Spring has sprung and over the next several weeks your social calendar is probably bursting with Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, graduations, weddings, etc. As the weather warms, the invitations heat up.

You want to find the perfect, thoughtful, unique gift for each of these occasions but how do you do it without hours of shopping?

Check with Your Chamber

Pay a visit to your chamber of commerce’s website or give them a call. Many chambers offer a local currency program. Frequently known as “chamber bucks” these gifting opportunities help you give the gift of local. You can buy certificates in all denominations and spend them at local member businesses.

A local gift certificate is the ideal gift because:

• Your recipient can find something s/he needs and wants
• There’s no worry about returns or getting the right fit, fragrance, etc.
• It’s convenient for the recipient
• Gives them a chance to frequent their favorite local business or check out a new one
• Helps them support local
• Let’s the recipient choose between item(s) or services. For example, s/he can buy flowers, get a haircut, and/or have lunch with this flexible gift.

In addition to these reasons, there’s something heart-warming about walking into a local merchant. The greeting you get, the service, the attention and focus on your needs, make you feel good and cared about.

When you give the gift of local to the special people on your list they know you’re giving more than just a gift card you bought on your way over. You’re giving a gift of feeling and meaning to multiple people in your community, not just the recipient but the merchant business where it eventually gets spent as well.

While many gift certificates can be purchased online (check with your chamber, and if they don’t suggest that they should), the certificate itself is used in person so your recipient doesn’t have to be tech savvy.

This Mother’s Day (and for your upcoming gift-giving needs) give the gift of local. Your mother will not only enjoy the item or service she purchases with the gift certificate but she’ll relish the time spent at the local merchants finding that perfect something.

She’ll love it twice as much if you can accompany her.

Photo Credit: via Flickr by Moyann Bren