Holiday Season 2017: 3 Ways to Shop Made in USA
The holiday season is fast approaching! If you want to give the gift of American-made this holiday season, you'll want to play ahead to be sure to find the perfect present for everyone on your list (it is possible!). Check out our tips below for how you can keep your entire holiday shopping list Made in USA.
Source: FEZtival of Treez, Kora Temple
1. Local Craft Fairs
Craft fairs are fantastic places not only to buy beautiful Made in USA gifts, but most of the time you'll actually get to meet the craftsman or woman behind the item you're purchasing. To make the most of the craft fair season, you'll want to check out local community calendars to schedule out your shopping trips to all the fairs in your area (they start popping up as early as the first weekend in November). In some places, you'll even find craft fairs that coincide with other events making a day trip that is festive for the whole family. Our local favorite holiday event and craft fair combination takes place in Lewiston, Maine: Kora Shriners' FEZtival of Trees.
2. Small Business Saturday
Every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, small businesses across the country open their doors for a special day of holiday shopping. For our team, this is one of the highlights of the year as we open our factory doors to welcome folks from across New England. We encourage people to shop great deals on bedspreads and blankets as well as tour the factory floor so they can see where the items they are purchasing are made. Learn more & RSVP to our Small Business Saturday event here.
To find out local businesses that are hosting Small Business Saturday events in your area, we encourage you to check out the Small Business Saturday Map from American Express OPEN to plan your day of shopping small and shopping made in USA.
3. Online
If you don't enjoy the crowds or are simply too busy to shop in-person, we encourage you to look online. Simply use your favorite search engine to find specific items with the "Made in USA" phrase at the front of your search. Another place we love to browse for Made in USA gifts is the ever-popular marketplace, Etsy. In addition, our own state has a great organization, Maine Made, that supports local businesses in a variety of ways including an online directory that helps connect them to customers shopping year round.
We recommend signing up for the newsletters of your favorite artisans and small businesses to ensure you get their emails throughout the holiday season as many (including us) have their best sales of the year during the big 3 holiday shopping days: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (It's not just an in-person event!), and Cyber Monday.
Be sure to sign up for our newsletter here, and keep your eye out for our special holiday releases and promotions.
Where do you love to shop for American made gifts? Ever received a locally made gift you just loved? Share in the comments.