ONCE THE stress of finals is out of the way, we will be well into what is popularly deemed the holiday season. For most of you, this means time to fit in some late Christmas shopping and pick up those gifts that hopefully show the thought that went into their selection. Regardless of who you are buying gifts for, or what holiday you are celebrating, 'tis the season to consider supporting small, locally-owned businesses in the Charlottesville area.
If you are the type of person who rarely buys gifts and instead does something creative for your loved ones, more power to you. For most people, though, a totally non-commercial holiday season is regrettably difficult to even imagine.
There is relatively little pressure put on us to re-evaluate our consumption habits, but such pressure does exist. For example, there is "Buy Nothing Day," a self-explanatory holiday traditionally "celebrated" on the day after Thanksgiving - that is, Black Friday. The festivity has been widely publicized by Adbusters, the same magazine which kicked off the Occupy Wall Street protests. Looking at Black Friday last week, one can see the argument implicit in "Buy Nothing Day" and why it might be worth making.
Tragicomic Black Friday news stories serve as symbols of the debasing, brutalizing nature of excessive consumerism. These stories also bring to mind one important trend: the increasing desperation of the American consumer. It is fairly well-accepted that times are bad, and more people are finding it important to save money whenever possible. This might seem odd as people seek major discounts on things they do not need - like waffle-makers - but there was nonetheless some rationality driving people to line up in the cold last Friday. Regardless, it is hard to imagine that many thoughtful gifts were obtained in the shopping frenzy.
The best option for purchasing items which do carry meaning remains local businesses. This may appear to be a more expensive option compared to the big-box stores, but a closer examination will reveal a number of added benefits.
As if anyone needs reminding, there are countless economic difficulties facing people today. Some of these are subtle and slow to reach crisis levels, such as the issue of mounting credit card debt. Some are more overt, such as another possible foreclosure crisis which may cause millions of U.S. citizens to lose their homes in the next several years. If you recognize the challenges that people are facing today and seek to make even a minor change to counter these trends, there is little better you can do than make your purchases at small businesses whenever possible.
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a non-profit which aims for sustainable community development, released a study in 2003 which found that for every $100 spent at a local business, $45 "stays local" and generates more prosperity in the immediate area. Spending $100 at a chain business, on the other hand, only brings $14 back to the community. A stronger local economy means job creation, something stressed fourth-year students can tell you is always a welcome development.
According to The Hook, the current recession has left Charlottesville relatively unscathed. There are many social benefits brought about by such good fortune, and the University student body has played a large part in realizing them. University students, with their combined spending power, hold more social influence in their wallets than they suspect.
Yet while the University is a major financial boon to the area, there are some negative externalities it inflicts on the residents of Charlottesville: noise, traffic and a lack of parking. What better way to say "sorry" and "thank you" to the community simultaneously than by shopping locally? There is no shortage of quality venues conveniently located on the Corner and Downtown Mall which can help you find just the memorable gift you are seeking. The numerous used bookstores in those two areas hold vast possibilities. Gift cards from local restaurants mean family or high school friends are pretty much obligated to come visit you. Roots, Rock, Reggae may have just the thing for the glass art enthusiast in your life. The list goes on.
Alternatively, there is always that cheap, forgettable gadget from Walmart. After all, someone has to put food on the Walton family table.
This holiday season, keep in mind the consequences of your spending habits. You might find that some minor changes will go a long way.
Sam Carrigan's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at s.carrigan@cavalierdaily.com.
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