Holiday Shopping Local on Cape Cod

Every Holiday Season, Cape Cod hosts numerous special attractions. Festive events include village strolls, Santa’s arrival by boat, craft fairs, coastal harbor lights, and holiday concerts. Here on the Upper Cape, there’s also the quintessential Falmouth Christmas Parade. But it’s the holiday shopping opportunities on the Cape that are the best way to put your money where your heart is this December.

Photo Credit: Falmouth Chamber of Commerce

The Importance of Shopping Local

Sure, everyone knows how affordable Amazon can be during gift shopping for the holidays. Over 90% of Americans shop online and two-thirds of those people start their search on Amazon.com. However, it’s important to understand why shopping locally is beneficial to the environment and your community’s economy.

In a survey from the Institute for Local Self Reliance, 93% of independent retailers reported that Amazon’s outsized power is hurting their business. With the holiday season approaching full swing, it’s more important than ever to keep your local businesses in mind for shopping lists.

According to the American Independent Business Alliance (AIBA), when you shop locally, approximately 48% of the cost of your purchase is recirculated back into the local economy. When you shop at a chain store, that number drops to only 14%. So rather than put your pennies toward billion-dollar corporations, try to shop locally to support your neighbors at small businesses this year!

Shopping locally promotes job growth in your community, offers healthier and more fresh food options, provides personalized services and products, and delivers wonderful customer service to members of your town. Here in the Falmouth and Woods Hole area, Love Live Local is an organization that is dedicated to community advocacy and educating consumers on the importance of shopping locally.

Love Live Local

Visit Love Live Local’s retail store in Downtown Hyannis located at 539 South Street in Hyannis. Here, you’ll find work from nearly 100 artists, designers, and makers. The shop offers jewelry, clothing, home goods, bath essentials, decorations, and many other options for gifts; small to large. You can also join Love Live Local in their 2021 Love Local Fest!

The Holiday Edition fest will take place on December 4th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Gather at this public (and free!) event to show your support for the local business community. You’ll be able to shop for the holidays among the work of 75-120 Cape Cod makers, artisans, artists, farmers, and local businesses, along with local entertainment and opportunities to connect with the community.

However you decide to shop local in Falmouth (or anywhere on Cape Cod), put your money where your heart is and help give unique gifts that will also help the local economy! 

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