It's become a recurring message we hear every year as Christmas approaches: the need to shop locally.
Perhaps you roll your eyes when you hear somebody preaching about buying your Christmas gifts and other holiday items from the merchants in your community. Or maybe you've been aware of the need to support these companies for years.
Regardless, it's vital to support our local business community, because, without these businesses, we don't have a community.
This is the time of year many of them rely on more than any other. Some of them have been advertising their pre-Christmas deals for a few weeks now and had their Christmas displays up before Halloween was finished.
But a lot of us aren't thinking about Christmas on Nov. 1. My rule of thumb is to keep Christmas out of my thoughts until after the Grey Cup. A lot of people might not start thinking about the holidays until Black Friday, which is the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving and now the biggest shopping day of the year.
We're starting to ask our friends and family what they want for Christmas. We're dropping hints about what we're looking for. We're checking out the different sources for gift ideas.
The next few weeks can be the make-or-break time for retailers and other businesses in the community. If they have a great pre-Christmas season, then they're typically going to make money and it's going to be a great Christmas for them and their staff. If they don't, then the end of 2023 might not be so pleasant.
When a business is no longer profitable, it's at risk of closing. When it shuts down, it not only affects the entrepreneur, but it also impacts all of its employees and their families. It leaves a hole in the community.
Most years, I'll be back in B.C. for Christmas. But I make it a point to complete my Christmas shopping before I leave Estevan. Part of it is because of timing; I usually arrive in B.C. just a few days before Christmas and don't have the time (or desire) to fend off last-minute shoppers. But I've also come to realize I'd rather do my shopping here, even if there's a risk that I might not be able to exchange a gift should a shopping miscue occur.
I understand that a lot of people now prefer shopping online. Amazon is convenient. You can find everything you need without leaving your home. They have overnight delivery and you don't have to contend with long lineups or product shortages.
But they aren't in our community. They don't offer direct employment, they don't pay taxes and they don't support us. Amazon and other online shopping giants get more out of us than we do out of them.
I heard the names of a number of businesses being mentioned at Saturday night's Festival of Trees gala fundraiser at Affinity Place. I saw many other businesses purchase corporate tables. But I didn't see any sort of presence from Amazon.
Say what you will about the big box stores, but at least many of them are owned by a local franchisee, they provide employment for people and they contribute to local causes. You know that when you purchase something from them, there is a benefit for the community.
I don't have an Amazon membership. I'm confident I never will, despite some of the advantages that it provides. I don't need Amazon. But I do need the businesses we have in Estevan.
Our annual Christmas catalogue can be found in this week's edition of the Mercury. It's filled with all sorts of great Christmas gift ideas. You'll find something for everyone, from a loved one to a co-worker whose name you drew in the office secret Santa.
If you need a reminder of all that Estevan's business community has to offer, this Christmas catalogue is perfect. If you misplace it, that's okay, because the participating businesses will carry extra copies.
There are so many reasons to shop locally, not just as Christmas approaches but once it is finished and Boxing Day sales begin, and then once the new year begins. Keep those factors in mind as you make your shopping decisions.
