Some of you have already finished your shopping and are waiting for the holidays to arrive.

For the rest of us, we are frantically searching for those special gifts for those hard to buy for people on our lists every year.

Why not get a gift certificate to a local merchant? Those everyday items — and some of those not-so-everyday items — are still needed after the holidays.

For those employers who give Christmas bonuses or gifts to their employees, consider giving local gift certificates. Regardless of the type of business, we have — retail, manufacturing, service, or a public entity — we all know that without the support of businesses in our communities, we would have a difficult time maintaining our businesses.

The last thing any of us want to do is send our employees out of town to shop with a gift card in hand.

Let’s keep the money here.

— susan berg