This Christmas season, keep the community in mind

Even when I was young, when the shiny objects in stores had a fantastic power to grab my eager attention, I was annoyed by how early the Christmas sales and gaudy ads appeared. It annoys me still.

Without even waiting for the Halloween masks and black-cat decorations to clear the shelves, the Christmas lights and stockings and plastic paraphernalia march right in, every year, to claim their ridiculous two months or more in the limelight.

Why this Christmas blitz? Who’s to blame for foisting the season on us before its time?

Alas, I have become my enemy. I am partly to blame. This Halloween column is about Christmas shopping.

But why? Why so early? It’s because, I have learned, that conscientious, responsible shopping takes time. Locally owned stores generally do not possess the seemingly infinite plenty of a Target or a Walmart, which have a pipeline running straight to Santa’s Chinese workshops.

But locally owned stores have consistently demonstrated their worth for a community, both in terms of job creation and in the recirculation of money into the local economy. And you might have noticed that we’re in a recession; our local merchants could use our business.

Take the story of Leavenworth. When the railroad relocated its main service to Wenatchee, the town’s economy suffered for many years. Business and community leaders finally came together around a bold idea of local investment, and that’s when they became the cute little Bavarian hamlet that’s enjoyed so much success.

But it wasn’t easy. The town didn’t have much money at the start, so to make it happen, to transform the town, the merchants and people bought from each other, essentially loaning each other money for construction and for business. And they turned around their local economy.

We don’t need to become another Bavaria. We just need to spend our money on each other. So to help jump-start your local shopping effort, and maybe to help us weather the economic drizzle, here are some suggestions.

Try food. This may seem like an odd category for gifts, but it’s not. I’ve given my parents gift certificates for cheese-making classes and for cooking school; both were big hits.

What about a membership at the Tacoma Food Coop? What about candy from Brown & Haley? Or locally roasted coffee from Valhalla or Bluebeard? Or tea from Mad Hat? Or a gift certificate to a locally owned restaurant? I love those. They remind me to take my wife out for dinner.

You could really make a bold leap in the food category and buy someone you love a farm share. It’s a generous gift to feed someone with healthy, local whole food for half a year. We have a share with the nice folks at Little Eorthe Farm, and it’s fantastic. They’re increasing their number of shares next year, so it’s a good time to buy one.

Or you could try some pampering gifts, like a gift certificate for a massage at a locally owned spa. Or, if you’d prefer a spa-like treatment at home, there are locally made bath bombs at Feeling Smitten on Sixth Ave.

Jewelry? Try Leroy. Art? Check out the open studio tour in Tacoma on Nov. 5 and 6. Experiences? Maybe buy gift certificates for glass blowing at M Space or Tacoma Glassblowing Studio. Exercise? What about South Sound Running or Tacoma Bike?

If the choices I’ve listed don’t work for you, then look for more ideas at Tacoma’s business district website: tacomabusinessdistricts.com. Or go to golocaltacoma.com. The local gift options are plentiful.

Many years ago as I was hitchhiking my way around Great Britain, my ride dropped me off in a small town whose name I can’t remember. I needed some food, so I poked my head into one of the few stores on the street. In the window of that store, clearly in reference to the business lost to bigger or big-box stores in a neighboring city, was a sign that read: “If you want a shop in the village, shop in the village.”

Santa’s workshop does not need to be in China, and our money doesn’t have to head out of town. If you buy your gifts from a locally owned store, that’s good. If you buy a locally made product from a locally owned store, that’s double good.

Consider your choices as we head into the season of shopping. Are you just giving things? Or are you giving things that also build a better community?

Take your time and start your holiday shopping early.

Our choices matter.

Shop in the village.

Kyle Price prefers to shop locally. He is one of six reader columnists whose work appears in this space.