Update 12/1/2021: Sustainable Connections put together this awesome guide to shopping local in Whatcom County: https://sustainableconnections.org/local-gift-guide/
Small Business Saturday is an event held the first Saturday following Thanksgiving. This year it falls on November 27th. The goal of Small Business Saturday is to encourage people to stimulate the local economy by purchasing goods and services from local businesses.
As we already know, supporting local is so very important. And not to be too dramatic, but right now supporting local businesses is paramount. Here’s why:
Pandemic Closures
The pandemic has really taken a toll on small businesses. “34% of small businesses are closed compared to January 2020”. We’ve seen this first hand in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Some of our favorite small businesses had to permanently close their doors due to financial reasons, staffing shortages, and supply chain issues — all due to the pandemic.
Unless we want to continue to see our favorite shops, restaurants, and services shut down, we need to step up and support local.
Floods
Not only are we still in the thick of the pandemic, we now have devastating floods to deal with. Many of our community members have lost their homes, jobs, and businesses because of the November 15th flooding in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Instead of buying that fruitcake and having it shipped from overseas, make a donation to a local organization helping individuals impacted by the floods. Nobody likes fruitcake anyways!
So how do you support local businesses during the holiday season?
Here are some cool local gift ideas.
As ALWAYS, we have so many local charities and non-profit organizations who would love to put your donations to good work. Search Charity Navigator for reputable places to donate to — you can even search keywords to find organizations by categories. (I.E. Homeless, animals, etc.)
Additionally, there are many upcoming local events this holiday season where you can put your hard earned money to good use. Check them out!
Whatcom County
- Bellingham Farmer’s Market – Every Saturday through December 18th.
- Allied Arts Holiday Festival – Now through December 24th.
- Holiday Market at L & L Libations – Saturday December 4th.
Skagit County
- Holiday Makers Market – November 27th – December 23rd.
- Holiday Artisan Market – December 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th.
This holiday season, if you’re in a position to do so, we’d like to challenge you to buy all of your gifts locally. Instead of searching for the best doodad for Great Uncle Henry on a large retailer website, consider putting your dollars to better use and support a local business.
Happy Holidays!