Shop local for Christmas

Thursday, November 26, 2009

So, Christmas approaches.

Once upon a time, it approached closer to the actual date; now it seems to approach shortly after Labor Day, which might actually be fitting given the fact that in order to afford Christmas, we have to labor like crazy. Johnny must have that new video game.

Sometimes it seems as if it’s all about commerce and if that were the case, it would be sad. Of course, Christmas is not “all about” anything. Sure, commerce plays a big part; what’s Christmas without lots of stuff under the tree?

But religion still plays a big part and family still plays a big part, and if we’re lucky, Nature will play her part by providing us with some snow (the operative word being “some” as in “not too much, though – and skip the ice this time, please”). But let us embrace the commercial aspect of Christmas rather than condemning it. It can be, you know, a positive experience. It’s possible, of course, that such an experience can come from going to the mall to shop. There is nothing inherently evil about the mall, particularly if you’re younger than 18, have a job and want to buy something nice for Mom and see your friends at the same time. So, to the mall you go.

But there’s something adults could seriously ponder before jumping into the car and driving to the mall: shopping locally.

All right, you’re probably not going to find the latest video game, but you’ll find a lot of gifts that will be different. And different is good, isn’t it?

We hear, read and even voice a lot of complaints about how our America is changing. While that is something that, in the long run, we probably can’t change, we can, in the short run, keep a piece of America alive and well: the small town and its center of commerce.

Think, if you will, about what our downtown areas would be like if all the local shops were to close. Oh, sure, it’s easy to dismiss that as doom and gloom. Why, that will never happen. Never.

Perhaps not. Probably not. But why not do our part to ensure that it doesn’t happen by doing at least some of our Christmas shopping locally?

Shopping locally is more than just … well, more than just shopping.

The mall, for all its glitz and glamour, isn’t typically staffed by our friends and neighbors, as local shops often are. You walk into any local shop and you’re liable to be served by someone you’ve seen in the diner or at the movies.

It’s important to remember that local shops are owned by local people.

They know us and they know how important each and every one of us is to their business. They’ll take great care of us and be incredibly friendly.

Doesn’t that make Christmas more Christmasy?

Now we’re not going to pretend you can find absolutely everything locally or that people in the mall aren’t friendly. The mall is great for finding all kinds of things. But our local shops are great for finding things, too – different things.

Look, we all know we’re going to do a lot of shopping at the mall and online this year, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

But before we do, let’s at least check out what our local shops have to offer. It’s good for our towns, it’s good for our friends and it’s good for us, too.