Shopping local for holiday gifts helps Metro Detroit economy
(CBS DETROIT) - Americans are expected to spend billions this year in holiday spending.
Here in the mitten, if each household would spend $45 a week over the year on Michigan-made products, we could be ringing in 2024 with nearly $2 billion back flowing into our state economy.
The All Things Detroit holiday market shows you some great gifts that are handmade right here at home.
"We have a color museum. We have handmade wreaths and handmade pottery. There's someone who actually makes candles. I mean, there's a variety of different things here today," said All Things Detroit founder Jennyfer Crawford Williams.
"When you're shopping with handmade businesses, people who are working from their home or have small brick and mortars. They are making these things with their hands. So the quality is top-notch because they're putting all their love, all their hard work into it. And these are items that are, I would say, one-of-a-kind, and you can buy them at these local events. A lot of times people want to shop local but they don't know how. They don't know where to go. When you're shopping local, you are helping people feed their families. You're supporting people who have a passion for doing what they love, and so it's always important that you are investing in your community versus going to the big box stores."
"You're supporting small businesses, and they make with love," added a vendor selling handmade candles.
"When you're creating art and sharing, your whole goal is to share something positive or uplifting. During a holiday, there's people that need that energy of uplifting," said one art vendor at the holiday market.
