it makes u think....

**rosey7415** · 11-07-2011, 08:49 AM

i just got an email about not buying junk from china for xmas gifts, wrapping paper, xmas lights, etc. it really made me rethink some of my xmas gifts. it was really about buying local. helping out america. instead of stuff....give gift certificates to local business's. not big box stores, but the little guy just trying to make it in america. like a gc for the local barber, gym, cleaning business, small restaurants, specialty shops, etc.

ok, i always go to the small specialty shops anyways. they always have unique things that are not so mass produced. hand crafted items. i just bought my sister a very nice pair of elegant earrings at a new small specialty shop. the woman makes all her jewelry she sells. not that i don't shop at any big stores, but maybe if we all tried to help out our locals at least a little bit, it would help. just thinking out loud here.....

**Contrary Housewife** · 11-07-2011, 09:55 AM

I always try not to buy foreign made stuff, but the sad truth is we just don't *produce* much in the US any more.

**erinalexmom** · 11-07-2011, 12:40 PM

That does make ya think. I never really thought about where the gifts came from (in the long run) but I will from now on. I am going to sit and figure out what I want to get for everyone and then I will revamp that list as much as possible to buy local. Thanks for the reminder!

**rosey7415** · 11-07-2011, 03:16 PM

just me again.....

now that i have a little more time, i tried to copy the email in here as they said it soooo much better than i could relay it. of course, i couldn't do it....

i will add some ideas that were in there though: barbers, hair dressers, gym memberships, have car detailed or cleaned, have lawns mowed or driveways shoveled, games at golf courses, 6 breakfasts at a local b joint, oil changes ,cleaning service for a day, computer help, tickets to a ballet, play, or local band.

"when we care about other americans, we care about our communites, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine."

just wanted to throw out some ideas..........you all could add more here if you'd like. i thought of something for the elderly...stamps...we could help the postoffice too! lol

**DaveP** · 11-07-2011, 04:08 PM

What a fantastic idea! GCs for local businesses - definitely going to do it.

**lovestoread** · 11-07-2011, 04:41 PM

I , too , received this email. I am a hairdresser and sell several gift certificates at Christmas time...this is especially nice for older people who have everything they need and maybe would enjoy not having to pay for a perm on a fixed income...Anyway, great post... i totally agree. My parents are in their late 60s and have asked for gc to restaurants since they enjoy going out for dinner and we know it is something they will use.

**erinalexmom** · 11-07-2011, 06:46 PM

Rosey, I give my grandma stamps every year

She looks forward to it. Its our Christmas tradition

**Spirit Deer** · 11-07-2011, 07:55 PM

I'm conflicted about this. In theory, I'd love to buy everything made in the US, and I often do when I can. But big box stores employ millions, regardless of where the merchandise originates, and those jobs are important too. Not trying to start anything since I go back and forth on this issue myself, just some food for thought.

And speaking of food (how's that for a segue?) my mom is a senior and is handicapped in several different ways. She needs nothing and in fact, needs to start purging the excess in her house. Last year, we gave her a big box full of jar mixes for soups and other foods with a long shelf life. I also cooked up a bunch of stuff using OAMC recipes and stocked her freezer. She's alone a lot of the time for meals, and doesn't always feel like cooking for one. She has raved all year about how nice it is to have things in the freezer or all ready to go in a jar, making it easy for her to make a tasty, healthy meal without having to go out in the snow and cold to go to the store and buy individual foods to make up a meal. I plan to do the same for her this year, too. It should be particularly helpful since the only grocery store in her little town burned down about a month ago, making it doubly difficult for her to get groceries. This gift has proven to be helpful for us because 1) we know she's going to actually want and use what we give her, 2) we aren't adding to the clutter in her house with useless geegaws, 3) it's economical for us because the food we use to make up the gift is stuff we've bought on sale, 4) most of the ingredients are from the US thereby supporting US workers, and 5) most of the ingredients come from our local grocery stores thereby supporting our local workers and our local economy. It's a big win for everyone involved.

Our town is the kind of place people often leave to find jobs, but it's 'home' so they tend to come back in large numbers for holidays. A few years ago our Chamber of Commerce realized what a great opportunity it is to have loads of people all revved up with nowhere to go, waiting for Black Friday sales which are all out of town, with their Christmas money burning a hole in their pockets. So the Chamber members decided it would be a good idea to open up the downtown stores Thanksgiving evening. It's proven to be a big winner for our local economy. Visitors get a jump on their Christmas shopping and all that lovely money circulates in town during our off season, when the summer tourists are gone. It's gotten to be a fun social event for everyone, besides being good for the economy.

**Trishagirl** · 11-07-2011, 11:16 PM

I love to shop local but you still find stuff made in China there also! ugggg! Just have to watch and get homemade stuff.

**steelergal** · 11-08-2011, 09:09 PM

I try to stick with supporting local business. Especially since my DH is a manager at a small local hardware store (of course their competitors are home Depot and Lowe's)! They do carry American made products (actually this Christmas they are thinking of doing an end cap of nothing but American made products), but the American made products are a lot pricier than a lot of the things made in China and other foreign countries. Even though larger companies may have more employees and such, they all at one point started small! I say support the smaller business and maybe they can grow more, generate more income, and get the attention that small business needs!

I saw a thing on 60 minutes a few weeks ago about all the different products that are made in America. They also spoke of for every new home being built in America, if these contractors would buy 5% of the materials needed from American companies, that would creat a lot of jobs. I think they said that they had a print up on their website (I did not look it up).