This Saturday is an important one to our family…it’s Small Business Saturday. I’m a small business owner, hoping to expand in 2015, and Charles is the director of our local Small Business Center and is always looking for his next venture.

A little info from American Express: “In 2010, American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help businesses with their most pressing need — getting more customers. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The single day has grown into a powerful movement, and more people are taking part than ever before. This year, the big day is Nov 29.”

This year, Charles and I have made a pact to support as many small (and local) businesses as possible when shopping for Christmas gifts.  Our hope is that every gift we give will come from a small business. You can also take the pledge by clicking here.

In honor of Small Business Saturday, and to say thank you for your support, I’m offering 15% off my Etsy shop, The Park Collection, from today until December 1st. Just use code ShopSmall15 at checkout! Plus, many items have new lower prices!

Also, each Monday in December, I’ll be sharing a gift guide. Gift guides are everywhere, but all too often, only large companies are featured, and items are out of the average person’s price range (I’d love to see a gift guide that doesn’t include Anthropologie or J. Crew!!).  So my gift guides will have two features: 1) each item will come from a small business, and 2) each item will be under $100.

How do you support small businesses?  Do you plan to shop small on Saturday, or over the holidays in general?