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Please shop small this Christmas and support the UK’s local independent businesses. Covid-19 has hit small businesses really hard. And behind each of these small businesses is a small business owner who needs our support to survive!
More than four in every five small business owners say the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health as well as their finances. So, when you shop small this Christmas your support will really help boost small business owners’ morale as well as their bottom line!
Craft businesses need our support this Christmas!
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the craft sector in particular. The industry is dominated by micro-enterprises and sole practitioners. Not surprisingly, the UK’s exit from the EU on 31 December 2020 has further added to its existing challenges. The crafts are an important part of the UK’s social and economic life with the Crafts Council Market for Craft report showing craft sales worth £3 billion to the UK economy.
How to shop small this Christmas
You can shop small this Christmas in a variety of ways. This includes visiting your local, indie shops and going to Christmas Fairs . But If you prefer shopping online, check out Etsy and Small Market. You will be sure to discover lots of unique gifts suitable for everyone made by the UK’s talented indie makers. I absolutely love Etsy and used to have a side hustle selling luxury dog treat gifts boxes!
Don’t shop on Amazon – support small businesses this Christmas!
There are also quite a few Virtual Christmas Markets which you can get involved in. And if you’re an Instagram fan you can also discover lots of talented UK-based makers on the platform and shop directly from their page! You can also shop the Instagram Christmas Catalogue. And don’t forget to have a ‘Conscious Christmas’ as well – you can discover 10 of the UK’s best small sustainable brands here
Crafty Christmas Showcase
I set up Indie Makers Club a few months ago to try and help the local maker community in Tunbridge Wells. I am also running a Virtual Christmas Market and a ‘Crafty Christmas Showcase to encourage people to shop small this Christmas in my local community.
Get involved in Just A Card’s Indie Week
I’m getting involved in Just A Card’s Indie Week and encouraging members of my Facebook Group Tunbridge Wells Indies to get involved too!
The fabulous Just A Card is running ‘Indie Week’ from 22 to 26 November which they describe as “The colourful, independent alternative to Black Friday, and a week-long celebration of artists, makers, independent shops and small businesses”. So excited!!
Do Colour Friday not Black Friday!
Meanwhile, ‘Small Business SuperHero’ AKA Holly Tucker who runs Holly & Co has recently launched ‘Colour Friday’. She set up this fabulous initiative to encourage us to buy just one Christmas gift from independent businesses this year. Here’s what she says below:
“We worked out we have the power to save small UK businesses at risk of closure in 2022 — if we each buy JUST ONE CHRISTMAS GIFT from independent businesses instead this year, we’ll reallocate a vital £2.7 billion between us²“
You can read Holly Tucker’s interview with Forbes about why it’s important to shop small this Christmas here . By the way, you must buy her book ‘Do What You Love What You Do‘ if you run a small business of any descriptions – it’s fabulous!!
One final thought to leave you with is to remember that when you buy from a small business they do a little happy dance!
And that’s as they say a (Christmas) wrap (pardon the pun!).
