Tori Mengel
- Nov 6, 2020
- 4 min read

This years holiday shopping trend: small, local businesses.

That was not a typo. This year's trend should really be shopping small. It's not a style or a color. It's not about the store or the black Friday deal. It's about the people and helping our community.

There are many, many reasons to shop small this holiday season, here's a few:

You're supporting someone's dreams and goals
You're helping someone pay their bills, put food on their table, and support their family
You're making someone genuinely so happy to make you something
Cooperations don't celebrate a sale when they swipe your credit card
2020 has not been kind to small businesses
Most of the time, you get much better quality items
Just because you just should

Why does this matter?

By now, we all know 2020 has been a dud of a year.

Our small businesses had to shift their entire game plan to stay afloat.

Some didn't make it through the first shut down.

Many family members had to change their lifestyle to child care while schools moved virtually.

And yet, people found the strength to finally start their little creative business or stick with it after being in one for a few years to make something of themselves while spending time alone and at home.

Why wouldn't you want to support that?!

At this point you're probably like, okay Tori, we get it - you're a small business and you want to be supported. This isn't just about me. This is about the hundreds of millions of people who are chasing their dreams despite the struggle because it makes them happy.

I turned to my instagram to have followers to speak their minds on this topic & so I could share their amazing talent with you all:

Alli from Gray Bird Photography (@graybirdphotography) said "the pivot for small businesses when COVID-19 hit was a STRUGGLE, we need all the support now more than ever".

If it wasn't for Alli, I would have never learned how to use my DSLR on manual mode. Over stay-at-home orders, she launched on online course on Facebook to learn all the DSLR settings & have a support group of other gals learning too!

Visit her instragram at https://www.instagram.com/graybirdphotography/

Sav, a beauty QUEEN, (@savlouise1) could not have said it better that "AN ACTUAL PERSON DOES A HAPPY DANCE WITH EACH ORDER".

And she's not wrong, I literally wiggle every. single. time. I get an order.

Visit her instragram at https://www.instagram.com/savlouise1/

Amanda, one of my biggest small business role models, (@woodcrafteddesigns) said "because the opening of your package is packaged with love and not an item throw in a bag like Amazon".

I cannot stress enough that we do not need to make the rich richer. Amazon does not care an ounce when you order with them, they won't pack their items with love, and they certainly will buy a 6th or 7th house instead of buying dinner or paying rent with yours and millions of others orders.

Visit her instragram at https://www.instagram.com/woodcrafteddesigns/

Lindsay, another small artist, (@lindsaymarieackermanart) agrees that "supporting makers and putting back into your community" is the way to go & a HUGE reason to shop small.

Lindsay literally makes the cutest custom pieces and turns all your photos into beautiful pieces of art to cherish for years.

Visit her instragram at https://www.instagram.com/lindsaymarieackermanart/

Karina, the cross-stitch master, (@craftsbykarina) let it all out and said "because each handmade item carries a story - a piece of someone's heart. Their time, trial and error, their growth and that one purchase is more meaningful to all the small businesses than 10 to big box stores. We take so much pride in the care we put in to create each piece for our customer. The dances for joy with each order and the warm praise after the gift is received is the reason we do what we do and we can't do that without the loving support of our communities who choose to shop small and local this holiday season!"

Preach it Karina!! I could not agree more with every single word. See everyone, I'm not the only crazy passionate small creative business person out there!

Visit her instragram at https://www.instagram.com/craftsbykarina/

Mel, my studio neighbor and best friend, (@howersage) said you should support small this holiday season "because Amazon can't make custom artwork for you!"

Ain't that the truth. Once again, Amazon is just falling flat on reasons why you shouldn't buy with them this season. Sure, they have some great stuff - I'm guilty to buy from there - but when it comes to deeply personal and meaningful gifts, ask people like Mel to customize you one of a kind pieces.

Visit her instragram at https://www.instagram.com/howersage/

These accounts are not even a sixth of the amazing accounts I follow on instagram, or even a portion of the love and devotion that is shared every single day in the small business crew. Reach out to your friends, ask if they can make something similar to something you saw scrolling through Pinterest. Buy gift cards from small business restaurants to gift as date nights or celebration take out to have safely at home.

Love is not cancelled. Hope is not cancelled. Support is not cancelled. Holidays are not cancelled. Fill your days with community love and passion instead of big box names and trendy items.

And one last thing: