We hope you’ve been enjoying our 8 Weeks of Appreciation series so far! It’s become a tradition at PPR Strategies — Places Reimagined to dedicate the 8 weeks leading up to the New Year with doing acts of kindness for our community.
As Thanksgiving approaches, so does Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday. So this week, we’re focusing on one way we all can show appreciation to businesses and organizations we believe in: by choosing where we’ll spend our money!
Here are some ways to think about consciously spending as the holiday shopping season begins…
Black Friday: Black Friday feels like the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Whether you shop at the big box stores or at small businesses, Black Friday is a great time to get out in the holiday spirit (and get big sales, too). You can make a difference in your community by shopping at your local Target, Walmart, or other big box store, because that’s supporting your neighbor who is employed there. We encourage you to shop locally on Black Friday rather than going for the online sales so your dollars can make an impact directly in your community.
Small Business Saturday: Small Business Saturday is the day to get out into your community’s Main Street shops, boutiques, and other independently owned businesses. Many businesses rely on holiday sales to meet their yearly revenue goals, so know that your purchase of the fancy soap, holiday candles, housewares or specialty items from your local businesses make a big difference. And don’t forget about your local restaurants and service providers (like salons and spas) – you can get gift certificates from most of these places.
Cyber Monday: Along with the sales at the big retailers, independently owned online stores would appreciate your support too. With so many small businesses also dedicated to fair trade, sustainability, and high quality ingredients, you can often choose purchases that feel good to you, too.
Giving Tuesday: What nonprofits are making an impact on your community? Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to show appreciation for those organizations that are meaningful to you. But it’s not just about donating financially. Giving Tuesday was created back in 2012 as a way to encourage generosity of all kinds, whether that’s doing a random act of kindness, giving your time, or speaking up for what you believe in in your community. Any way that you decide to give, big or small, supports the movement of spreading generosity through the world!
All of the focus on shopping and spending during this holiday weekend often gets a bad rap – but remember, by consciously spending at businesses or organizations you believe in, you’re making sure your dollars are going towards positive services and goods, and you’re supporting people and their families to thrive.
This year, I’m supporting a local business I believe in (and taking advantage of the great sales) by pre-purchasing a gift which will be featured in a future 8 Weeks of Appreciation blog post… Stay tuned. 🙂
We’d love to hear what local or independently-owned businesses you’re inspired to support over this holiday season. Message us to share!
We wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Reimagining Places With You,
Sandy and the PPR Strategies Team
