Let’s focus on the significant positive impacts of shopping at local businesses during the holiday season.
- Economic Impact: A significant portion of money spent at independent retailers stays within the local community, supporting job creation and overall economic health.
- Unique Gifts: Local shops and markets offer one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, and locally-inspired products not available in big-box stores, allowing for more personal and thoughtful gifts.
- Personalized Service: Local business owners often provide expert advice and a personalized shopping experience, building community connections and making shopping more enjoyable.
- Environmental Benefits: Shopping locally often means less transportation and packaging, which reduces the carbon footprint compared to long-distance shipping from online giants.
- Community Support: You help support the dreams of local entrepreneurs and contribute to the unique charm and character of your town.
Skip the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the temptation of big online retailers, and try the powerful alternative of shopping local.
- There are initiatives like Small Business Saturday, which is a dedicated time to support local businesses.
- Great types of local businesses to explore, such as:
- Niche and boutique shops
- Art galleries and craft fairs
- Independent bookstores
- Local farms or farm stores for fresh ingredients for holiday meals
You can visit local markets and events in the area:
You can check out Local Event Calendars like the Eugene Weekly Calendar https://calendar.eugeneweekly.com/ the City of Eugene CivicEngage portal https://www.eugene-or.gov/Calendar.aspx, and the Eugene, Cascades & Coast website https://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/eugene/events/. Other sources include The Register-Guard’s event listings https://www.registerguard.com/things-to-do/events/, Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/d/or–eugene/events/, and Meetup https://www.meetup.com/find/us–or–eugene/.
- Eugene Holiday Market at the Lane Events Center.
- Small Business Saturday events in downtown Eugene.
There are two main handmade holiday bazaar events happening in or near Elmira, Oregon: the Fern Ridge Holiday Bazaar at the Elmira Grange on November 21-22, 2025, and the Joyful Vendors Winter Market at Gale Presbyterian Church on November 29, 2025. The Fern Ridge bazaar will feature a wide range of handmade goods and is part of a larger area-wide event, while the Joyful Vendors market will offer a curated selection of crafts and food from local makers. Fern Ridge Holiday Bazaar
- Dates: November 21-22, 2025
- Location: Elmira Grange, 24949 Hwy 126, Veneta, OR 97487 (This location is in Veneta, but is listed as part of the Elmira/Fern Ridge area event)
- Details: This event is a large, multi-location event with over 40 locations participating. Vendors will be offering handmade items, Christmas decorations, crafts, and holiday treats.
Joyful Vendors Winter Market
- Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
- Location: Gale Presbyterian Church, 10 Barnswallow Drive, Elmira, ON
- Details: This market focuses on unique, handmade gifts from local makers, including candles, clothing, home décor, and toys. There is no entrance fee and food and drink vendors will be on site.
Other events
- Small Business Saturday Market: Elmira, OR, is hosting a juried market on November 29, 2025, at Chamberlain Acres Garden Center, 824 Broadway Street.
Also, Facebook Marketplace has local handmade goods, or unique items that would be awesome to give and to help support members of the community.
In addition to helping build the local economy, there are also notable intangible benefits that come from supporting businesses in your local community.
- Local businesses are owned and operated by your neighbors! They care about and are invested in the well-being of your community and its future.
- Local businesses are more accountable to their local communities and donate more money to non-profits.
- Supporting local businesses is good for the environment because they often have a smaller carbon footprint than larger companies.
It isn’t always the easiest or most convenient option to visit a local independent business rather than a large national chain that might be down the street. However, there are plenty of ways you can help support your local economy by thinking local first:
- Try the menu at a local restaurant for lunch or dinner
- Purchase a birthday present at a local gift shop
- Join a local gym
- Visit a local nursery or hardware store for your lawn and garden needs
- Get your car serviced at a local mechanic
- Visit a farmer’s market to purchase the ingredients for your family dinner.
Top 10 Reasons to Shop Local First
- To shape and preserve our distinctive community character
- Local competition and diversity leads to more product choices
- It keeps and recirculates money in our community
- You’ll help support local job and opportunity creation
- It reduces environmental impact locally
- Because local businesses reinvest in our community
- It strengthens the local economy
- Because the local businesses help fund local non-profits
- To ensure that tax dollars stay local
- It encourages community pride and ownership
So the next time you need to run out for some groceries or do a little shopping, seek out a local business and see what they have to offer! You could discover some great products and services while helping to build a strong and successful community around you.
When you invest money in your local economy, you’re not just helping local business owners — you’re also helping yourself. You’re making your town a better place to live in, with a rich character, thriving economy, and tightly knit community. And the more local businesses prosper, the more new ones will open, making it even easier to continue shopping locally in the future.
Embrace the magic of shopping local and make the holiday season truly special!
Join the conversation and tell us about a great local business in your community, or you know a local business that should be highlighted for the season let us know: info@willamettevalleymagazine.com