Shop local this Christmas season

With Thanksgiving over with, ‘tis the season to get out to the malls and stores and start shopping like mad. Judging by the crowds on Black Friday (so named by retailers because the day after Thanksgiving is supposed to put merchants in the black for the rest of the year), and despite the economic crunch we are currently facing, Christmas sales should be good locally this year.

While we are battling crowds, trying to find parking places and hurrying around between now and Dec. 25, let us remember one thing — giving gifts is part of the season, but it isn’t the only thing to celebrate. It is also the time of brotherhood, peace and goodwill. Those qualities are even more important while this country is at war.

But, since most people are going to give gifts this season, may we also remind you of something else — keep your spending local. Try and find gifts made by artists and craftsmen who live in St. Tammany Parish. Shop at local stores. It isn’t hard. We have malls in Covington and Slidell that have branches of national stores, plus there are hundreds of local merchants just waiting to sell you that perfect gift that has a local flavor. There is no real reason to spend one’s dollars elsewhere.

Why? Because your shopping dollar will go to paying payrolls and will go into the parish and city coffers in the form of sales taxes. These taxes in turn pay for much-needed new roads, drainage projects and other infrastructure projects.

The payroll taxes will also do the same thing. Plus you keep people in jobs here in the parish. Who knows? You might be helping a neighbor to buy gifts for his or her children.