Most years I think we would all agree that it just doesn't feel right to start seeing Christmas decorations and thinking about gifts before at least Thanksgiving. Don’t get me wrong, I love the energy and spirit of the holidays, but a month of Michael Bublé feels like more than enough.
But this year isn’t like most years. Like most retail stores, we at Maria’s Bookshop truly have no idea what to expect from this holiday season. We know we can’t expect to fill the store on Noel Night like we usually do, but we also know that just about everyone in town receives a gift during the holidays that was purchased somewhere downtown on that night. On top of the issue of managing crowds, the Postal Service, UPS and FedEx are already swamped, and it’s only October!
So, what can we do? As weird as it may feel, the best thing stores and shoppers can do is start the holiday season right now. Doing your holiday shopping now is safer for you and safer for everyone who works in the retail industry. You can buy gifts now, wrap them up, chuck them in the closet, and stay far away from the chaos that this holiday season could likely bring. Just don’t forget to pull them back out in December.
For our part, Maria’s Bookshop is offering a couple of incentives to help you motivate for that early holiday shopping. Our two October promotions are highlighted at the top of this newsletter. Then, in November, we’ll announce a totally awesome sure to knock your socks off gift package, and in December we’ll be hand-delivering books and toys for free anywhere in Durango. And while I promise you won’t hear any holiday music in the shop until at least November, the holiday cards and 2021 calendars are already out!
Thank you for supporting local businesses in these crazy times. We are eternally grateful.
