a local Christmas
OK, I have to write about this. Please pardon my overflowing passion for a few moments, but I am super-proud of where I've done my Christmas shopping this year! :) Weeks and weeks before I'd given any thought to specific gifts, I knew that everything I bought this year had to be either locally-made or fair-trade. By this evening, the majority of my planned shopping is finished, but I decided to formalize my shopping decisions anyway:
As everyone can probably guess, some of my presents are locally-produced food, (in fact Philadelphia-produced) artisinal treats. I've never been a fan of random biscotti in random coffee shops, but I do like the freshness and flavor of Gilda's Biscotti. I have always been a huge fan of chocolate, and Betty's Tasty Buttons fudge is a particularly tasty version!! Plus, I know the fudge lady. :) Also among the other local-food artisans I've met this summer are the two brothers who own the Victorian-style ice cream parlour The Franklin Fountain; it's a fun place to get ice cream, but more suitably for gifts, they've been busy making old-fashioned clear sugar candy. Meanwhile, I combined the local and fair-trade choices by buying a locally-screened design on a non-sweatshop-produced T-shirt and fair-trade coffee at a local coffee shop...
For a couple non-food gifts, I eagerly took the opportunity to visit a new small business in my neighborhood AND support local artists by visiting Vix Emporium.
Of course, there are still a few presents for which I haven't had inspiration yet...
As everyone can probably guess, some of my presents are locally-produced food, (in fact Philadelphia-produced) artisinal treats. I've never been a fan of random biscotti in random coffee shops, but I do like the freshness and flavor of Gilda's Biscotti. I have always been a huge fan of chocolate, and Betty's Tasty Buttons fudge is a particularly tasty version!! Plus, I know the fudge lady. :) Also among the other local-food artisans I've met this summer are the two brothers who own the Victorian-style ice cream parlour The Franklin Fountain; it's a fun place to get ice cream, but more suitably for gifts, they've been busy making old-fashioned clear sugar candy. Meanwhile, I combined the local and fair-trade choices by buying a locally-screened design on a non-sweatshop-produced T-shirt and fair-trade coffee at a local coffee shop...
For a couple non-food gifts, I eagerly took the opportunity to visit a new small business in my neighborhood AND support local artists by visiting Vix Emporium.
Of course, there are still a few presents for which I haven't had inspiration yet...