Buying locally makes significant impact...

Twenty five percent. That's the increased impact on your local economy you, and every befuddled Christmas shopper like you, can make this season if (and here's the rub), if you choose to spend your money at locally-owned businesses. That's because 68 cents of every dollar spent locally is reinvested in your community; meanwhile only 43 cents of every dollar spent at a national chain is recirculated in your community.

Think about that. A 25 percent boost to your local economy can be obtained simply because of where you choose to spend your money. No doubt, these are challenging economic times and people are cutting their spending across the board, which is probably wise. But none of us will cut spending entirely. We still will eat. We still will eat in restaurants. We still will exchange some gifts this Christmas.

Today, more than ever, the nation relies on its consumers to keep its economic engine churning. The wisdom of a national economy built on consumerism may be the debate for the ages; certainly this debate will wage elsewhere. But my point is this: No matter how much, or how little, money you have to spend — how you spend it says something about you. Will your values emanate through your discretionary spending?