Clearly today is not the day to go to Walmart.

Obviously we have what we need and Walmart will not be protecting us any more than they’ll be protective of the environment.

But I’ve got two quick tips for you, two lovely small businesses run by families, for families and I promise I’ll talk more extensively about their products when I have more free time.

1. Jelly Bean Row is beautiful handcrafted little victorian buildings that sit on your walls reminding you of Rockwell or your own childhood. Jellybean Row pieces are modeled after real houses in St. John¹s, Newfoundland, which has a 500-year seaport history and is host to some of the oldest streets in North America.  However, many of the architectural details in Jellybean Row can be observed in heritage homes in the northeast U.S., especially New England. They are whimsical, colorful and they are not mass produced. They’re a couple of of chicks and a marketing guy.

For your discount just type in “Jessica sent me”in the Other Instructions line, of the checkout page and if you buy two or more you’ll get a third piece of their choice, gratis (that means free). These are perfectly priced gifts and I love supporting small businesses. This is way better than a bottle of wine, you’ll see it on your friends’ walls for years to come.

2. The second Black Friday suggestion is CGKidz.com. Check out their X-Mas Water bottles. At less than $12 each they’re almost half the price of the competition, who needs a discount code for that? Plus, Riley, age 12 is the voice of CG Kids and has been carrying the message of sustainability far and wide.

Again, more on both these amazing companies another day. I’ve got a Thanksgiving supper to sleep off…

[This post was written by Jessica Gottlieb.]