Why I'm Pledging To Shop Small This Christmas & Some Of My Favorite Local Finds
The holiday hustle is nearly here. Do you feel it? With the family gatherings, dinner parties and catching up with friends galore, I'm totally get swept up in the extreme amount of socializing, shmoozing and the occasional boozing too! The panic of the holidays hasn't quite settled in yet, and the dooming list of Christmas gifts to buy is definitely on my back burner.
The desire to curate the perfect gifts for friends is family is one I know well. I always joke that gifting might be my form of therapy! And with the insane amount of ease that comes with shopping online, creating wish lists on Pinterest and Buzzfeed articles focused on making buying that much more mindless, the consumerism is REAL this time of year.
However, this year, I've become hyper-aware of exactly how and what I am investing in with every purchase I'm making. With the push to adventure locally and to invest in the creative pursuits and passions of local artists, this year I'm shopping small on Small Business Saturday. Created by American Express in an effort to encourage buyers to shop in their own communities (instead of megastores and billion dollar corporations), this national holiday is something that aligns perfectly with what we believe here at Roam + Golightly. And that's why when my friends at Fundera asked me to pledge to support local businesses, I emphatically agreed to.
Small Business Saturday comes the day after Black Friday, and I would insist that no deal, no clearance rack or free shipping could ever compare to the feeling of investing in local economy and our business owners who live next door. When we're buying from our neighborhood retailers, we're investing in their passions. We're finding absolutely gorgeous and unique gifts that are one of a kind and are sure to wow the recipients of our boxed and bowed gifts. Plus, I can vouch and say that there's nothing better than explaining how special a piece is when its made by someone in town!
But even more importantly than the glamour and chic-ness of it all, we're investing in the livelihood of the makers and doers of our local areas. We're building relationships with our community members. So ask questions when you shop! Seek interest in their goods, but also in their process, their mission and their hopes for their business's future. Doing so forms strong connections (and awesome customer service for the future) and adds stability within our own community.
Speaking of community, Fundera's requested that I share some of my personal favorite local finds to share with you all today. So, here are just some of my favorite small business finds in Lancaster!
LIZ RIDEN CO.
Lancaster does an incredible job with opening fun, small shops in their pop up park on Prince Street... and this winter I'm looking forward to supporting my friend Liz in her store! Liz has curated the most adorable store with handmade items. Liz has INCREDIBLE taste and her store features her favorite local jewelry, scarves, pillows, soaps, stationary, candles, watercolor prints, fresh wreaths, and her own full collection of leather goods! I'm obsessed.
ELLICOTT & CO.
If craftsmanship was ever celebrated more in our city, I don't know where it would be! Elliott & Co. sells handmade goods from belts and wallets, chocolates and sweets, and shampoos and pendants that I'm currently craving to have in our apartment. Ladies, if you're wondering what to buy your husband or boyfriend... go here! It's so rustic and authentic. Even more special, Elliot & Co. believes in building a platform for Lancaster makers and thinkers to launch and expand their businesses within their own doors.
WHISTLE & PINE
Before we moved into Lancaster last year, I just so happened to stumble into Whistle & Pine (at the pop up park on Prince Street again!) and was hooked. Curator Marissa Albrecht sells beautiful quarterly magazines that are independently made, handcrafted minimalist jewelry, candles, home decor and more. I'm hoping to see her shop again this year at the pop up park! Buh-bye wallet!
PASSENGER COFFEE
You guessed it guys, I HAD to include my favorite Lancaster coffee roasters in this round up. If you haven't heard of Passenger, it's basically plastered all over our website, blog and Instagram page... because I love the storefront's look so much and because I believe in the quality products they sell. In a pinch, you better believe I'll be buying some beans and a cute little coffee cup! Who doesn't love a little punch of caffeine for a cute gift idea? Plus, it feels good to buy from such an amazing local company!
