Ready or not the holiday season is upon us. Here in the Northwoods it begins for both men and women with the opening weekend of Deer Season.  
Actually for the guys it starts a few days before as they get ready for the hunt. You men need to purchase your warm orange gear, ammo and of course supplies for camp. Women start shopping that weekend, then it’s working on Thanksgiving and we slide right into the “all holiday things” mode.

The most important thing that we can remember, whether we are a man or a woman, is to make a conscious effort to “buy local.” I understand that we all need to make our dollars stretch farther but if you factor in your gas, or your time, or the shipping how much are you really saving?  

If each household spent $100 of their planned holiday spending and spent it in our local stores, $68 of the dollars will be staying in our community. Local businesses give back to the community twice as much, and as a recipient of this generosity, Downtown Rhinelander Inc. and all the other Rhinelander non-profits could not accomplish what we do without our local businesses help. They support us, we support them.

Here’s one more advantage of buying local…it’s the “I Buy Local” program new consumer cards. Purchase a $2 punch card from the participating business, get a card and a window cling. $1 dollar will be donated to a community non-profit.  Get all 10 spots on your cards punched; turn it in to the participating businesses and you will be entered into the drawings being held throughout the year. It’s just another way to show your support.

Finally, please consider this your invitation to shop downtown Rhinelander this holiday season. The downtown is a living thing which means it is constantly changing. I bet we have some things that you didn’t know about. We literally have everything covered.  

Music, video games, hair, body and nail care, pharmacies, home décor which includes flooring and kitchens, photography and framing, antiques, appliances, sporting goods, floral, apparel, books, gifts, toys, hobbies, and more. Don’t forget you’ll need to refresh and eat. There are great restaurants, taverns, coffee shops, candy and cheesecakes.  

Here are some of the new places for you to check out; Your Cheesecake Connection, Stage Left, Imaginuity and Bath and Body Creations. Happy hunting all.

Maggie Steffen is available at 715-362-7374 or email msdri@frontiernet.net.