Despite the cold weather, a large crowd gathered downtown Saturday for a chance to win gift certificates as part of the Marion County Record’s Christmas Magic promotion.
Shoppers filled out entry tickets for every $10 spent at participating stores. Those tickets, then, were part of three weekly drawings for $50 at those participating stores. On Saturday, we drew for two unclaimed gift certificates, another $50 gift certificate, and a $100 gift certificate.
With a large container of entries from which to choose, we were particularly impressed with the fact we only had to draw six names to give away four prizes.
That was quite a tribute to loyal Marion shoppers and supporters of our local businesses.
The Christmas promotion was not a way for us to pad our bottom line, but it was a way to promote shopping at home.
Here’s a New Year’s resolution for all of us.
If the approximately 900 Marion households would spend $20 a month in each local retail business, that could be enough to sustain those businesses.
Many of us spend more than that per month at some businesses but not sure, if we support every retail business in town.
Whenever we can shop locally, we should — that includes tires, auto repairs, food, household items, gifts, and cell phones.
*****
This Christmas season sure has come quickly. It seems we just had Thanksgiving and now we’re preparing for the birth of Christ.
It seems every year I promise myself that I won’t get wrapped up in the commercial aspect of Christmas, but I find myself reverting back to my old habits of buying too much and worrying that my family won’t like what I purchased.
How does one break that cycle? I’m open for suggestions.
*****
I remember as a child how adults wanted
“peace on earth” for Christmas. I didn’t fully understand then because I was a child during the Vietnam War and the Korean Conflict ended long before I was born. I hadn’t known war other than what I read in books.
I still don’t “know” war, having never served overseas, but I have a better understanding about it since 2001.
“Peace on earth” probably will not be known in my lifetime, the next lifetime, or the next; but we sure could work on the “good will toward man” part.
We should treat each other with kindness and respect every day of the year — not just during the Christmas season.
Here’s wishing each of us a blessed and joyous Christmas where we receive the most important gift of all — inner peace.
— susan berg