The Holidays are officially upon us! We are off to Texas this week to celebrate Thanksgiving then on Friday we do Christmas with all of my extended family. There are gift guides galore all over the blogosphere and in our inboxes. This year I’ve made a commitment to support local businesses and artists with our gift-giving. I love to receive thoughtful gifts, and many of my favorites came from local shops or artists. To keep myself accountable, I’m planning to buy one local gift for each gift that’s not. Did you know that for every $100 spent in a locally owned, independent store, $68 is returned to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures (source: the 3/50 project)? This is the reason for the season – giving back and taking care of one another. I love knowing that my purchases are part of a bigger picture contribution to my community. We stopped by local toy store, Kazoo in Buckhead to visit with Santa’s reindeer before they take off for the North Pole. Of course we had to get a selfie with the reindeer! Here are a few ways to consider supporting local businesses this holiday season and throughout the year. […]