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We're in the thick of it now boy. (12.07.07)


The nog, the parties, the food, the family, the tree and the crackling fire on TV. Everyone has a different way of spending December, yet one thing we all seem to have in common is going broke. Even with the best intentions this continues to be a beautiful yet bankrupting season.

Now, not to get all Martha Stewart on you but I do have a suggestion; make gifts. A quick stop into any craft or toonie store will have you loaded to the gills with limitless million dollar personal gift options. Granted it takes time, but if you can make it quality time, then you’re so much the richer.

Unfortunately, being strapped for time is also a common side effect of the season leaving most of us having to purchase gifts. Here I’d like to reinforce the most important of holiday slogans, ‘shop local’. For those who can see the obvious benefits to shopping local, it doesn’t get better than craft fairs, farmers markets and independent stores. The best part is knowing that the money you spend will no doubt be going to another person in the community and so on and so on.

And what would a shop local sermon be without a plug for our downtown core. Ahh the downtown, all it needs is to implement lots of good ideas that won’t make anyone huge piles of cash in the short term. You can see why it’s taking so long.
That said it continues to be ‘the little downtown that might’ with a cool little boutique scene percolating along both Cleveland and Second Ave. Definitely a must-check-out for unique gifts. Add that to the local outdoor gear shops and services scattered throughout town and there’s absolutely no reason for you not to keep your money in your community.

But instead of shop local sermons, perhaps what downtown really needs is a mascot. Of course the Olympics nailed the Asian lover market with their First Nation Power Puff Girl mascots. Personally I like the idea of the fourth sidekick, a marmot whom (true or not) I keep hearing is a stoner/slacker. Now there’s a Canadian stereotype deserving of the world stage.

But as for a downtown mascot, and dare I say Squamish as a whole, you can’t get better than a big ol’ dog. Some big, wise looking dog that could mess you up, but would be far happier in the woods, or just hanging out with his friends in the shop. I thought of this after hearing the news that just such a dog had passed on. Milo, as many of you know, was the big friendly dog/rug that graced Corsa Cycles. He had killer huge dreadlocks and was living the good life downtown Squamish for over a decade. Now since it is the festive season I believe a finishing toast would be appropriate, ‘To good friends and good times, in past, present and future.’ Cheers indeed

 

 


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