Christmas is coming

Yup. You heard it here first (I mean clearly you didn’t), but Christmas is coming. Seven more weeks of The Small Business Pop Up, and a whole lot of hard work and long days ahead for every small business on the planet.

And then they declare Lockdown - the sequel. Exquisitite timing, but then, Covid-19 doesn’t seem to be a virus that cares much about spoiling things.

Here in Jersey of course - so far at least - there is no lockdown. That isn’t to say there aren’t significant changes to how we are living - with masks strongly recommended, and all markets and events cancelled. We are in (what feels like) a better place in terms of track and trace, and in terms of ‘managing’ the virus (as if you can tell it to wear a suit and listen to feedback, and perhaps hold back a bit? Be a bit less infectious?!).

Whilst the borders aren’t closed officially, in effect they are given that the whole of the UK is coloured in red and orange (I believe north Devon was green last week). We are battening down the hatches, fines are being handed out for people found flouting isolation, and we are all taking it seriously.

Anyone who knows me (or has had the misfortune to hear me on the radio of late), knows that I’m passionate about supporting small businesses. I am one! From my bridal jewellery business owning days, I have been on Facebook groups, and supportive WhatsApp chats as small business head into the busiest time of year. As businesses cut down on sleep and wrap orders well into the night, as small companies cross their fingers that the stock they committed to back in June is still what people want to buy now. Ah Christmas. The two months of the year that dictate whether you’ll have had a good year financially, or face ruin in January.

With the global pandemic not hearing our cries of ‘not this month covid’ and doing what any effective virus does and spreading, all those small businesses are now bracing for further disaster. I hope not my one, and feel extraordinarily lucky that I opted to launch as an online business rather than a bricks and mortar one. As I said, Jersey has got off relatively lightly, and being surrounded by sea, with a small population, track and trace has been managed well (whatever you might think, relatively, we’re world-leading in the testing stakes).

So why am I writing this blog?!

Even though we’re in Jersey and so far restrictions are far less than the UK, I’m going to ask a favour.

Don’t just go ‘sod it, Amazon is easy’, buy from small businesses. UK based, Jersey based (obvs the latter is going to be easier on this Island and with the recent GST shake up). Come to The Small Business Pop Up, think about where you are buying your gifts from. But most of all, I’d love you to list three businesses that you’ll be supporting in the comments below, or on the Facebook page. I know it might feel counter-intuitive for me, a small business wanting your custom to ask you to give up your own favourite go-tos for gifts. But aren’t we all in this together?!

Clearly, as a small business owner myself, who buys from and stocks other small businesses, I’m going to get things started. Remember you can totally shop with me, 24/7 and all the gifts are in the island… but… I can’t sell everything. So here’s who I’m going to be spending my money with and ordering from over the coming weeks.

I know money is tight, I know this is a year that keeps on twisting and turning (writing this on the eve of the US election, I’m wondering whether another plot twist is just around the corner…)

But yup, think how you spend your money. Think who you spend it with. And where you can shop local, but always, always shop small, and shop independent. Because this is the season that makes or breaks a business. And if that season gets closed for a month, then it’s going to be a year that breaks a lot of livelihoods.

My go-to small businesses are:

For candles:

So yes, pleased to say that I stock both these brilliant brands on the website actually. Seven Seventeen are a joy to work with, and their candles have amazing throw. Plus they donate a % of all profits to mental health charities.

And then there’s Kota candles - keeping me (and the care packages sent through lockdown) in sweet smelling homes. We’ve just taken delivery of some beautiful wintery scents. You can find them on the website under candles and accessories.

For chocolate

The Slabb. Every time The Slabb. I’ve known Holly via Facebook groups since her first pre-Slabb Christmas (she also has a business making alcoholic lollies). And The Slabb products, from their decadent ganaches and alcoholic drizzles back through Vegan bars, are a firm favourite. And then there are the chocolate lollies…

For green stuff

I have a bit of a plany problem. True story. I seem to have stopped killing them, which now means I have a lot of them. And some of them even make babies.

Still, it’s a truth universally acknowledged that you can never have too many plants (or was that shoes?) and Bargain Plants Jersey, has certainly led to an increase the number of plants in my home.

I couldn’t be more excited that Clara at Wild Thymes is opening her shop in St Helier! Throughout lockdown she delivered, keeping things pretty and seasonal (there were a lot of locally grown peonies - not exactly a hardship.

For art - which is always so personal - we’re lucky enough to have some amazing artists and illustrators here in Jersey. Whether you’re looking for a Jersey print from Lauren Radley, or something more monochrome (try Abi Overland), there’s always something. I’ve discovered so many beautiful artists via the Artist Support Pledge over on Instagram.

For books

BUY FROM INDEPENDENT STORES! I know Amazon is easy, but how many of us browse in person, then shop online? We have to stop doing this. We have to value the expertise that accompanies bricks and mortar bookshops. We have to start paying the RRP rather than the bargain basement warehouse prices for books. Because otherwise, those bookshops won’t be there.

In Jersey, Waterstones has managed to partner my unenthusiastic readers with books they’ve devoured. That comes from hours of reading themselves. And we need to value that!