SANTA SAYS >>>>

Today is Black Friday. Do you know where your hand sanitizer is?

Go Local Tacoma and the national Shift Your Shopping campaign reminds the looming Black Friday swarm to take it easy on the big box stores and see what's being sold at the Mom 'n' Pop.

I'm buyin' local this Xmas, thereby "strengthening the North Pole economy, creating local toy jobs and building communities." Yes, building, bringing people together ... unlike the GOP's order of importance on immigration policies, which was, quote, "[to be] richer, better, and more inclusive."

Oh my.

The Weekly Volcano folks have the word on this whole Shift Your Shopping movement here.

And the local rag also has a toy bag full of local gift suggestions here. Help generate up to two to three times as much economic activity in the community, and get some sweet gifts too.

PLUS: 2011 Super Best of Tacoma Bought and Sold Readers' and Staff picks

PLUS: 2011 Best of Olympia Bought and Sold Readers' and Staff picks

PLUS: 2011 South Sound Holiday Happenings

LINK: Santa Says RSS feed

LINK: Arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Give the Weekly Volcano a "LIKE" present

SANTA SAYS >>>>

Descending into a Goodwill Christmas Shoppe, you are instantly hit with all things Christmas. From the décor to the gift to the employees - it's all about the holiday season.

Oh, and those employees ...

They dance with jang-jinglers,
tide up to their hells.

They blow their floo-flounders,
they bang their tong-tinklers.

They blow their who-hoovers,
they bang their jang-tinglers.

They beat their tram-tookers,
they slide their sloo-slunckers.

They beat their flam-fluckers,
they whack their who-wonkers.

They play noisy games like Zuziv Ka Zev,
a Roller skates tapler "La Crosse."

And then they make pretty noises like the lux,
on their great big electro-who-cardio-flux.

They show you their chimes, ribbons and bows.
They show you their cups, plants and all that glows.
They show you their trees, bulbs and bowls.
They show you their decorations, ornaments and coals.

Oh yes. The Goodwill's Christmas Shoppe is a one-stop shop for holiday joy, décor, trimmings and gifts - all at a great value.

After a successful 2010 debut, Tacoma Goodwill expands to operate five Christmas Shoppes this year, with locations next to neighborhood Goodwill stores, dedicated exclusively for the sale of holiday treasures.

The Christmas Shoppes - located in Kent, Spanaway, North Tacoma, South Lacey and Puyallup - boast an inventory of more than two million pounds of items starting as low as 99-cents - with new items stocked daily.

And what's the most wonderful of all? Every dollar spent at a Goodwill store is put back into the South Sound community to help people get to work through job placement, training and services.

For the address of the five Shoppes, click here.

PLUS: 2011 South Sound Holiday Happenings

LINK: Santa Says RSS feed

LINK: Arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Give the Weekly Volcano a "LIKE" present