Buy Local, for the smiles

I went Holiday shopping yesterday with one of the besties. Christmas shopping for those of you of the Christianity persuasion. I was the wing woman, passenger and comic relief. Our destinations were local with craftspeople vending their wares. The decorations were beautifully displayed and except for the masks, social distancing signage and hand sanitizer stations, it was a regular holiday weekend shopping excursion. We went to one location that had self-vending without the craftspeople. The merchandise was lovely, but the personal touch was missing.

Purchases were made at all three locations and I did get plenty of steps in, but chatting with the vendors makes a difference. They are smiling with their eyes, talking extra loud through the masks and over the noisy patrons, holiday music and active purchasing. The kitchen was churning out delicious looking items that smelled delectable, but I forced myself to walk away empty handed. The craftspeople were telling stories about their work and was excited in meeting us and processing our purchases.

Buy local, handmade and crafted with hours of time and love.