If you look to the “Pages” category in the sidebar, you will note a link entitled, “Whatcom County Holiday Bazaars and Gift Shows, 2008.” Even if these normally aren’t your thing, you might consider checking some of them out this holiday season, for three good reasons. First, they tend to be homey, intimate affairs, fostering a sense of community – and that can do a lot towards kindling the holiday spirit. Second – as we all know the nation is in big financial trouble, and I just saw on the news last night that one of the best things that average citizens can do to help shore up their local economies is the simple act of putting money into those economies. During the holiday season, this translates into doing less shopping at those big box stores, and more shopping in local venues, where the money passes directly into the hands of your friends and neighbors. And there’s no better place to start than at the upcoming local church bazaars and community gift shows.
Third, but no less significant than the first two: considering that virtually all of these bazaars and gift shows take place in November and early December, it’s a way to take care of at least part – if not all – of your Christmas shopping early – and then you can spend more time enjoying the holidays later in the season, and less time braving the crush at the mall.
