Shop Local This Holiday Season

Shop Local this Holiday Season
How does this happen each year? The holidays somehow sneak up on us. Before I know it, I’m in a panic to get everyone on my shopping list the perfect gift. The internet has been a friend of mine in recent years. Rather than fight traffic and other weary mall shoppers, I can do all my shopping from the comfort of my home via my laptop. This holiday season, I’ve pledged to do my shopping a bit differently. This year, I’m on a mission to shop and buy all my presents from local vendors, thereby supporting local businesses. Here are some ideas for shopping local this December.

Local Flavor
Add some local flavor to your gift giving. What is your city / state known for? In Georgia we have a prevalence of pecans. A little searching on the internet and I found local company that has all sorts of mixes: Sugar ‘n Spice Pecans, Roasted & Salted, Chocolate covered and more. These tasty treats make a great gift because most people wouldn’t splurge and purchase for themselves, yet appreciate them as a gift. You can bet I’ll be sharing these goodies with friends and family from afar and even have a little for me.

Pop-up Shops
These are locations that may “pop-up” as the name suggests for weeks, a weekend or perhaps just an evening. The goods for sale are only available for a limited time or are unique and may not be offered again. Perhaps the vendors would normally close early, but stay open later to cater to shoppers during this pop-up event. Search the internet for mentions of pop up shops and snag that unique gift you know your aunt, friend (insert hard-to-shop-for-person on your list here) will love.

Gift Cards
Gift cards are an easy gift. Gift cards don’t necessarily have to be for a national chain. As an added bonus, many local vendors are giving you an additional 20 percent as long as you buy $100 worth of gift cards. What a terrific way to introduce friends to your favorite restaurant and get a little something for yourself too!

When we support local businesses, we help to keep that money in our own communities. The money we spend with a local business is then used to buy goods or services from other local businesses, which strengthens local economies.