With December upon us and the holiday season well underway, it is now time to start – or continue – your gift shopping for all the important people in your life. While there were many deals to be had for Black Friday shopping last week, there is still time to get some great prices. One of the best places to look for the perfect gifts is at your local mom-and-pop shops.
Not only does shopping locally help keep the small-town stores thriving, but it builds relationships and boosts the local economy. This past Saturday, November 30 was marked as Small Business Saturday to help celebrate the significance and impact small businesses have. 

Small businesses are defined as those with fewer than 100 employees. In New York, 98 percent of all businesses in the state represent the small business sector and employ almost 40 percent of the private-sector workforce. Of the state’s 71,000 retail stores, almost 79 percent are independent local retailers. 

Over the weekend, Governor Kathy Hochul urged New Yorkers to support local businesses this holiday season, saying, “Every purchase at a local shop or family-owned business ripples through our neighborhoods, creating jobs and opportunities that strengthen the fabric of our communities.”

The Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association (SCVA) released a local shopping guide in early November, highlighting local craft fairs, tree farms to get the perfect Christmas tree, local farms to shop for products to enhance your holiday recipes and the best shops for good libations to toast to the holiday season. 

One of those local craft fairs occurred last week, the Delaware Youth Center Annual Craft Fair on Friday. Plenty more such events are coming up, including the Narrowsburg Union Holiday Market and the second annual Sullivan Catskills Holiday Marketplace at the Liberty Mall on Saturday, December 7. Dickens on the Delaware will also be occurring next Saturday, December 14 in Callicoon where Main Street merchants will be offering holiday specials. 

Be sure to check out our second Holiday Gift Guide to be inserted in our Tuesday, December 10 edition for more keys to making this holiday season a special one.