Have a big impact this Christmas

Last December,

Kiwis’ Christmas spending hit a record 178 transactions per second. That is an unimaginable amount of money in a time frame that makes my head spin.

We are all becoming more aware of our global footprint when it comes to food, travel and the content of our goods. But how much do we really consider the effect of Christmas shopping on our resources?

The enormous amount of plastic we order from goodness knows where comes in a laughable amount of packaging. It’s already travelled more miles

than we could count before it comes to rest under our trees. When you shop small, you become truly accountable for the impact your festive buying makes. You can talk to the creator and learn about the provenance of their items.

More importantly, often these owners are making ethically conscious choices that can only benefit our rapidly depleting resources. Now we are engaging with each other on issues such as making ethical choices, we are seeing an inspiring diversity in what’s being created.

The rise in organic fabrics or reusable items has shed new light on products that would once have been passed over as gifts. However, it isn’t just new items that are coming through the #shopsmall movement.

The creative talent I see in the online small business community and at markets is stunning. By shopping small, you are actively fostering these discoveries and helping to create the space for other fledgling ideas to take shape. Christmas is a crazy time of year, and seems to be becoming more extreme. It’s not hard to find a harried, frantic parent in the mall. You have to ask yourself, what’s it all for? What is Christmas really about?

Is it about buying the most expensive gift or having the largest pile under the tree?

Don’t get me wrong, I love gift giving and I love receiving, and that’s not going to change.

In saying that, a well-chosen gift with a personal touch means more to me than anything grabbed off a department store shelf. That’s what you get when you shop small.

You find those unique pieces. You find gifts with a story behind them, the people behind them. Christmas shopping becomes about the whole festive experience; not simply something to endure on a crazy Saturday.

Whether you browse a boutique online or head to a market, you are making a step towards bringing Christmas back to what it’s all about; people, community, family.

So there you have my five reasons to #shopsmall this Christmas. I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a mince pie and the hundredth rewatch of Elf coming on!

A well-chosen gift with a personal touch means more to me than anything grabbed off a department store shelf. Abi Copley, seen here with her husband Tim and their son Aldous Flynn