K. study that recently went viral again. According to the study conducted by Aveeno, "31% said staying at home with a child was harder than going to work. While this stat highlights the challenges of full-time caregiving, it’s important to note that the survey focused on new parents rather than all stay-at-home moms."

Tenety notes that being at home full-time with a child carries roadblocks that differ from being in an office. "SAHMs face unique challenges, such as fewer structured breaks, greater social isolation, and a heavier cognitive load at home."

But she also points out that many of these challenges are not just specific to being a child caregiver. "At the same time, many working moms don’t feel they get a break either, as they navigate both career pressures and household responsibilities. Some research suggests that while working parents may experience structured work hours and social interaction, they also report high levels of role overload and work-family conflict."

Of course, to some people's points, it can be stressful to be a stay-at-home parent (mom OR dad). And men can also suffer from the exhaustion and anxiety that comes along with being a new parent. In fact, Upworthy covered a story about a man who experienced severe depression and anxiety after his baby was born, and turned it into a movement where he and other dads would take their babies on walks together.

Everyone responds to stress differently. There are Reddit threads that both support Casperson's views and those who adamantly disagree. Perhaps Casperson is one of the lucky ones who doesn't feel overwhelmed by taking care of an infant. But for every one of him, there are probably ten people who feel differently. It's taking the time to ask the questions (and hopefully registering some of the answers) that matters.



anxietychildrendadsdads of tiktokmomsmomsoftiktoknew dadparentingpostpartum depressionstresstiktoksahm
Fatherhood

Ken Burns digs into 'coffin'-encased pie and other intriguing Revolutionary War-era foods

"Whoa! Didn’t expect that! It looks like it came from the Petrified Forest!"

Photo credit: LBJ Library photo by Jay Godwin (public domain) via Wikimedia Commons

Ken Burns sampled some fascinating Revolutionary War-era foods.

When I think about the American Revolution, my brain flashes to many of the obvious images: intense battles, people dumping loads of tea in the Boston Harbor, George Washington's white-powdered hair. (Sidebar: Did you know Washington was actually a natural redhead? File that one under "WTF things I learned today.") But when I envision centuries-old historical events, I admittedly don't consider the food. What were they eating in the late 1700s, and would any of it hold up as tasty today?

That's, loosely, the intriguing premise behind Bennett Rea's recent interview with acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, the latter on hand to promote his new six-part documentary miniseries, The American Revolution. Rae, creator of the web series Cookin' With Congress, framed their conversation around a handful of pre-made dishes from that era, breaking down their ingredients and historical significance. Even if none of the recipes wind up as staples in your cook book, you might enjoy watching them snack on entrees from the time of Washington—"the good, the bad...and the dry," as our host describes them.

What did soldiers eat during the American Revolution?

- YouTube www.youtube.com

George Washington loved eating onions 'Brazilian style'

Speaking of the first U.S. president, Rae opens the interview by unveiling "onions, Brazilian style," which he calls one of "Washington's favorites," having been served at his "farewell dinner in 1783." It's unclear what makes the dish Brazilian, the interviewer says, describing the process of slow-roasting minced meat inside an onion. But both he and Burns seem to enjoy it, and it sparks an entire thread about Washington's "opaque" and "unknowable" nature.

There are a few other notable meals, including the militia staple "fire cakes"—basically wheat flour mixed with water, possibly with salt. "The amazing thing is that we won this revolution against the greatest empire, the most far-flung empire on Earth, eating this and worse," Burns says. They also dig into something called, flatly, "cheap dessert"—a rationing-friendly recipe from our first First Lady Martha Washington.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

But in the video's true highlight moment, the duo tries Martha's version of "hearty choke pie," made with artichoke hearts, green-grape juice, sugar, bone marrow, and butter. Notably, it's also encased in a box-like crust that Rae calls a "coffin." When they cut off the top layer, Burns hilariously remarks, "Whoa! Didn’t expect that! It looks like it came from the Petrified Forest!" Not all of the dishes earned a standing ovation—the filmmaker did use the word "yucky" toward the end of the piece. But it's certainly an educational glimpse into our past.

That's a critical point for Rae. Exploring these meals isn't just about novelty—it offers an "experiential touchpoint to the history, another way to learn." You could apply the same logic to exploring food from other time periods, including the Great Depression. We recently rounded up 17 recipes from that trying era that people still make today—a list that includes hoover stew, zaprezna soup, ash cakes, wacky cake, and water pie, among others. Some meals from that era could even make for good Thanksgiving recipes—we took a look at some intriguing options, including dandelion salad, porcupine meatballs, and old roasted hen.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

recipesrevolutionary warinterviewken burnsfilmmakersfoodscultural evolutionamerican historyamerican foodhistory
Education
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26 movies people love to watch with their families on Thanksgiving

"Watching it every Thanksgiving is an annual tradition."

Photo credit: Canva

The best Thanksgiving movies to watch with family over the holiday.

Movies are an essential part of the Thanksgiving holiday. When family and friends gather, movies make the perfect buffer for the time between—and after—the festive meal. (And, of course, they’re a great alternative to football.)

Thanksgiving movies are a tradition for many families, who often return to the same favorites each year. People on Reddit shared the films they love most, offering ideas for new additions to your holiday lineup.

Here are 26 movies that people love to watch:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987). Watching it every Thanksgiving is an annual tradition." - MaboRamen

"Addams Family Values." - legsjohnson

"Home for the Holidays. So much fun stuff in this movie. Young Claire Danes. RDJ in heavy addiction period, Jodie Foster basically had to babysit him and coax him out of his trailer. Charles Durning doing insane dad, trying to wash peoples cars. Good seething resentment between sisters scene with Holly Hunter and Cynthia Stevenson. Steve Gutenberg?!?!" - Bright_Respect_1279, Giantandre

"I recently added Dutch to the mix the last couple years from a recommendation (never saw it, forgot it existed)." - Independent-Win9088

"Pieces of April. Cliche but like the turn of the century NYC vibes and family dysfunction. Don't come at me."
- Spitethedevil

"Grumpy Old Men." - jjkarate

@letterboxd

Need a cozy movie to watch over Thanksgiving weekend? 🦃 Jenni Kaye of @hyperrealfilmclub is back with movie recommendations and this time with some cozy films to watch for Thanksgiving. #letterboxd #filmtok #recommendations #cozy #Thanksgiving #comfortmovies #films #movietok #cinema #community

"Being an elder Millennial, the formative 90s Thanksgivings seemed to be punctuated by special movies. In '91 ET was on CBS as a huuuuge event (which also helped me get over being deathly afraid of ET). Then 93, Home Alone became a tradition on TV. I remember Jurassic Park and Jumanji as the decade moved on. Out of this, watching Home Alone on Thanksgiving night became the 'official' start of the Christmas season to my family. Even to this day, when everyone leaves around halftime of the Cowboys game, we clean up, dim the lights, and put Home Alone on to get in that Christmas spirit. When my wife and I moved into our house, we began the tradition of decorating on the Saturday after Thanksgiving while watching Gremlins." - Kjeldorthunder

"I always watch Miracle on 34th Street (original black and white version) on Thanksgiving because the movie starts on Thanksgiving day." - _TalkingIsHard_

"My dad (born in the 50s) says their definitive thanksgiving day movie on tv was Laurel and Hardy's Babes in Toyland; my mom (born in the 60s) says it was Peanuts [A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving]." - Agile_Cash_4249

"Every November I have to watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dutch and Son-in-Law. It's a necessity." - ButterscotchAware402

"Best in Show is our tradition. Centers on a dog show and there's always one airing on Thanksgiving. After that, if we're up for it, we watch Home Alone." - Maleficent-Sleep-346

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"You’ve Got Mail and Big Night! Always." - jasonn256

"When Harry Met Sally and While You Were Sleeping." - obstreperous_1

"Myth of Fingerprints, The Daytrippers, The Big Chill, Hannah and Her Sisters." - solidnandz

"Silver Linings Playbook is my Thanksgiving go to." - mizchief_mayhem

"The Family Stone. Every year." - jamjar20

Pop Culture

Handwritten note found inside a rare 1935 thrift-store find has people in awe

"A 12-year-old made this?!"

Photo credit: Canva

A thrifter found a cool hand-made wooden object in a secondhand store. The label underneath was even more fascinating.

You can find amazing things in thrift stores. Lots of junk? Sure. But every once in a while, you come across something incredible that's far more valuable than the listed secondhand price.

Even better, though more rare, are the stories. Books with letters tucked into their pages, old photographs, home videos that got lost in the shuffle. They're always a source of fascination for people who frequent thrift stores.

One lucky thrifter recently shared a cool haul on social media. At first glance, the item wasn't anything special—until they flipped it over and saw what was underneath.

The user, who posts frequently in the subreddit r/ThriftStoreHauls, posted a photo of a wooden object with three circular panels jutting out from a solid wood base. The poster believes it to be a magazine holder, but it could also be used for storing vinyl records.

On its surface, the piece is interesting but not overly remarkable outside of its exceptional craftsmanship. That is, until the poster revealed the underside of the object, which showed a short handwritten note.

The creation was signed by its creator: "W.H. Gomer, age 12, 1935"

"A 12-year-old made this?" OP wrote. Incredibly impressive, no doubt, especially in 1935 with less advanced tools and (gasp!) no YouTube tutorials to follow.

That piece of information completely changed the way viewers saw the unique find, and a fascinating discussion followed in the comments.

Hundreds of people commented, with many lamenting the fact that kids aren't taught practical skills like woodworking as often in school anymore.

"This is what’s lacking in today’s schools. So much emphasis is placed on testing well and sending kids off to the next education level. Teach kids shop, cooking, and budgeting," one person wrote.

"I get your point but between budget cuts and educational legislation there rarely is time or budget for more than a quarter class of exposure," a self-described educator wrote. "There is also the issue of attracting teachers for non-core subjects. In general, society simply has stopped valuing teachers and is now suffering the consequences. Kids see how teachers are treated and don’t view it as a valuable or desirable career."

Others were more amazed at the evidence of realized potential, and left wondering what else kids might accomplish if there weren't roadblocks in their way:

"It's amazing what kids can do given the opportunity. If you don't treat them like they can't understand, teach safety and allow the use of tools, they develop skills," a person wrote.

"Kids are a lot more capable than we give them credit for," said another, while acknowledging Gomer probably had help from a teacher at skill on the piece.


Practical life skills, including woodworking, suffered from heavy cuts during the No Child Left Behind era. But many of these courses are coming back.

The emphasis on standardized testing scores in the early 2000s left little room in curriculums for more practical skills like home economics, financial literacy, nutrition, and wood or metal shop.

But the hyper-focus on academics doesn't serve kids well, research has found. The initiative boosted testing scores in some areas, but at the expense of art, music, and life-skills. It turns out that "teaching to the test" didn't have the results some thought it would. Not only do classes like cooking or woodshop teach kids useful, evergreen skills, they give their brains a boost:

"For some students, the classes are a break from their academics-heavy schedules and can be a place where lessons — say about fractions or chemistry — can sink in through exposure to those same concepts in the kitchen," writes NPR.

NPR also reports that, for the most part, these practical skills-based classes are on the rise again post-No Child Left Behind. Modern Machine Shop magazine agrees.

One commenter on the thread sang the praises of such a trend: "My son took 2 years of woodworking as a high school elective. We got some great trays, cutting boards, guitar stands, bookcases, side tables and about a dozen pens. His teacher gave him a lathe for graduation. Wood rules!!"

thrift store, thrift store finds, thrift haul, secondhand store, goodwill, antiques, handwritten note, secret notes, kids Teaching kids practical skills goes far beyond how useful they are in the real world. Photo by Craft Kitties on Unsplash

Some clever Internet sleuths even ran Ancestry searches on W.H. Gomer—or Walter H. Gomer.

According to the records, he was born in San Pedro, California and would have indeed been 12 in 1935. He was married to Rosemary Brundin for 70 years before passing away in 2015 at the incredible age of 92.

One commenter summed up the beauty of Gomer's piece perfectly: "I think he would be very pleased to know someone loved it enough to buy it 90 years later."

Culture
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