Black Friday

As one of the busiest shopping days of the year, Black Friday has always been a day on which I've avoided making my own purchases. I've never been a fan of the corporate giants who dominate the market and the mass produced, cookie-cutter goods they sell at a fraction of the price. Because of this, I've always boycotted the shopping frenzy known as Black Friday.

However, this was before I discovered the eclectic and creative world of Etsy; a world where the little guy, the independent business/seller is able to prosper & share their goods with an international community. A few years ago, I bought vintage cameras for my husband off of Etsy and I vowed that all of my holiday gifts would come from small, independent shops that represented everything the mass produced products did not - thought, love, time. I am still a big supporter of buying handmade, buying local and buying from the small, 'little guy' businesses.

Be the change that you want to see in this world. As cliche as that phrase sounds, it is something I strive for each day and especially for this holiday season. I will not purchase items for my family members that can be found at any big department or box store, rather, I have purchased beautiful, hand-knitted cup cozies from Upper Duke Designs: http://www.etsy.com/people/UpperDukeDesigns & I will be making my own soy candles for the people I love.

Which path will you take this holiday season? What handmade products will you be purchasing and which local, independent businesses will you be supporting?

Rather than "buy nothing day", why not choose to support a small business today?