COVID-19 put a halt to many holiday celebrations last year, but now that the vaccine is here and things are starting to open up, July could be the perfect time for you and your family to make up for missed traditions.
And if your family is anything like my family, holiday shopping and gift giving is a huge part of the holiday season, which means that Macomb County’s new Christmas in July event is one that you simply can’t miss.
This event, a spin-off of the popular Shop Local Macomb campaign in November and December, encourages families to support the local economy by shopping the independently owned retailers in the area.
“Our Christmas in July campaign is a reminder that our neighbors own these small shops and a lot of times they have just as much to offer or more to offer than the big box stores,” says Vicky Rad, the Department Director of the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development. “There’s an economic benefit to shopping local. Plus, it helps our small businesses out during these hard times.”
How it works
Participating in Macomb County’s Christmas in July is as simple as snapping a picture while shopping your favorite local businesses July 16-25, 2021.
“You can take a photo of the storefront, the cashier or something in the store. Then, just upload it in the portal on the Make Macomb Your Home website,” Lauri Eisen, the Project Manager for the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development, explains.
You can also spread awareness of the event by sharing your photos on Facebook and Twitter using #ShopLocalMacomb and local businesses are encouraged to post the below flyer about their event in their store windows, too.
Those who upload a photo to the portal are automatically entered into a drawing for one of 10 $150 gift cards, courtesy of the event’s sponsor, First State Bank.
Winners of the gift cards also score a $1,000 prize for the businesses where they shopped, too.
“My family did (Shop Local Macomb) last year and we didn’t realize how many great little retail shops that we have,” Eisen adds. “These businesses line our downtown areas and make Macomb County more of a community — without them, we wouldn’t have the feel that we have.”
For more information on living and learning in Macomb County, visit Make Macomb Your Home. Find more articles like this at Metro Parent’s A Family Guide to Macomb County.
