Where You Should Buy Your Gifts and Why

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      Hello, everyone. Who's excited to go Christmas gift shopping? I know I am! I love buying gifts and picking out the perfect things for people. However, I wanted to make light of a few things that everyone should be conscious of this holiday season.

     My main point is this: try to make your gifts or buy them from small business as much as you possibly can! Does this sound challenging? Here are a few ideas that can make it easier for you:

- Shop Etsy. Etsy is a marketplace absolutely chock-full of stuff that is made by small businesses. They have search options that allow you to search for products from companies in your country or even towns near you. Some people complain that Etsy can often have expensive prices, but I have bought many things from Etsy, from crafting supplies to clothing to artwork to soaps and lotions, and all of these products have been reasonably priced and often less money than I would pay in a store. Plus, you get the added excitement of a handmade item from an artist you are supporting!

- Scour the web for tutorials. It is so easy to figure out how to make things these days, just check YouTube! Making your gifts is also usually very inexpensive, so it's a good option for a girl on a budget. You can make simple things, like food items or easy projects like a knitted phone case. 

- Shop thrift stores. I know that this might sound like a very cheap and inconsiderate way to acquire Christmas gifts, but you can find some great stuff in thrift stores. I used to volunteer in a used book shop, and some of the stuff we got was in great condition, not to mention cheap. When you shop in thrift stores, not only do you save money, but you also keep big corporations from making a profit, which leads me to my next point....

     You may have seen this chart before. This is entitled "The Illusion of Choice" and it provides a clarifying, as well as disturbing picture of the big companies that own many well-known brands in America. Monopolies like this are disturbing. Look at all the different brands those nine companies encompass. All the products they produce are mass-produced, causing heavy pollution. The people behind these companies have immense political power. These companies influence America. 

     Why would anyone want to give them more power by buying their products? This is another reason why you should buy your gifts from small businesses or make them. Because you as a consumer have the power to choose not to let tyrannical companies like these turn a profit. When you are shopping this year, be mindful. Gifts from small businesses, thrift stores, or from your own hands show that thought and effort was put into the obtainment of that gift, and the recipient will surely appreciate that. I'll be doing a gift guide soon to show you a lot of excellent tutorials for handmade gifts as well as great small businesses to buy from!