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Every purchase we make reflects our values, and what better time than

the Holidays to make your gift buying count? The average American will

spend $738 on Holiday gifts this year. If half of this was spent on gifts

made in USA we could create one million American jobs. The American

Made Holiday Gift Guide offers a solution to the challenge of finding

American made gifts. The guide provides the conscious consumer with a

place to find items that support our economy, protect the environment

and give back to your community.

Ready to take the challenge to buy Holiday gifts made in USA

this year? The American Made Holiday Gift Guide is a

compilation of carefully curated American made gift ideas that

you can give with pride.

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Last year thousands took the challenge to spend $64 on made in USA

gifts to create an additional 200,000 jobs. This year, I’m upping the ante

to make an even bigger impact. The average American will spend $738

on Holiday gifts this year (source). If we spent half of this amount on

gifts made in USA we could create one million American jobs

(source). So I challenge you to spend half of your Holiday

budget, no matter what the amount, on American made gifts.

The American Made Holiday Gift Guide will make the challenge easy and

fun. Check out the following collection of gift ideas including toys, gifts

for kids and babies, gifts for him and her, jewelry, accessories, food and

drink, seasonal products, gifts for the home and more. I hope you will join

me in making this a Made in America Holiday!

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6 Alternatives to Black Friday: Gift Giving to Feel Good About

(read online)

Skip Black Friday in favor of shopping you can feel good about. This year

several big box chain stores have made headlines by choosing to begin

Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day. These chain stores mostly carry

imported goods and do little to support their local communities.

Workers, often paid less than a living wage, are forced to work and forego

sacred time with family.

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I encourage you to enjoy Thanksgiving without thought to the “door

busters” awaiting hoards of shoppers. Don’t shop on Thanksgiving, and

chose not to contribute to the demand that fuels these Black Friday sales.

Instead, enjoy the day sharing gratitude with friends and family and

celebrating the true meaning of the holiday. Many Black Friday

alternatives have surfaced, creating unified shopping experiences that

use consumers’ purchasing power positively. Check out these alternatives

to Black Friday sales.

Handmade Monday – November 25

Handmade Monday is a new initiative started on Facebook to

encourage homemade gift giving. Slated to launch the Monday before

Thanksgiving, this campaign is about supporting artisans and crafters. A

handmade gift is the product of the time, talent and energy of an artist

creating something they love. You can shop for handmade gifts online at

aftcra, a new online marketplace featuring only goods handmade in

America. Etsy has long been a staple for buying handmade, but recent

policy changes now allow the sale of products manufactured elsewhere, so

shop with caution. The American Made Holiday Gift Guide features

many handmade gift ideas that can be purchased online. You can shop

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locally by visiting local arts and crafts fairs.

Buy Nothing Day – November 29

Buy Nothing Day is a campaign to encourage consumers to boycott the

whole concept of Black Friday. The season of gift giving has become

tainted in America by this infamous day of frenzied shopping. The

excitement over Black Friday can quickly turn into an ugly display of

greed. By deliberately choosing to buy nothing the day after

Thanksgiving, we can choose not to buy into the pressure to find the best

deals. The product of AdBusters, an anti-consumerist organization

famous for their spoof ads, Buy Nothing Day involves complete

abstinence from spending any money for a 24 hour period. Instead,

reserve this day to enjoy time with friends and family sharing feelings of

gratitude. Our purchases can be used to stimulate the economy in

positive ways, but surely we can designate at least one day without

consumption.

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Small Business Saturday – November 30

Small Business Saturday is a growing movement to encourage

shopping at small, independently owned, local businesses the Saturday

after Thanksgiving. Now in its fourth year, the day to shop small was

created by American Express and has gone viral. Many small businesses

offer discounts and other promotions to entice customers. In addition,

American Express card holders receive a $10 credit on their account to

spend at a local small business. Supporting these local shops is a

reinvestment in your community, creating local jobs and giving the

economy a boost. Your town’s Mom and Pop shops create a vibrant and

prosperous community, and rival any shopping experience you could get

at a chain or mall store. You can find local small businesses using this

online map.

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Cyber Monday – December 2

Cyber Monday has grown to become the biggest day for online

shopping. While the fundamental concept of Cyber Monday may be

questionable, the great deals you can find online feature many

opportunities for scoring American made gifts. Shopping from the

comfort of your home beats standing in line fighting for Black Friday

sales. Shopping online is also one of the easiest ways to find gifts made in

USA. For a list of links made in USA companies online check the Made in

America Master List, updated regularly. The last few years I have

compiled a list of tons Cyber Monday sales on Made in USA gifts. This

year you will find even more deals, including exclusive promotions from

the American Made Holiday Gift Guide.

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Fair Tuesday – December 3

Fair Tuesday is a day to celebrate gifts made ethically by global

artisans and educate shoppers about conscious consumerism. When an

American made product I need is not available, I rely on the fair trade

certification for the security it offers in protecting human rights, labor

laws and respecting the environment. Fair trade is also a great way to

access the market of handcrafted goods made globally that can help

empower workers living in impoverished areas. Fair Tuesday is about

exploring options to purchase ethically made, sustainable gifts

handcrafted around the world. You can find fair trade gifts online

through Global Goods and Green America. Locally, you can find fair trade

goods at shops like Ten Thousand Villages.

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Giving Tuesday – December 3

Giving Tuesday is about creating a call of action to establish coordinated

giving, much in the way retailers coordinate Black Friday sales. Retailers,

charities and organizations come together to inspire a day of giving and

celebration of the American traditions of philanthropy and volunteerism.

To get involved, start researching non-profits and charities you might

choose to support with a donation. Find ways you can get involved with

volunteering in your area to give back to your own community. Look for

gifts from companies that reflect your values and give back by donating a

portion of their sales to charity. Spread the word about the importance of

giving back and join in the conversation on Twitter by following the

hashtag #givingtuesday.

This Holiday season, feel good about shopping for gifts by choosing to

participate in Black Friday Alternatives. Consider buying American made

gifts, shopping locally, and giving back. There are many ways to make

your Holidays more meaningful by using your consumer power. Make

sure you use that power for good.

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Top Ten Ways to Occupy the Holidays

(read online)

Who hasn’t felt stressed out when looking for the perfect gift for a loved

one of their list? The closer we get to Black Friday, scoring the best deals

becomes increasingly more urgent. As we move into December, the malls

will become crowded with shoppers searching for last minute deals and

bargains to share on Christmas Day.

Gift giving is an honored tradition that gives you the opportunity to share

joy with those you care most deeply for. But now more than ever, we need

to make sure our purchases are meaningful. Let’s take some time to

reconsider out shopping habits. Here is a simple list of ten things you can

do to “Occupy the Holidays” this year. Simplify your celebrations and use

your consumer power to invest in your local community.

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1. Buy American. Support local jobs, buy gifts from the many awesome

American-made options available.

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2. Shop locally. Visit your local independent shops and help reinvest in

your own community.

3. Buy handmade. Everyone loves receiving a unique handcrafted gift.

Check out local craft fairs and Etsy.

4. Do it yourself! If you are so inclined, share your talents through

homemade art, baked goods and craft creations.

5. Buy used. Keep it out of the landfill! Check Craigslist and

consignment sales for steals on used products in excellent condition.

6. Give service gifts. Lessons, classes, memberships to museums or

tickets to a theatre all make fun gifts.

7. Choose gifts that give back. Charitable giving in recognition of

your loved one sends an important message.

8. Cook holiday meals with local foods. Hit your local farmer’s

market before they close up shop for the season!

9. Buy with cash. Using cash instead of using credit cards helps you

stay on budget and prevents the big banks from further profiting from

your hard earned money.

10. Spend less. Budgeting is extremely important. Only spend what you

can afford. No one wants you to go into debt for their gift. Create a

budget and stick to it.

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A New Year’s Resolution – Buy Made in USA (read online)

Most New Year’s Resolutions are about personal sacrifice or going

without. This New Year, I offer America a resolution you can feel good

about – buying made in USA. As your guide, I will show you how buying

locally made products in 2013 can be done, and how it can change your

life.

When I began my challenge to find and buy American made goods in

2011, I originally saw my quest in terms of what I had to give up. But

years later what started as an experiment in consumerism has turned

into a lifestyle change. Buying made in USA has made my experiences as

a consumer and citizen more meaningful and positive. I invite you to join

me in my “Made in USA Challenge” as your New Year’s Resolution.

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Like any resolution, making the shift to buying all or mostly American

made goods can seem overwhelming. I offer the following tips for

resolving to buy made in USA in the New Year.

● Take an inventory of the products you use most in your own home.

Find out where they are made, then research potential alternatives.

● Start checking labels in shops you already frequent. Take the extra

ten seconds to see where a product was manufactured.

● Start asking stores, calling companies and reaching out to brands

via social media to ask where their factories are located and let them

know what the answer is important to you as a consumer.

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● Look for resources in your local community. “Shopping small” in

local, independently owned shops in your town may reveal hidden gems of

locally made goods. As a bonus, the money you spend there will be

re-invested in your own community.

● For hard to find items, use resources on the internet to search and

research American made options. The Made in America Master List is a

good place to begin your search. You can also search the blog for product

or brand suggestions featured over the past year and a half.

● Let friends and family know about your resolution to buy goods

made in USA. Share with others your reasons for buying made in USA,

and encourage them to learn more about the issue. Inspire others to take

action without judging or criticizing their own consumer habits.

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Thanks for your support and interest in buying American made. Be sure

to check out madeinusachallenge.com for a complete resource to

everything made in USA, including a master list, giveaways and gift

guides. Happy Made in America Holidays!

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