consumers – are you ready?

It is BIG decision time here in the U. S. What kind of consumer are you?  This is not a pointed post but simply words to get you thinking about your game plan before you open your wallet.

According to the “blogosphere” people are a little upset that Target is opening its doors at midnight.  I personally think Target had the best marketing for their event so people are attacking it most. Well Macy’s and Walmart are also opening at the same time. And Toys ‘ R’ Us opens at 9 PM on Thanksgiving Day while K-Mart is open on Thanksgiving Day from 6 AM to 9PM.  That is 15 HOURS+ that those employees are not having their day of gratitude away from their employer.  WTF?????

We actually have big chain stores open ON Thanksgiving Day. REALLY?  These are stores with employees within our communities who do not have have a lot of latitude in this economy and must be with their employer instead of doing whatever they want.

The “doorbuster” sales you see are great investments for companies who use them to get you in the store at interesting times and once you are in you are invested to get the most out of your effort to wake up early or leave your family during your holiday.  This seems like a good time to buy a lot of holiday sausages and lame Top-15 holiday toy critters.  Don’t give in to temptation unless you really need a sausage or loud, furry-electronic doll.

So decision time.  Are you even going to shop in a big chain store? Are you going to shop for a bunch of crap you don’t need? Or rather crap people may not even want? There isn’t only crap -you can shop for what you need.  You can also choose not to shop.

There are counter-culture movements. There is the formerly BUY NOTHING DAY that is going as #OccupyXMAS this year.

There is also the former holiday handmade pledge… do you remember this

I have also seen the big push to buy local and support local economies vs. faceless corporate giants.  Here is the site to  buy local in Colorado and the marketing for it.

Here is my hope with this post.  I want you to be mindful with how you spend YOUR money for the holidays.  Give gifts that have meaning for those you love.  Don’t over-indulge.  Don’t blindly give gifts out of obligation.  Use your consumer dollar to support merchants and companies whose values align with yours. If you shop corporate chains then buy only what you need.  If you can support local then make that choice to invest back in your community.

Have the best, most heartfelt holiday season yet.

As a note I am baking and giving handmade notions to most of my friends.  I bought a Patagonia item for my father that supports their Common Threads initiative.  For my son I am still looking for a wooden balance bike and am not sure where I will buy yet.  For my husband who reads this blog sometimes I have no idea (I ideally want to make something but like to spoil him so who knows).  I am also a lover of kitschy craft fairs – not lame ones with crocheted toilet paper cozies but ones with the “cool” vendors who usually have successful etsy stores.

And for the record I do see myself at some sort of holiday sale in a big box chain store for a new high-end vacuum to take advantage of “doorbuster” savings by the new year.  I am pretty good about getting in the door to get this kind of deal and leave though.

Also for the record I am so glad my son is 17-months and oblivious to the top holiday toy lists because I read the Target toy circular and most of that stuff is CRAP.