Submitted by: Sustainable Connections
With the holiday season here and all the trips, gifts, and stress it can entail, Sustainable Connections would like to share its top five tips to enjoy holiday shopping!
Tip #1) Keep it local: This may be the number one way to enjoy your holiday shopping. Find the perfect gift and strengthen our community all at the same time. Peruse welcoming and unique shops with knowledgeable staff, maybe with a pastry from the bakery down the street. Feel good about getting that one-of-a-kind gift for your special someone while supporting our neighbors and local economy. It beats the long lines and crazy crowds hands down!
Tip #2) Knock it all out at once: Head out November 26th for Shop Small Saturday. Tick off all of your shopping to-dos with local independent businesses around Whatcom County while having the chance to win incredible prize packages all at the same time. Participating businesses will be handing out shopping passports, so get a stamp at each store and be entered to win. Plus enjoy the extra holiday festivities happening in downtown Bellingham the same day.
Tip #3) Use the Buy Local for the Holidays Shopping Guide: It will make figuring out what to give a snap, with hundreds of local gift ideas and exactly where to find them. You can look for the Guide in the Cascadia Weekly during the week of Thanksgiving, Bellingham Alive’s December issue, at local businesses or online at SustainableConnections.org.
Tip #4) Make it a community affair: Visit one of the many local artisanal markets or attend a holiday event to shop and celebrate with your community. Don’t miss the Allied Arts Holiday Festival with live music, the Bellingham Farmers Market and their tree lighting on December 4th, and the Fairhaven Holiday Festival in November to name a few. For a full listing of local events visit our website. The more the merrier!
Tip #5) Treat Yourself to a Local Meal: Eating local food during the holidays is a great way to show your love for your family and yourself – grab a bite at one of the restaurants in town that sources locally while you’re out getting gifts, or pick up some local treats for dinner. The flavors are incredible, fresh feels the best, and you can make new holiday traditions with fantastic local ingredients. You can also take the Eat Local for the Holidays Pledge and get some new recipes by visiting our site.
Shopping at neighborhood stores is a powerful way to build our community. When you shop with locally-owned businesses they invest twice as much money here and keep it recirculating three times longer. This means more jobs in the community, more vibrancy and variety – ultimately a more unique place. Here’s to a relaxing holiday season with the ones you love and to creating an incredible community with every purchase!
