To Do 12.10.20

TUNE IN: to your local small business needs.

The reports aren’t looking good for small businesses as the region is likely about to enter another lockdown period, which spells out bad news for the little guys. Show your support. At the very least, follow your favorites’ social media sites and stay up to date on their news. Ask if you can buy gift cards in advance, just in case your favorite mom-and-pop shop has to close down for several weeks. Kindness Monterey (kindnessmonterey.com) is a great place to support local restaurants with gift cards that the recipient can use later; winter has always been a lean month for eateries, even in the Before Times – it’ll be worse this year. Or keep your eyes peeled for collaborations and pop-ups too as many local businesses are finding that teaming up together is sometimes the best way to weather these tough economic times. For example, Salon Eight Seven (490 Orange Ave., Sand City) is metaphorically joining hands with Cheesecake Dreamations, By the Glass Design (that’s former Weekly graphic designer Rory Glass’ art business), Beauty. Life. Oils and other small businesses for a holiday pop-up from 11am-3pm on Sunday, Dec. 13.

FOSTER: hometown spirit.

The holidays would always be a busy season for Santa visits and winter concerts. Some of that is still going on. You just have to make sure you’re paying attention to city websites, bulletin boards and your neighbors. Carmel Valley’s annual Santa Fly-in is still scheduled to lift off at 10am and run through noon on Saturday, Dec. 12 for a tour of the village. A video chat with Santa will happen noon-3pm (cvcyc.org). Santa has also been making his way around Marina, and will travel in style – by fire truck – around various Marina neighborhoods beginning at 10am Saturday, Dec. 12 (cityofmarina.org). If you’re more of a do-er, collaborate with your homeowners’ association or other neighborhood group to do a toy drive for the kids, or perhaps decorate a main street collectively.

SEE: your neighborhood from a different angle.

Traveling is unfortunately not a safe way to go about the holidays as small inter-household gatherings are one of the biggest contributors to spreading Covid. Instead, appreciate where you are and don’t travel far. Bring a camera – you likely have one on your phone – and take pictures of things you appreciate around your neighborhood. If you’ve walked it a million times or been to your favorite local beach too many times, switch it up and maybe take a left where you would usually take a right on your daily walk. Then document it. You’ll see different colors, different people, different cats and dogs. (You can call it a “beauty break”; see this week's Face to Face story)