Why Shopping Small Matters: Lessons From a Candle

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but the holidays are coming. 😉

No one shouts this from the snow-covered rooftops louder than the big guys and that can leave small businesses out in the cold.

Maybe I’m getting older (nah) or just tired of how noisy the holidays have become…and how early the clamor begins. Whatever the reason, I find myself craving nostalgia and connection this season. Anybody else?

Growing up in a tiny town, there weren’t a lot of Christmas shopping options, but I loved going downtown – such as it was – to find gifts with and for my family. The store owners knew us by name. They helped us choose just the right things. And, if we were lucky and good, they sent my little brother and me out the door with candy canes in our mittened hands. 

In pursuit of something similar (candy cane optional), I wander into my favorite local boutique and find the magic I’d been missing. Sparkly decorations. Familiar holiday music. A shop owner who is genuinely happy to see me. And that scent…

I follow the pine-y, spicy goodness to its source; a glowing hand poured candle. Such a simple everyday object, but it strikes me for all it represents:

• Made by a small, local company, I’m proud to know that something so beautiful is created by someone in my town.
• The pine scent is spot on, not some weird chemical approximation. I imagine it’s because the people who made it have pine trees growing in their yard. Just like I do. 
• The label is a tiny bit off center and that wonkiness says it was carefully applied by hand, not slapped on by a machine. 

And let’s remember the lovely shop that carries said candle. I take my items to the counter and the clerk tells me I made great choices (shucks) as she carefully wraps everything. She also invites me to come back later in the month for a “girls’ night in” with bubbles and nibbles. 

Calendar marked!

As someone who works with small businesses, I know the next few weeks are make or break season for a lot of little companies. They’re pulling out all the stops and working extra hard to deliver joy at every turn. Imagine what would happen if each of us returned the favor by:

• Gathering with friends at a local bar or café instead of a chain restaurant.
• Purchasing items for our festive feasts from an independent grocer.
• Discovering one-of-a-kind gifts at makers’ markets instead of big box stores.

These are such easy little shifts, aren’t they? But seemingly small acts have a big collective impact. 

Anna Lappe said, “Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” 

When you shop small, you tell a small business that their hard work is noticed. Appreciated. Worth the effort. And when you do, those same businesses – the ones that make us feel so special – will be around to keep doing just that…season after season.

This is you creating the world you want.