No Blue Christmas
How I'm supporting independent businesses this holiday season
This week over at Alte Frau - New Life, I wrote about how the Trump administration's new tariffs and customs policies are making it more complicated for Americans abroad to send holiday gifts back home.
My personal solution is to stop worrying about shipping deadlines and customs duties entirely and just shop online - but from independent American businesses sending gifts within the U.S.
Cathi Harris
There are two main reasons I'm doing that this year.
I don't have to worry about owing confusing customs dutities or filling out paperwork – and risking that packages will be delayed for inspection.
I can support smaller American businesses that are struggling right now.
Why no Amazon?
I admit that, in the past, we have relied heavily on shopping and shipping with the world's largest online retailer.
But I want to avoid that this year - also for two reasons.
One, Amazon has the size and international market share to negotiate discounts and reconfigure supply chains to minimize the tariffs' impact to its business. And, it obviously has a huge profit margin.
They no longer even make most of their money from online retail.
Amazon will be fine.
But the second reason is more personal. The company has a history of treating its workers very poorly and recently laid off tens of thousands of employees, allegedly due to AI.
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Annie Palmer,Frank Holland
Its leadership has also been supportive of policies that are harming small businesses, American workers, and the overall economy in return for short-sighted gain.
As I wrote last week, it is pointless to protest inflation, income inequality, and threats to our democracy, then still fund the people who are steering the car off the cliff.
Honestly, I am rather late to the Bezos-free shopping bandwagon. So I will just share some links to lists of businesses that other people have compiled and I am making good use of this season.
Alexis Mikulski Ruiz
Hilary Osborne
Lisa Rowan
Remember Giving Tuesday
Now that I have covered Black Friday and Cyber Monday, going to put in a quick word in support of Giving Tuesday.
Giving Tuesday is an international effort to encourage "radical generosity" and the recognition of the need for people to come together and remember our shared humanity.
"We pursue radical generosity, defined by the transformational powers of empathy and solidarity, not a series of transactions or discrete interactions. Radical generosity creates a world in which the collective recognition of humanity fundamentally respects what each of us can give, receive, and learn from one another."
The nonprofit behind Giving Tuesday encourages people to take steps to connect with others in their community and build ongoing relationships. As more Americans are facing economic uncertainty, it will be more important than ever to build social networks for support and mutual assistance.
As part of the international commemoration of Giving Tuesday, organizations that work to provide food assistance, economic assistance and temporary shelter are asking for financial donations in order to support people in need during the holidays.
Some of the organizations that I have and will continue to support, include:
For many people all over the world, including here in Germany, the future often seems very uncertain.
My hope for everyone reading this is that we remember to trust and look for the good in others, and to show kindness and tolerance in return.
Peace and best wishes.
