We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — shopping local is the way to go for your Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa gifts. Massive retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart compete so successfully for our dollars because they’re cheap and convenient. But the costs to our community, our planet and eventually our own wallets add up over the long term.
The “shop local” reminders seem to come around basically every year, and it appears many people are listening in 2023. A survey by financial services company Bankrate released last month found that more holiday shoppers planned to buy gifts on Small Business Saturday (61%) than on Black Friday (56%) this year. There are a million reasons why that makes sense.
Buying from small businesses near where you live means supporting your neighbors instead of nameless, faceless corporations– many of whom have histories of exploiting the people who work for them. You’ll put dollars into the local economy instead, which means creating new jobs and improving city services around your own home.
Also, shopping in person at local stores means instant gratification: no constantly refreshing the delivery tracking page, no unexpected delays and no packages stolen from the front porch. You can make sure the gift actually looks and feels the way you want it to, instead of finding out on Dec. 23 that the sweater you ordered for your sister is horribly itchy.
Local shopping benefits the planet, too, because it cuts down on the long-distance shipping that typically involves pouring heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Small businesses tend to have more localized supply chains, which means slashing emissions at every part of the process — not just during delivery.
D.C. is a big city, with more than 70,000 small businesses based within the District. Whatever gift you’re looking for, start your search at home.