When you shop locally for the holidays, it helps support the local economy of Cape Cod and keeps small local businesses afloat in the off-season. With an abundance of local craftsmen and artists on the Cape and Islands, you are sure to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list in one of the many small shops on the Cape. Shopping locally can also get you into the Christmas spirit! The decorated downtown and Main Streets of the Cape are decked out with festive décor for shoppers to enjoy.
Enjoy Festive Decor while you Shop Locally
A perfect place to start is Sandwich, where the entire village is awash in lights. You can follow the trail of lights from the Giants of Sandwich to the Sandwich Glass Museum. This time of year, the glass museum has a brilliant display of Christmas trees all decorated with unique hand-blown glass ornaments. You can enjoy the Glassblowers Christmas display while choosing your own gorgeous handblown glass ornaments or unique pieces to gift for loved ones. After browsing in their gift shop, you may be lucky enough to catch a live demonstration of the glass-blower’s craft.
If you are looking for truly authentic Cape Cod gifts, look no further than the Wampanoag Trading Post and Gallery in Mashpee. You will find a unique display of indigenous art, food, books and native jewelry, including beautiful wampum, traditionally crafted from the quahog shell. The Wampanoag are known historically for the manufacture and use of wampum as a trade item.
The walls of the gallery have recently been transformed with beautiful paintings from David and Danielle’s Greedeer’s recent portrait session at Paul Schulenburg Studios in Eastham to add to your shopping experience. From the sweetgrass tea to the leather baby moccasins, the Trading Post offers plenty of options for everyone on your Christmas list.
Support Local Art Collaboratives and Galleries
Mashpee is also home to another collaboration of local artists, the Art 
Coddage. You are sure to find the perfect gift among the fabulous creations of 14 local Cape Cod artists under one roof. The shop is filled with unique, one-of-a-kind gifts like this charcuterie board by Coastal Vibes Woodworking. This quaint shop is brimming with handcrafted displays of pottery, jewelry, clothing and original artwork. Since the shop operates as a co-operative, on most days you will find at least one of the resident artists in house to discuss their work with you and assist in finding the perfect gift.
Reduce your Plastic Footprint
Further down Cape in Brewster, you will find Green Road Refill, a shop that not only supports local artists and craftsmen but exclusively stocks products that are environmentally-friendly and sustainable. This earth-friendly shop, supporting local as well as fair-trade artisans, has plenty of great ideas to help reduce our plastic footprint. For more conscious-giving this season, you can select gifts that are made from recycled materials or can actually be refilled when they are used, like these locally-made soy candles or re-purposed mittens.
Some of the most passionate believers in the shop locally movement, the founders of the LoveLiveLocal Fests on Cape Cod, show us how it matters if you shop locally. When you buy from a locally owned business $.57 stays on the Cape to recirculate in our local economy, as opposed to $.024 when you shop locally at one of the local big box stores or $.0 when you shop online.
LoveLiveLocal has now opened their own retail store in Hyannis. Their storefront on South Street showcases the artwork and products of over 100 local artisans. They are now open 5 days a week or you can shop with them online at your convenience.
Be sure to shop locally on the Cape this season to support our community of artists and creators while finding the best gifts the Cape has to offer! If you want to avoid the last minute crowds, check with your local stores to arrange online order pick-ups or drop-offs.
