In this economy, it’s tough to be moral and broke. I want to support small businesses and independent artists, and buy Organic and Fair Trade, but very often it’s less costly and time consuming to shop at a big chain store or dollar stores and buy store-brand goods. The problem is that many big companies {like Wal-Mart and Family Dollar, for example} are known to exploit their workers in order to keep the big bucks in shareholder’s pockets. So, while you’re getting a great deal, the workers are not, and neither is our country.

So, what to do? My friend Ben {who you may remember from Michigan} has the answer. Ben just started an as-yet-nameless but very smart blog, and is challenging his readers, friends, and family to a Conscientious Christmas Challenge {or Winter Solstice or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, etc.}. Says Ben:

…We could spend {our holiday dollars} buying plastic trees at Wal-Mart and ordering CD’s and books off Amazon, but these are corporations that have no interest in creating jobs, and no responsibilities to their communities.  There is no denying that what is better for your local community’s economy is better for you.

This year, I am challenging myself to do all of my holiday shopping, decorate my house, wrap all of my friends and family’s gifts and simply celebrate this holiday as ethically as possible.

By purchasing something from an independent bookstore or record shop rather than ordering off Amazon, you are choosing to keep that money circulating in your city.  By purchasing a live tree or a fresh cut tree from a local farmer’s market (Hint: If you purchase the tree, chances are they’ll plant a new one.  Simple supply and demand!) rather than purchasing a plastic non-biodegrading one from Wal-Mart… you are not only helping your local economy but helping the environment. These are just a couple of examples!

So how can you participate in the Conscientious Christmas Challenge? Join the event on Facebook. If you don’t have a Facebook account, or if you’d prefer not to join on Facebook, you can still take part. Here are the rules {well, more like guidelines}:

1. Support local businesses first. There are alternatives to nearly anything that you could purchase from a Target, Wal-Mart, or other larger business.

2. Support independent businesses and entrepreneurs first. This goes along with the first rule. If you go to websites like etsy.com or do a bit of searching, you can find tons of businesses starting up in your area that need support! If you can’t find options that are local, you can foster creative thinking, a more diverse economy, and know exactly where your money is going.

3. Know what businesses stand for. When it isn’t probable for you to shop local or independent, know what it is that you’re supporting with your money. Target is known for supporting anti-gay politicians, Wal-Mart treats its employees atrociously, etc.  Sometimes it’s hard to really decide what business decisions trump others. Take American Apparel for example: While their CEO is clearly a bad egg, the company uses all-American labor, and all-American products. So do you support the company or not? You have to make that decision in consideration of your own priorities.

4. Cook ethically. Head to the local farmer’s market, check out a co-operative and shop free range, organic and GMO free. Choose the ethical option when cooking your holiday meals. Avoid GMO food {especially Monsanto} and whenever possible, purchase organic food! It’s significantly healthier for you.

5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Challenge yourself not to buy any new wrapping paper. Instead, wrap your gifts in newspaper like my family does, or hit up thrift stores and antique stores in search for unique ways to wrap up your gifts. Not only will you be reusing, thrift stores and antique stores sell what is given to them, therefore purchasing wrapping paper or other materials won’t affect the supply and demand of the product. The less paper/plastic bought new, the less paper/plastic produced the next year, and the less paper/plastic that ends up in landfills.

6. Get creative! While writing someone a short story or creating a song for them may sound a bit sappy to some, you can always get more creative with gift giving. Visiting your parents in a far-off state? Put together a local product basket, filled with foods and products created in your area. Looking to be less material? Donate to a cause near and dear to their hearts.

7. Do what you can. Honestly, celebrating the holidays in this way won’t always be the most affordable option. If you can only afford to use recycled wrapping paper, that’s fine. If you truly have to buy something from a megastore for your relative or friend, buy it. Just do the best that you can to participate the way you can. If this was an easy thing to do, it wouldn’t be a challenge!

8. Last but not least: No snobbery! Shopping local, organic, etc. has started to get a bad reputation. When you tell people about the challenge or people ask how you’re doing on your Christmas Challenge don’t act holier-than-thou. Be positive, excited, and inspiring. The more who participate {at any level}, the better!

Ben & I love to hug and shop locally.

So, join Ben & I! There are a number of ways you can get involved in passing along the challenge to others. Link people to these rules and the other blog posts related to the challenge to get people thinking about what they can do. Join the Facebook event here, and invite all of your friends and family! For my part, I’ll be posting non-stop until the holidays are over with concrete ways to apply these rules to your {and my} holiday shopping, including links to independent shops/artists, CT indie events/fairs {like the Brazen Betties Indie Craft Fair this Friday}, and even gift & wrapping ideas.

I’m looking forward to shopping indie for the holidays with you!
xoxo,
Sami