The holidays have snuck up on us yet again.
While some of our readers had their holiday shopping done before the turkey thawed last month, there are still many left wondering where to do theirs, as space is running out on the advent calendar.
In keeping with the movement of supporting the community, we’d like to suggest you consider doing all your holiday shopping close to home – and, no, we don’t mean online.
Some of your local shops may not have the flashy, “low, low” prices of big box stores, but it’s likely to have the answer you need if a question arises, with a genuine smile and enthusiasm. And you won’t have to do a lot of driving to get there.
Supporting your local retailers is a gift that keeps on giving. By doing so, you’re helping a local business stay open, as well as helping to boost the town’s tax base.
As your hometown paper, local businesses advertising with us gets their message out, and it is their advertising that lets us get your news out to you every week. Without them advertising you would have no true local paper.
Shopping locally also helps to support local artists, crafters, farmers and other independent businesses, and it can make for unique and thoughtful gifts. There’s a certain pleasure that comes from buying something with a label certifying that it was made in your hometown. Just about everyone loves getting those gifts from the heart, made especially for them from those they love.
Just as the economy has us reevaluating how we heat our homes and fuel our cars, it prompts us to look at where we spend our hard-earned money, including when it comes to gift giving. Local businesses like us give back to the community in many ways and help keep our town strong.
If you’re planning on dining out for a special holiday meal, consider a local restaurant or getting a platter to-go to bring home or to the family Christmas party. Chances are, you’d be sure to miss your unique culinary getaways if they had closed, so help them remain open by celebrating the mom and pop restaurants as opposed to more of the same. This makes for warm, special memories and a healthy local economy.
By spending your money locally, you may find yourself in a heartfelt conversation about your holiday plans and favorite seasonal recipes, as opposed to the more commercialized alternative where you are more apt to merely be bombarded with incessant sales pitches, and half-hearted, corporate-mandated, “Happy Holidays.” A genuine verbal exchange is an added treat to consider, especially at this time of year.
This holiday season, Nutfield Publishing urges you to consider your local artists, bakers, and shop owners to help take care of your loved ones. The support you will be providing your community will be the greatest gift you could give yourself.