Hip Shopping and Sugar Plums

November 23, 2012 — Food Conspiracy, Fourth Ave, shop small, sugar plum, Tucson

By definition, a purchase at a small business is an act of individuation. The effort to save small business, slow food, craft quality, and organic farming is valid from an economic standpoint. The local business keeps currency flowing in the local stream. Home Depot takes as much profit as possible home to the stockholders, as is their mandate. This does not make Home Depot evil, but it does mean that it is impossible to purchase anything hip at that Depot. The interaction with the customer is done to scale, as in, ‘What do we need to order from China for next season?”, or “How do we create a new line of seasonal treats our customers have requested?” The hip gift giver looks for the unique match, which is not to be found in the massive crush of deep discount mall shopping.

My mom just loved being swept away by merchandise. She shopped all over the world and stocked up on gifts for unknown future receivers. These ghost recipients were just taking up some of the slack in her giant shopping disorder. She was good anywhere, from the street market in Asia to Wal-Mart. She loved acquisition for no apparent reason.  I spent way too much time in my childhood shopping for my taste.  I believe this experience shaped me into the psychic speed shopper that I am today.  First of all, like many traits we reverse (only to end at the same place), my goal is always to spend as little time as possible.  Exactly like my mother I start with no need to shop, owning already more stuff than I could ever possibly use in this lifetime.  If I buy something I need to feel that I have been guided, like the Star of Bethlehem, to that object.  I want to feel like shopping commando, in and out without even being detected  in the marketplace.  Ruby (my mom) wanted to hang out and try on everything, being stimulated and thrilled by dressing rooms and the hollow compliments of commissioned sales people.  She burned me out long before I was 9 on that situation.  I never go to malls, and would simply die if I had to go to one on Black Friday.

Today for Green Friday I have no particular need to buy anything.  It is the perfect day, however to take the public bus to Fourth Avenue to buy pecans  and pistachios at the Food Conspiracy.  There is a local party with live music, discount shopping and dining, and a chance to see the streetcar tracks they have been building for what seems like forever.  By taking the bus right in front of  home I will avoid all traffic/parking/road construction issues.  I like to create gifts I decide to give, to make it a personal deal.  The recipient will never be thrilled as in wow the expensive brand name thingy everyone else has!!!!!!!, but maybe years later will be able to remember how the sugar plums tasted.  I freestyle my own sugar plums from nuts and fruit I find or have.  This year I dried some awesome pears in September that are delicious.  I want to try mixing them with pistachios and pecans, both of which are grown in Arizona.  I encourage you to do your own, since it is almost impossible to make them taste bad.  I think Alton is way off base with the fennel seed, and would never do that in mine, but that is why the creation is an individual gift.  The ones in The Night Before Christmas were sugar-coated coriander …..drastic flavor if you ask me.  I goes to show that your flavor will be savored by individuals, so take some time to do something tailored to them. Thoughtful and personal is the new mindless overconsumption.