Notes From My Easel

Tomorrow’s the first of December.  The temperature is hovering a little above freezing with the precipitation alternating between light drizzle and wet snow.  And so it is that today should be the day that I decided to decorate the planters and put up some Christmas lights outside of my building.  Nothing like doing electrical work in the rain.  I have been electrocuted once and fallen off a ladder twice.  Shades of ‘Christmas Vacation’.  You know, that was all that the director really missed in the movie; while Chevy Chase was up on the roof, installing the gazillions of lights, a gentle snow should have started falling.  Cue for Chase to look up and smile at the heaven-sent Hallmark moment.  Fast forward a couple of hours… the gentle snow has turned to sleet and icy rain with strong winds and a dropping thermometer – it IS supposed to be Chicago!  So I have a warped sense of humor.

Anyway, today I went to my favorite Christmas nursery/store, Rendezvous Gardens, 1134  Plains Rd. West in Burlington, Ontario; 905-570-1500.  Remember where the old Rendezvous Drive-Inn use to be?  Next to the Royal Botanical Gardens?  Hence the name.  This small garden centre has the freshest greenery and the garlands are just stuffed full of mixed boughs.  The store is a feast for the eyes at Christmas with decorations that I never see anywhere else (probably because so much is by local artisans or made in Canada).  The price of the boughs was about $2.00 more each than those at the giant, nameless-in-this-blog, grocery chain in Hamilton.  But guess what?  The boughs at Rendezvous Gardens were bigger.  My point is that even spending a couple of dollars extra is worth it to know that you are buying local and helping to support the small businesses that are the backbone of our North American society. 

“Self-employment has climbed to 10% since 2002 while paid employment has advanced by only 1%” according to the Global Economic Research of Scotiabank with 1 out of every 5 new jobs being created in the self-employment, small business sector.  The key to our own economic survival depends on the loyalty of consumers who are willing to support small businesses and buy Canadian where possible.

So before you go out to buy all of your garlands, boughs, wreaths and decorations, give some thought not only to your own Christmas budget, but to supporting your economic future.  Check around at some of the other small, local businesses in your area.  For give-away items at my studio tour this year www.holidaystudiotour.com I went to the Discount Emporium on Locke St. in Hamilton’s S.W. area.  I bought 60 mosaic glass candle holders that are approximately 6″ tall and about 3″ in diameter… for only $1.00 each… and they are made in Canada.  There are many, many small businesses that are offering quality merchandise as affordably as they can.  This year I plan of giving many of my friends gift baskets of wine jelly that are made by a friend’s sister who also runs her own business.  If you are going to the One of a Kind show in Toronto this week, check out Tracy’s Wine Jellies at booth C-26 or visit www.tracyswinejellies.com

Enjoy all that the Christmas season has to offer,

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com