A Merry Local Christmas

Christmas is coming....whether you have started thinking about it or not. Today is our first snowfall that actually has visible snow on the ground here in Notre-Dame. With more in the forecast...So, you may not be ready to think about Christmas, but it is coming none the less. 

We have done a few different kinds of Christmas's over the years. One of my favourite was the year we gave the kids something they could do. Andy got a bow and arrow, Adaliah got a sewing machine...that kind of thing. It was nice for them to have something to do after the Christmas season was over. For many years we did the three gifts Christmas. Each child got 1) something to read 2) something to wear/something they needed and 3) something they wanted (and we still always did stockings, which was a mixture of small trinkets and food). This worked really well for us, until we kept adding more kids to the mix. The last year we did the 3 gifts felt very overwhelming, and sometimes we were just searching for a book or something they needed, ending up getting something that they didn't "really" want. So, we decided to try a different way. We tried giving just one gift per child...and that did not seem like enough. hahahaha

Some year I really want to try a totally consumable Christmas. This does not mean only things to eat (but that would be fun too!), but it can include anything that is consumable. And then we do not have to find a spot in our house for all the "new" Christmas gifts but alas, I am the only one who thinks this sounds like a good idea....yet. lol 

Last year, shortly after Christmas was over, we decided as a family that the next year (which is now SOON!!!) we would try and buy from as many local small business people as we could. For example, if Adonijah asked for a toy car, maybe we could find a homemade wood toy car from a local crafter....or maybe we could buy from a local small business. We are going to be realistic and assume we will not be able to purchase all the dreams and wishes of our children locally....but we can sure try :) 

We feel good about purchasing from local small businesses, because we ARE a local small business. We love to support others, the way others have supported (and continue to) support us. Local business owners (i.e. us!) get excited about new customers, we get excited about each and every order we receive. We also love giving the personal touch that only a small business can. 

This Christmas...consider giving the gift of helping local small businesses continue operating into the New Year....shop local...and have a Merry Local Christmas.