Pink Washing, Green Washing, Organic Washing and now Local Washing.....

It started with the Susan G. Komen foundation selling out and letting any business (even those associated with cancer causing agents) put the trademarked pink ribbon on their merchandise. Then everything was suddenly in some way "Green" made with "recycled" materials or in "sustainable" practices. However, if you scratch the surface of any of these campaigns you will find hypocrisy and lies. 

I LOVE local businesses, even better when they are local artists. I do my best to support my truly local businesses and artists whenever I have the option. With "Small Business Saturday" fast approaching and people up in arms about stores (big box chains) planning on being open on Thanksgiving I just had to say a few words. 

First, no one is forcing anyone to work on Thanksgiving. Yes, there are people who need the money and feel they have no choice but to work on Thanksgiving. Working on Thanksgiving might even take them away from their families (whom they are working to support) on a MADE UP HOLIDAY about family. Holidays are ALL about family and they do not need to be celebrated on a specific day or at a specific time. It is all about the intent. So if you are one of those people who needs to work Thanksgiving in order to support a family remember you can celebrate early or late or not at all. 

Second, there are people who are alone for the holidays and some of those people actually prefer to work on holidays. I know several people who have good relations with their families but they choose to work holidays because the pay is good. They have said to many people on more than one occasion, that if the the Holiday is truly about family then they can celebrate that any day of the year. Some who are truly alone choose to work on a holiday so as not to be alone. 

However, all that being said if you do not support stores being open on Thanksgiving because you believe that everyone should be home with their families then remember YOU have a say in the matter. You can not shop on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. You can encourage others to do the same.

This brings me to "Small Business Saturday". First this is a fallacy. Small business Saturday is sponsored by none other than American Express. American Express is not a small business and is not a local business. They are just in it for the money. Second just because a business is "locally" owned does not make is a sustainable or ethical business. There is little difference in buying cheap goods made in unthinkable conditions from a BoxMart or from a "local" store. 

The why? It is simple, there is a benefit to buying from a locally owned non-franchise store but it is small compared to the benefit from buying from a locally owned business that supports local artists and American Made goods. First, even the big box franchise stores have "owners". These individuals are often local (not always). This means that these local owners spend a portion of their profits in the local economy. They do however send a portion of their profits as part of their franchise agreement to some big company somewhere.  A truly local business allows for more of the profits to stay in the local economy. Even better than a local business selling cheaply made foreign goods (which sends money out of the local economy and encourages poor and unfair employment and manufacturing practices) is supporting a local artist or business that sells locally sourced or American made goods. 

I am a realist, there are a number of items that are NOT made locally or even in America (unfortunately count most electronics on that list). I strive to buy local, sustainable and ethical. I support my local artists and crafters and encourage my girls to do the same. 

For several years now I have purchased from KiraArts, Francesca DeCaire, SunshyneSilverware, and so many other local artists and crafters. My girls have received gifts over the years that came from big box stores (American Girl Dolls and Accessories), but the gifts they love and cherish are always those that are handmade and unique. No one else has the same gifts that my girls have. 

Having handmade unique gifts also helped to keep the spirit of Christmas and the legend of Santa Claus alive for my girls. Not that long ago my now 13 year old daughter asked me if Kira was a Christmas Elf because she made such wonderful handmade toys for boys and girls of all ages. I wouldn't think Christmas complete in my house without a handmade gift from my local artists. 

I have selected a few items this year 2 monsters from KiraArts, felted sootsprites and a totoro from Peaches Products, and a sootsprite necklace and totoro necklace from a local artist. I am looking forward to picking up my custom orders and a unique ornament for each girl at the Brainery Holiday Bazaar as well as shopping Mini May Day. Funds are limited this year (as I have been unemployed since March and in a full time school program for the last 6 months) so I won't be able to support my local artisans as much as I would like, but I will support them none the less. 

I will NOT be shopping on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday, instead I support local businesses, artists and crafters year round. 

How about you? What do you think about Small Business Saturday, Black Friday and or Thanksgiving Day Shopping?