Shop Local + Handmade This Holiday Season!

I am not going ANYWHERE on Black Friday.

I work in the Retail industry for my day job, and while I love it, Black Friday has usually been a day of getting up butt-ass early, painting a smile on my face, and dealing with friendly shoppers.

Okay, there are a few assholes within those friendly shoppers, but it’s just enough to make me loathe saying goodnight to my family at a super early hour on Thanksgiving, only to lay in bed and not be able to sleep, because it’s only 9pm.

NOT this year, bitches!

I’m currently in a position where I am not required to work out in the stores on Black Friday. This will be the first time in like seven years.

Am I going shopping?

NopeNopeNopityNopeNopeNope.

Now that the game of Black Friday is changing among retailers, if you’re really the type of person who hunts for the best deal in town, you need a goddamned spreadsheet just to track what day and time each retailer is slashing their prices on certain items.

Black Friday is broken.

So why bother?

Why not shop local instead?

While yes, big-box retailers DO employ peeps in our respective cities, the money the local associates are paid does stay within our local economy.

But the margin those retailers make that doesn’t go toward payroll?

It goes back to the mothership. Whether that be Minneapolis, or Bentonville, the higher-ups are laughing all the way to the bank.

So shop local or handmade this year. When I mean local, I mean LOCAL. Like the, “owner of the establishment could be your neighbor” local.

I am making the commitment to buying as many gifts locally or handmade this year. The only exception I am making are children’s toys, as I’m super vigilant about making sure items are CPSC compliant, and many makers are not aware they could be potentially selling hazardous items to negligent parents.

Scope out holiday bazaars and craft fairs. Check out etsy.com. The majority of the people involved in these types of events (and shops on etsy) are people like me who love what they do and are trying to make a living out of it.

Yes, their prices are going to be higher.

Suck it up and pay for it. The wages paid to factory workers in overseas manufacturers is appallingly tiny. These small biz owners are trying to keep up with the cost of living in this country, as well as keep their business open.

Okay. Rant over.

With all that being said, here’s some opportunities to support local small businesses, and I’m part of these awesome events this year!

Saturday, December 1, 10am-4pm: Lewis Holiday Bazaar & Tree Sale

It’s your Southeast one-stop gift and tree shop at Meriweather Lewis Elementary! The event supports the Lewis PTA, and they combined the bazaar and their tree sale this year to make it one awesome, festive event!

Sunday, December 2, 9am-4pm: Laurelhurst Winter Bazaar

I applied for this show really hoping to get in, as I LOVE their marketing design, and they also do a really good job with promoting the show. I was super stoked to hear I made it in. The coordinators of the bazaar work really hard to gather fantastic raffle prizes (including a “Dinner out for a year” package, containing a basket of restaurant gift cards, enough to go out once a month for a year!), in addition to a wreath auction.

There’s a few other shows I have applied for, but I am still waiting on confirmation, so there you have it! If you’re in the Portland metro area, you have no excuse not to shop local!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and weekend!