Occupy Christmas and buy gifts made in America

My friends and family don't know it yet, but I'm Occupying Christmas.

No, I'm not braving frigid temperatures camping out in the North Pole, I'm simply choosing where I want my holiday shopping money to go.

In early November, I read an article on a social media site that suggested keeping out of the big commercial holiday purchasing, and instead keeping the gifts local — suggesting that gift cards from local business would make great presents.

 So I totaled up what I spent last year on presents and holiday meals prepared for friends and family, and the figure loomed somewhere between $2,000 and $3,000.

Of that, I estimate that three-quarters was spent at big-box stores on gifts and products made outside of the United States.

I bought a GPS made in China for two family members. A label-maker for my husband, along with name brand plastic toys for the kids, all from China. Pajamas from Indonesia, a tricycle from Mexico. Gourmet food from France. My holiday ham was even purchased in the grocery section of the big-box store, shipped from Canada.

Shame on me. In a tight economy, in a country that has shopped out many of its manufacturing jobs overseas, I've come to realize my responsibility to my fellow Americans.

I have decided to keep as much of my Christmas money as possible out of big-box stores and in the hands of our country's craftsmen.

And in my quest for American-made products, I have discovered a wealth of affordable, beautiful, handmade products that I know will satisfy the hardest to please on my list.

Etsy.com has become my website of choice, offering a plethora of handmade and vintage goods.

One of my friends is getting a bouquet of hand-sewn flowers and branches made out of fabric manufactured in the United States. Another is going to receive a cement serving bowl created by an artist in southern California. My girlfriends are each getting a set of note cards lovingly crafted in Hawaii and homemade soap from Vermont.

Handmade rugs, scarves, wallets, belts, wall art, furniture, candles — they are all for sale, most made in the United States.

I'm trying to keep the grocery money closer to home, as well.

I have ordered my holiday ham, goose and short ribs from my favorite butchers at the Allentown Farmers Market, rather than purchasing them from my closest big-box store. My Christmas candy will come from Josh Early and Mink's candy shop in the Farmers Market.

There are gifts for my kids that I can't find on Etsy, technical gadgets that are on the top of their wish list, but I'll try to find those at smaller, local retailers.

 In keeping my dollars closer to home, I feel like I'm giving back to my community. And it's a feeling of community that my friends and family can also partake of, knowing that their gifts have kept American dollars on American soil.

So this holiday season, I encourage all of you to find ways, however you can, to keep your holiday dollars closer to home. Fill the stockings with local gift cards, handmade candies, candles, sewn gifts. And take pleasure in the fact that you have helped Occupy Christmas.

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