M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !
No, yeah, you read that right.
You’ll blink once and Christmas will be here and BAM you’ll be gifting and receiving and it’ll be all kinds of fun.
Before we get there though, you have some choices to make. You can order all your whosits and whatsis galore off of the monstrosity that is Amazon (no major shade..I do it now and then, too) OR you can shop locally, spend your dollars towards good causes, and impact lives around the world.
*Pause*
I feel like I would fail to be India if I didn’t take a hot sec to remind us all that the true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and the hope, light, and purpose that that event means for all of time and eternity. Please don’t miss that in all the gift-giving-ness and ever present western consumerism we get swept up in.
*unpause*
I know you’ve probably pieced together some options by now, but if you’re still reading, here are 2 of my top picks to shop from for Christmas and why I believe in them:
pc: Trades of Hope (Twitter)
Trades of Hope
types of goodies: Purses, Jewelry, Accessories, Home Decor, etc.
why India loves them: Empowering women out of sex trafficking and slavery through the means of STUNNING pieces?!? Not to mention the global impact this has on women in third-world countries who are working through this fair-trade company to make an income. I could go all day on how important these things are and how much I love this company. But for now, go checkout their Black Friday Sale! Peep those beautiful bracelets, trendy totes, and gosh darn adorable accessories. I honestly love it all.
the dollar: goes not only to a local Compassionate Entrepreneur (this specific link will help my best friend Mollie’s business!), but the artisan who made the piece gets 100% of their asking price. Local + global LOVE.
Love Your Melon
types of goodies: Hats, Headbands, Scarves, etc.
why India loves them: Adorable headwear that doubles as an opportunity to spread some love to children facing cancer – UGH, yes please! This organization sells truly comfy cozy products (I wear mine all. the. time.) and functions with the buy one give one model WHILE ALSO donating 50% of their net profit to cancer research partners. Give a hat to one of your friends for Christmas while L.Y.M. gifts a hat to a child with cancer so that they too can love their melon.
the dollar: Goes to the product itself, to cancer research, and towards the hat given to a child facing cancer treatments. How many other purchases do all of that AND knock something off your wishlist?!
pc: Jonah Kerst (Lenae Photo)
Roosevelt Coffeehouse
types of goodies: Coffee, mugs, swag, etc.
why India loves them: I can't tell you how many conversations – like, really solid, soul inspiring, life changing conversations – I've had in the walls of a coffeeshop. This particular one, however, pushes the boundaries on what it means to love their neighbor. They provide coffee to the people of Columbus but take that sweet profit and turn it towards fighting hunger, ending sex trafficking, and providing clean water for people in need. Not to mention their shop is always full of vinyl tunes, local art work, and creativity.
the dollar: Goes to the product itself and fighting injustices locally and globally. Pro tip: push you gift further with a gift card, some of their Roosevelt roasted beans, a mug and a mandatory coffee date.
But India, what if I need more than jewelry and hats and beans?
I feel.
If you’ve still got stuff to buy, consider some smarter purchases this season. This looks like buying from:
1. local artisans (including the artists at this Saturday’s Art Fair. Deets at the end of this post!)
2. small businesses and markets
3. fair-trade companies
4. companies that implement ethical and moral values
and most importantly, looking for ways to LOVE more versus buy more.
Dollars go a long way this time of year. The Christmas season provides great income for many small business owners, artists, and freelancers. Take a pause before your next purchase to see if there’s some extra love that can be spread – and have yourselves a MERRY FREAKING CHRISTMAS!!!
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p.s. I just happen to be one of those freelancing artists who you can directly impact with your Christmas shopping!! Myself, and about 135 other incredible talents will be selling all kinds of goodies THIS Saturday, Dec. 1st at Columbus College of Art & Design. It’s apart of the annual CCAD Art Fair and you can have in on the fun, too! Shop from 9am-3pm. PLUS, you get to come say hi to me. ;) See you there!
pc: India Jade Photo, AB Mockups