CityView Magazine

in the marketplace The Giving Spirit I By Brandon Plotnick absolutely love the holiday season. I realize this doesn���t make me incredibly unique, but I���m the one writing this column, so I get to say it anyway. What I love most is the feeling of true compassion that people exhibit. Oh sure, in an ideal world we���d see this compassion and caring year-round, but I���ll take what I can get. From a business perspective, I love this time of year because I see so many small businesses head into the black. That puts everyone in a good mood! So in the spirit of holiday compassion and spending, I���ve come up with a few suggestions for how you can help support your local small businesses in December. You know the routine by now. You���re going to spend money this holiday season anyway, why not spend it here, so more of it will stay here? Start December off right with some new holiday decorations from any of the great specialty shops downtown. them to very good use. While you���re in that charitable mood, do the classic pay it forward trick. Secretly pay for the meal of a family you see out to dinner. Visit five stores you���ve never been in before and buy gift cards from each of them. You can always find a lucky recipient for those gift cards. (If not, you know where to find me.) Go see a movie. It���s Oscar season now and that means there are tons of good movies playing! Head to a local beauty salon or barber shop. Get your hair fixed for a special occasion, then buy a couple gift certificates to give away. Stop in at one of the local auto shops and have them change your oil. And maybe pay for the person in line after you, too. Instead of buying a box of boring Christmas cards, why not have a local printer make you some? You���re going to spend money this holiday season anyway, why not spend it here, so more of it will stay here? Order your holiday ham or turkey from any number of fantastic restaurants in town. (I���m partial to the turkey from Fried Turkey Sandwich Shop and the ham from HoneyBaked Ham, but there are loads of amazing places to get them from.) Visit a local office supplies shop and pick up some packs of printer paper. Drop those off at your favorite local charity. Trust me, they���ll love you for it. Take your significant other on a surprise date night to one of the local restaurants you���ve never dined in before. Pick up some tickets to go see the Fayetteville FireAntz play one of their December games. Nothing says winter like hockey! Speaking of cold, why not go to one of the thrift shops in town and buy up a whole bunch of winter coats. Then take those coats over to Fayetteville Urban Ministry. They���ll put 14 | December ��� 2012 Take care of yourself and others with some massage gift certificates from any of the amazing local spas. Purchase a piece of art from a local artist for your home. You���ll enjoy it way more than that framed print everyone everywhere has over the fireplace. Get a new family portrait taken by a local photographer. Winter sessions provide some beautiful outdoor scenery. These are just 15 ways you can spend money locally this holiday season. Chances are you���ll be spending it anyway. Have a safe and wonderful holiday season! CV Brandon Plotnick is the Coordinator for Marketing and Communications for the Fayetteville Regional Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at 910.433.6766 and bplotnick@ fayettevillencchamber.org.

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