Suggestions for new holiday habits to help your local economy.
Do not shop at large chain stores on Black Friday. None of your family really wants that cheap crap from China anyway.
Pay cash.
Buy local.
Make something.
Buy American.
Frequent local artisan fairs, such as church and high school craft shows. Careful not the buy same crap from China in a smaller venue. Yet some of these vendors have put their hard-earned money into these items too, so it’s a bit of a conflict.
Buy Fair Trade.
Don’t shop at large chain stores, period. Same for corporate-owned supermarkets.
Buy organic, if possible. (Organic milk has twice as much Calcium as regular milk.)
Don't be a gluton. It's the meal with the family that's more important than the fifth pie offering.
Set a gift and meal budget, donate 20% to a food pantry.
Instead of gifts, offer your labor.
Wrap minimally, and with recyclable paper.
Use LED lights. (Buy these in January for next year - save money.)
A few years back I was having a gift wrapped in a large department store in a southern city. The woman at the ribbon was chatting with her wrapper-mate:
“I always leave the price tag on gifts I give. I’m not ashamed of what I spend - it’s my money. Whether the cost is one dollar or a hundred, this is the gift I think suits you well and one you will enjoy. If you can’t handle that truth, then God bless you.”
Amen.