12/05/2023
As my boys get older and we gravitate away from "toys" I like to keep a list of things throughout the year that would make nice gifts and not add to the clutter.
If you are looking to throw your support to small businesses and keep your money local this holiday season, I want to share some unique gift ideas.
1. An hour long therapeutic massage or a set of massages. (Layla at Shoals Healing Arts in Sheffield AL has helped me so much with stress management and lymphatic drainage.)
2. Art Classes. Many local art studios and supply stores offer classes that make great gifts for kids and adults. (Emily Cooper Art in Tuscumbia AL for locals)
3. Pharmhouse Tincture Club. This quarterly subscription box (but can be purchased once a year) that includes a combination of medicinal tinctures and other hand crafted and pharmacist formulated herbal items to build your own home apothecary and learn how to properly use herbal medicine for yourself and your family.
4. Yoga classes (Melissa at Shoals Healing Arts is phenomenal) and you can purchase in a bundle and it's so fun and good for you!
5. Gift certificates to locally owned restaurants and coffee shops that support your own community and local families (Charlie's Coffee Co, Garden Gate Cafe, Claunch Cafe, Red Clay table, Alabama Bliss)
6. Functional Medicine Consultations and Testing Packages. Everyone can use a little help getting their health on track and learning about how they can make strides in improving their well-being. Pharmhouse Functional Medicine offers gift certificates for consultations and testing packages to help you help those you love.
7. Shop local farms for fresh produce, meat, eggs, ect for your Christmas meals and parties. You can also buy quality meat products to gift from local farms as well. I personally would LOVE the gift of a quarter cow!
8. Pay a local independent cleaning service for a deep clean or a lawn service for a summer lawn care bundle.
There are LOTS of other ways to show your support without spending a dime:
Leave a positive review
Share social media pages and posts, invite your friends to follow small businesses
Word of mouth marketing
Share products and services you love
Show up in person to events
Sign up for emails or newsletters to stay up to date on all the offerings!
Hope this helps you reimagine how you typically shop for others and help build up and sustain your own community.
If you own or love a small business, please name drop in the comments so we can support you!
