Shop Local Holiday Events

Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, depending on where you go, it can be an exciting experience that creates memories or becomes part of your family’s traditions.

Check out local shopping events ranging from fairs to festivals to traditional Christmas markets featuring the work of local artisans.

Arts and Craft Fairs

Creative crafters and fine artists in your community have likely spent the year creating items that they offer at art shows and craft fairs in the months leading up to the holiday season. It’s a great way to purchase unique gifts while supporting individuals in your community.

Check out sites like FairsandFestivals.net, where you can search for art fairs and craft shows within a certain mile radius of your home or browse by state.

Before you go, check out the fair’s website and see what vendors will be there. Many will have Instagram pages and you can plan your shopping and pick out gifts. If you want to go when it is a little slower and you can talk to vendors and perhaps discuss custom work, the afternoons are usually less crammed.

Take both cash and credit cards. While most vendors will take credit cards, sometimes a venue has limited WiFi access that can make processing those cards slow.

Also, this isn’t the place to haggle. Think of them as more of a pop-up retail store than a garage sale.

Holiday Festivals

Holiday festivals — either indoor or outdoor — often combine many elements of the season. They may incorporate parades, lights, family activities, music and, of course, shopping. It’s the sort of shopping that can be a fun activity for the whole family as you can include such things as a visit to Santa or a chance to ice skate.

Yes, you might have to get sneaky about some of your purchases and hide them from the intended recipient, but it can also be fun to see exactly what they are most interested in.

Christmas Markets

Christmas markets started out as a German tradition during the Middle Ages, according to National Geographic.

Downtown squares get turned into holiday extravaganzas with lights, bunting and vendors selling holiday decor such as ornaments or Nativity scene figurines. Holiday treats and drinks are sold in the streets and carolers or piped-in music keeps things festive.

In non-pandemic years, Germany alone has 2,500 to 3,000 Christmas markets, says National Geographic.

Thankfully for the rest of us, the tradition has spread not only throughout Europe but to the United States.

If there is a Christmas market near you, it is a great way to shop local and purchase your holiday decor and gifts while enjoying an old, cultural tradition.