With Halloween behind us, minds will be set on the upcoming holiday season, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, decorations and, of course, presents.

We encourage Warren County residents to make an early commitment to keep dollars local by shopping with Vicksburg merchants, florists, decorators, caterers and event venues.

While it may be tempting to drive out-of-town or surf the web for the best deals, shopping locally boosts our economy and offers long term benefits to all Warren County residents.

In fact, a recent study states that out of every $100 spent locally, $68 stays in Warren County. Compare that to the $43 that stays in Warren County if spent at a national chain. Local businesses pay taxes that support the roads we drive on, the police and firefighters who keep our neighborhoods safe and the schools our children attend. They are run by our neighbors and friends and more often than not support other local companies by doing business with them.

They deserve to be our first choice when it comes to looking for gifts, decorating help, catering and event spaces to hold holiday parties.

There are many opportunities to keep dollars at home. One is the Downtown Holiday Open House that takes place on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 1 to 5 p.m. Following is Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and a host of Christmas and holiday-related promotions and sales.

When you invest money in Warren County’s locally owned and operated businesses, you’re not just helping local owners — you’re also helping yourself. You’re making Vicksburg a better place to live in, with a thriving economy, and a tightly knit community. The more local businesses prosper, the more new ones will open — making it even easier to continue shopping locally in the future and answering the call for more shopping options right here in Vicksburg.