Shop locally this holiday season

My, how the holiday season crept up on us this year! One minute, it seemed, we were basking in the summer sun, and the next, Thanksgiving appeared out of nowhere. On Friday, after downing turkey, playing touch football and remembering all that we’re thankful for, many will be out and about, shopping for the December holidays.

By most forecasts, this year promises to be a better shopping season than last, when sales plunged amid a rapid-fire recession that left millions unemployed and retailers wondering how long they would last.

Overall this year, there is a cautiously optimistic sense that, economically, the country is headed in the right direction, that we have staved off the next Great Depression. So this year, more people are planning to shop.

We ask that you consider shopping locally. Beautiful little downtown shopping districts line the South Shore. They are full of jewelry and clothing shops, bookstores and eateries. Many, if not most, local businesses are family-owned. The good folks who operate local shops are often your neighbors, who pay property taxes in your community while supporting Little League, Boy and Girl Scouts and the schools. Additionally, vibrant downtowns full of thriving businesses help support property values and the local tax base.

We need local businesses more than they need us. So, this year, plan to shop in your hometown or a neighboring community before you head to the mall or log on to the Internet to purchase your presents.