Published in the Nov. 26 – Dec. 9, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
Celebrate the holidays by getting more for less by shopping local. We encourage our readers to think about ditching the hassels of driving up to Bay Area shopping malls and dealing with the crowds of people fighting for parking spots outside and fighting for holiday gifts inside. Morgan Hill and the South Valley region has lots of opportunities to find locally-made gifts that will bring joy to the recipients while also being environmentally green and saving the green in your wallet.
We at Morgan Hill Life are strong believers in supporting our local retailers and service providers by doing holiday shopping with them.
Shopping local is a present you can give to your community. Consider that for every $100 you might spend at a local business, about $68 stays here in our community by supporting local jobs and reinvesting in our infrastructure through local taxes.
Studies have shown that consumers who purchase gifts from a locally-owned independent business instead of a nationally-owned company help strength the economic base of a community. Buying local during the holidays also helps keep Morgan Hill unique. When you support one-of-a-kind businesses (and not the stores that are cookie-cutter copies of other stores throughout the nation), you are enhancing the quality of life by preserving the distinctive character of the place we call home.
Shopping local also reduces our American consumer impact on the environment. It requires less transportation energy to shop local. Getting into the habit of shopping local also helps create more good jobs. Small local businesses — and not corporations — are the largest employees across America. So supporting them with your gift-giving dollars helps provide people with employment. This encourages local prosperity.
There are many fine stores in the community that have a wide gift selection for holiday shopping. Among them are BookSmart (which is more than a bookstore with a wide selection of toys and arts/crafts items). For really fun and unique toys, stop by Thinker Toys and spend an hour or so finding the perfect playtime gifts for the youngsters in your life.
For people who have plenty of material stuff in their lives, consider giving them the gift of a great dinner made by a local chef. Many restaurants offer gift cards or gift certificates that can be used for a meal. And Andy’s Orchard has a wonderful assortment of gift baskets.
In the spirit of the season, consider giving a donation of financial support to a local nonprofit organization in the name of a loved one. There are many excellent organizations that truly need your support in keeping their mission going. Perhaps you can ask the special people in your life what causes they might support in the South Valley region, and then send a donation to that organization, whether it be a group that protects the environment, enhances local education, or helps humanity with a social services mission.
The most important thing to consider when shopping local during the holidays, focus on the spirit of the season and don’t get caught up in the rush for stuff. Dealing with the mayhem of getting those limited Black Friday deals at major shopping mall won’t necessarily add to your holiday joy. And the stuff you purchase on that day will not make you and your loved ones any happier. It’s sharing time with your family and friends that will really create fond memories during the season of giving.
