08/11/2020
So I thought I'd talk a little bit about shopping small. I don't know if it's becoming more involved in the creative community or an understanding of the effects of covid on small buisnesses right now. But, there feels to be an increased pressure to shop small this Christmas.
Don't get me wrong it's a great message and one that I fully believe in. I'd much rather see the pockets of indie buisness owners being lined (mine included!) than handing over more cash to the conglomerate heads of the world and personally I've increasingly endeavoured to support more indie creatives this year.
However, as someone in a household where both I and my partner are currently unemployed due to the effects of covid. The shop small rhetoric whist lovely, is for me and I suspect many others pretty unfeasible this festive season. The reality is that the majority of people in my gift giving circle will recieve small, handmade, token presents, if they recieve anything at all.
So, I suppose I've got a couple of thoughts on the 'shop small' message. If you're in a position where the pandemic hasn't affected your gift giving capabilities. Then please, consider spending your pennies supporting an indie biz...your purchase might just double your gifting ability, in giving a small biz owner the ability to pay it forward and shop small for their friends and family.
But, if that's not a position you enhabit. Then don't friggin worry!! Yes there may be buisnesses you wish you could monitarily support, who's creations you'd love to gift... I have a boat load of them! If thats not possible right now, give em a like, a share, recomend them to someone. There are loads of ways you can support small buisnesses that don't involve moola.
And finally for those who need to hear it, for bloody hells sake, don't feel bad about not 'shopping small'. Whatever you do or don't buy, Christmas is a hard enough time already for some, and I don't for a second think that any indie biz owners would want you piling another layer of guilt on yourself because you bought a gift from Asda instead of Etsy!!