Contest: Show Your Fave Local Biz Some Holiday Lovin'

Are you one of those people who doesn't write their holiday cards until the New Year (or not at all)? This contest might just convince you to write a certain kind of greeting card nice and early: one to your favourite local business.

Three days ago -- along with our partners Vancity and LOCO BC -- we launched a three-week "greeting card" contest that culminates with Buy Local Week, Dec. 2 to 8. How does it work? Easy. Just head to this page and write a few kind words to a business that makes your holiday season -- or in fact, your whole year -- bright.

You don't have to know the business' mailing address; it's not an actual card. It's more like an online shout-out that everyone else can read, and you can get it done fast. Every few days, we'll pull some great ones and alert those businesses through social media. And we'll pull some gems into occasional contest updates for everyone's enjoyment.

This is not a writing contest

We aren't picking winners based on the writing quality in your card. So don't be intimidated that your submission will go online for all to see. You can make it anonymous if you wish, and even if it's just two sincere sentences, your chances are as good as those who compose a sonnet to their local butcher.

What do you get for sharing your love? An entry into a contest for 12 prizes worth over $5,000 (or an entry for every business you write about, up to a maximum of five).

What are the grand prizes? A $500 Vancity Visa gift card, a Tofino, B.C. getaway, a Whistler, B.C. getaway, and a $2000 shopping spree in the Burnaby Heights neighbourhood. More info below.

Other prizes: A $100 gift certificate to East Van's Dayton Boots, a $100 'local gourmand' gift pack from Saul Good Gift Co., a guided tour and lunch at Keremeos' Clos du Soleil Winery, a $200 toy package from Toy Jungle, a five-month supply of local "Dish the Dirt" eco-cleaning products, a $100 gift certificate from Vancouver's Hazel & Jools, and a $75 gift certificate to Vancouver's Bird on a Wire. More info below.

Why are we doing this?

Our contest partners Vancity and LOCO BC share our conviction that locally owned enterprises, from the smallest mom-and-pop to larger players, are the engines of a resilient, robust economy and the building blocks of interesting, unique neighbourhoods.

But being an independent business in a big-box, race-to-the-bottom-dollar world is a serious challenge. We need to celebrate the great ones.

More on the prizes

A huge thank you to all our prize sponsors, and to our partner LOCO BC for wrangling them. We're pretty blown away with what we're able to offer our readers.

This $500 Vancity Visa gift card can be used anywhere that accepts Visa electronically. But of course, being the enlightened person that you are, you'll surely use it at locally owned businesses, right?

Like the sound of that? Enter now.

Thanks to the Tofino Chamber of Commerce, Long Beach Lodge, and Modo the car co-op, one lucky winner from the Greater Vancouver area will enjoy two nights accommodation, surf rentals and lessons for two, a complimentary Modo membership and $200 in car credits to get there.

Excited? Enter now.

Thanks to the Whistler Chamber of Commerce, Riverside Resort, Canadian Wilderness Adventures, and Creekbread Restaurant, one lucky winner from anywhere in Canada will enjoy two nights accommodation in a cozy log cabin, a guided snowmobile tour for two, and a $100 gift certificate for a delicious, locally sourced meal out. Travel not included.

Putting your snow boots on already? Better enter now.

Thanks to the Burnaby Heights BIA's efforts rallying its members, one lucky Greater Vancouver reader will get to live large this season with a $2,000 shopping spree in this colourful 100-year old neighbourhood. Thirty four different businesses have contributed gift certificates and prizes: restaurants, specialty foods, florists, yoga, kids art classes and much more await.

Sound like a great day out? Enter now.

• Lunch and a wine tour for two at Clos Du Soleil Winery in Keremeos, B.C.

• A Local Gourmand gift basket from Vancouver-based Saul Good Gift Co., filled with locally sourced gourmet foods and artisan chocolates. Yum.

• A $100 gift certificate to Dayton Boots for a pair of your choice. Handcrafted, comfortable, durable, and classic, Dayton Boots are made in East Vancouver to the same exacting standards and attention to detail that have gone into every pair since 1946.

• Delight the special kids in your life with a $200 prize package from locally owned Toy Jungle, with locations in Vancouver's Kitsilano neighbourhood, South Surrey, and West Vancouver.

• For the tidy and environmentally conscious folks that read us, a five-month supply of "Dish the Dirt" products -- environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and biodegradable. (By triple-bottom-line Vancouver-based Live For Tomorrow.)

• A $100 gift certificate for Hazel & Jools, a long-time fixture on Main St. With their own locally made stylish collection and a curated selection of other brands, you'll find lots to choose from.

• Vancouver's Bird on a Wire Creations -- an eclectic boutique full of handmade and independent design from around B.C. -- is offering one lucky readers their choice of a $75 gift certificate or a $150 abstract painting by local artist Catherine Fields.

Time to get writing

Are some favourite businesses starting to come to mind? If so, get going on your "cards" here.

Need some inspiration, some food for thought? Think big about what constitutes a "business."

It doesn't just have to be where you get your groceries, your clothes, your dinner out, you holiday gifts, though we want to hear about those too.

With the holiday season approaching, think of the places that make the season special for you. Maybe it's a winter farmers' market where you stock up on special local food items that transform a special gathering, or an annual craft fair you'd never dream of missing. A destination spot where you spend quality time with your loved ones every year? A theatre company whose productions are a part of your holiday ritual? Sky's the limit -- you know your businesses. Get writing!

Contest ends midnight Monday Dec. 9.

Have fun! And in advance, have a happy Buy Local Week, and a great holiday season, from The Tyee.