Shop Local: Holidays Gift Guide

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The holiday season is an important one for small businesses every year, and it figures to take on heightened importance in 2021.

COVID-19 continues to impact small businesses between workforce shortages and giving their all to make the best of a tough situation.

As small businesses face difficult challenges, it’s no surprise many consumers want to support locally owned small businesses this holiday season.

Small businesses are the backbone of many communities, and the holiday season provides a great opportunity to support such firms as they look to recover from a difficult year.

Resources

PenBayPilot.com’s business directory

PenBayPilot.com’s Midcoast Entrepreneurs hub


Eco-friendly gift options

The saying “the more the merrier” certainly applies during the holiday season. But during a season of big gifts, extra food and travel, “more” can exact a heavy toll on the environment.

According to Stanford University, Americans generate 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve than during the rest of the year. But there are various eco-friendly gifts that can make great presents and benefit the environment at the same time.

Purchase experiential gifts

When making holiday shopping lists, think of gifts that offer experiences rather than material goods.

Gifts that involve experiences, such as going to a sporting event or attending a play or musical, decrease reliance on wrapping paper. Such gifts also reduce clutter in the recipient’s house and conserve the resources otherwise used to manufacture alternative items that would have been purchased.

Experiential gifts that also tap into environmental pursuits, such as touring with an animal rescue group, or accommodations at a carbon-neutral hotel can be an added bonus.

Opt for locally made gifts Select gifts made by local artisans or companies that operate domestically. This cuts down on the carbon emissions from having to ship products from long distances or even overseas.

Get crafty

Gifts from the kitchen or ones made by the giver can be crafted from sustainable materials. They also show how you care by taking the time to customize a gift for the recipient.

Avoid gag or useless gifts

Select gifts only with utility in mind.

Skip purchases that are made only to beef-up the look of presents under the tree or to make it appear that gifting was more generous.

Items that a person cannot or will not use will ultimately be relegated to the trash, which is wasteful.

Wrap in reusable materials Fancy wrapping paper certainly looks nice, but choose other materials that can be reused.

Look for decorative tins, boxes, fancy gift bags, and other items that can be reused for years to come.