Ferguson, Missouri (CNN) -- Ferguson streets were deserted early Friday after a Thanksgiving Day that mixed kindness with sadness, heartbreak with hope.
Gone were the blazing buildings, set on fire during the most contentious nights of protest this week. So were the stone-faced National Guard troops, standing in a single file, facing angry protesters.
Though troops remained on duty, instead of hurling insults at them, residents spread some goodwill, bringing them turkey and other treats.
'We just all have to make sure that we are taking care of one another,' Terry Pimmel told CNN affiliate KSDK. 'That is our mission.'
Bundled-up volunteers painted murals on plywood covering gaping holes where windows once stood, a stark reminder of looting and vandalism of stores just a few days ago.
'We came out here because we thought that anything would be better than just blank plywood,' Avi Ryan, 13, told CNN affiliate KMOV.
And for Michael Brown's family, it was the first Thanksgiving without him. Relatives gathered at his father's house, an empty chair sitting at the dining table.
A shirt with the words 'Gone Too Soon' was draped over the chair while his father, Michael Brown Sr., stood nearby wearing a shirt with the words 'Justice.'
The younger Brown, 18, was fatally shot in August by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.
A grand jury's decision Monday not to indict Wilson sparked protests in the St. Louis suburb, which later spread from coast to coast.
Protesters are urging supporters to boycott shopping on Black Friday. And if they do shop, take their money to black-owned businesses, some of which they listed on social media.
Supporters have been urged to boycott major retailers nationwide.
In St. Louis, protesters went from one store to another as part of the protests, CNN affiliate KTVI reported.
With $1 trillion in buying power annually, according to Nielsen, African-Americans carry a lot of economic clout, more so on the heaviest shopping day of the year.
Celebration postponed
Ferguson postponed its annual Northern Lights celebration, which was scheduled for Sunday. The event includes a parade and the lighting of the Christmas tree.
'The decision was difficult, but ultimately, all involved felt postponing the event is the most appropriate course of action at this time,' the city said in a statement.
Other protests
Despite a few calm nights in Ferguson, sporadic protests broke out in some cities nationwide.
In New York, seven people were arrested for disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly Thursday near the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They were arrested after several people broke through barriers near the parade route to protest the grand jury decision not to indict Wilson.
They were allegedly throwing bottles at stores and breaking windows, according to the New York Police Department.
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