Everything You Need to Know About the Small Christmas Challenge

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Growing up in a big family means I always have a long Christmas list.

I need gifts for my parents, five siblings, three of their spouses, my new nephew, my mother and father-in-law, my husband, his sister, his brother, his brother’s wife… if you’re counting, that puts us at 17! 

So, Dan and I started browsing Amazon and brainstorming Christmas ideas in early November. Alone on the couch in the weak glow of our laptop screens, I felt anything but the “Christmas spirit.”

There was no enjoyment in the endless scrolling. Adding gifts to our cart and getting them delivered to the door was effortless, but not in a good way. The whole gesture just felt empty.

So, what are two tech-addicted millennials to do?

This year, we’re taking the #SmallChristmas Challenge instead.

 

After much deliberation, the #SmallChristmas Challenge has been baby approved 

 

What is the Small Christmas Challenge?

No, it’s not scaling down the cost of our Christmas gifting or even the amount of people on our list. 

Small Christmas is simply a commitment to buying all our Christmas gifts from local businesses. Amazon is out, dragging our asses to real, literal stores is in.

And so far, it’s a massive success.

 

The Benefits of Small Christmas

The more I started thinking about Small Christmas, the more I loved it.

Honestly, it comes with so many benefits. Committing to a Small Christmas means we get to support our local community, minimize our impact on the environment, and spend more quality time with family.

 

1. Support Your Local Community with the #SmallChristmas Challenge

This one speaks for itself. When was the last time you chose locally-owned over a big box store?

Did you know 99.7% of all businesses in the US are small? Chances are, there are more than you may think in your city. A town can only be as creative and innovative as the community that supports it, these businesses depend on you for survival. 

Plus, studies have found if you spend $100 at a large business, $43 stays in the local economy. At small businesses, though, that number jumps up to $68. 

This year, stop into the shops you’ve been meaning to see, chat with the owners, and browse the shelves – your dollars will make a difference and you might just find the perfect gift for everyone on your list.

 

…or just a sweet fur coat. Either way it’s a win.

 

2. Minimize Your Environmental Impact

Lately I’ve been trying to be more conscious of my impact on the world.

I’m learning to think global and act local by taking tiny steps in my own life to make a difference, no matter how small it may be. Eating vegetarian a few days a week, taking shorter showers, and sharing rides with friends are all examples.

Purchasing locally-made products means none of my gifts will be shipped around the world this year and reduces the carbon emissions I’m responsible for. With 17 people on my Christmas list, shopping small can have a big impact.

 

3. Spend Quality Time With Your Family

I don’t think I’m alone in the sentiment that Black Friday is a literal nightmare. Long lines, huge messes, no parking… it’s something I avoid at all costs.

This year though, my whole family ventured out and we actually had a blast. Instead of going to Target or Best Buy, we went to the small businesses downtown.

Drinking mimosas, watching my cousins play chess, and taking endless photos of my nephew were all so much better than fighting through the typical crowds or staring at a screen in my room, mindlessly buying gifts in silence. 

 

 

Where to Shop for the #SmallChristmas Challenge in Dayton

Little ol’ Dayton isn’t the same city it once was.

There’s a thriving small business scene growing not only here but in neighboring towns as well. Check out these three hotspots to start your Small Christmas shopping this year:

 

1. The Oregon District

Of course, the Oregon District is first on the list. On Black Friday we started our #SmallChristmas challenge at:

• Heart Mercantile
• Luna Gifts & Botanicals
• Beck+ Call, formerly Hedges & Wolf
• Bonnett’s Book Store
• Brim
• Clash Dayton
• Press Coffee Bar
• Omega Music
• Feather’s Vintage Clothing
• and Eclectic Essentials

I’ve been downtown a thousand times but never noticed just how many small businesses are on one street!

With great food (and even better breweries) nearby, the Oregon District was the perfect place to ease into Small Christmas and I scored earrings, sunglasses, shirts, art, and more for my gift list.

 

Shopping small at Hedges and Wolf in the Oregon District, now under new ownership as Beck + Call

 

2. Historic Miamisburg

Downtown Miamisburg is really on the rise.

It’s similar to the Oregon District and even has two of their own breweries to unwind at after your Christmas shopping – Dan and I picked up a growler at Star City Brewing for one of our gifts.

Locally owned shops in Miamisburg include:

• Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop
• The Little Shop of Stitches
• Bear Creek Donuts
• Curious Styles and Coffee Shop
• Christmas on Main Street (Open in November and December only)
• M & Co.
• St. James Thrift Shop
• Miamisburg Art Gallery

… and many more that I surely missed. 

To fuel up for your trip, I strongly recommend stopping for lunch at the famous Hamburger Wagon. It’s been operating since 1913 and still sits on its original 100-year-old wagon wheels.

Just know that the mini burgers here come with pickles and onion only, so don’t bother asking for sauce or even worse… cheese. Try the fried patties as is and you’ll quickly see why this staple has survived a century in Miamisburg.

 

 

3. Yellow Springs

Three’s a trend, and Small Christmas in Dayton delivers. Yellow Springs is the third stop for your Small Christmas shopping in the city.

I’m not really sure how a town that seems to run solely on good vibes, art, and coffee shops still exists, but I’m so happy it does. I like to visit at least once a year and go to:

• Wildflower Boutique
• Urban Handmade
• Dark Star Books & Comics
• Asanda Imports
• Ohio Silver
• Super Fly Comics & Games
• Yellow Springs Pottery

…and any other storefront on Xenia Ave. that happens to catch my eye.

Yellow Springs also backs up against the Glen Helen Nature Preserve and John Bryan State Park so you can start a hike directly from downtown. Go on a nice day to take advantage of the nearby trails and then finish your evening with drinks at the Yellow Springs Brewery.

 

Where Else Can You Shop Small in Dayton?

If your gift list is anything like mine, it’ll take more than a few trips to fulfill it.

When scouting the Oregon District, Miamisburg, and Yellow Springs isn’t enough, drive a little further to the Short North Arts District in Columbus or Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati.

Or, you can even travel to Lexington or Louisville for a weekend. They’re both only 2.5 hours from Dayton, yet I had never been to either before this year.

Outside of the hotspots, you can also always find small businesses scattered around your community if you look – like La Crique Boutique in Beavercreek and Ella Bella gluten free goods or Liv Naturally Co. organic products in local markets across the city. 

 

 

Will you take the Small Christmas Challenge?

Putting our #SmallChristmas mission into practice has made the season so much more enjoyable. Shopping for our ever-expanding gift list no longer a chore, but something we’re excited to do together.

Small Christmas good for the community, good for the environment, and good for the soul – will you take the #SmallChristmas Challenge this year?

 

This article is part of the Delicious Dayton series. Read the rest below:

Blind Taste Test: Which Dayton Style Pizza is the Best?

How to DIY Your Own Dayton Brewery Walking Tour

Did you know there’s an Ohio Donut Trail right here in Dayton?

3 Best Places for Birding in Dayton, Ohio

Or, learn how to #HikeYourHomeState with the Ohio Hiking Guide!

 

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