Canada Post has cancelled their holiday delivery guarantee, citing rotating strikes by employees. But while many customers rely heavily on online shopping, local businesses in Regina are reminding customers that they have other options to get their gifts by Christmas day.

“With the mail strike and what that has caused everyone, it’s a good little reminder I think, to just say hey, there’s people right in your neighborhood to definitely check out,” said Brad Kreutzer, co-owner, Paper Umbrella. “Buy local because that’s a quick way to get your products. Obviously that doesn’t help if you’re looking to send it across Canada or wherever but definitely if you’re looking to pick up a gift buy local, its right here.

Kreutzer is a co-owner of the Paper Umbrella in Regina’s Cathedral neighborhood and said he hopes that this strikes changes people minds about shopping in local stores rather than going online.

“It might just be a twig to realize okay what I am going to do with this mail strike, I don’t know,” said Kreutzer. “Well check in your backyard we have so many amazing stores with so many different unique items too.”

And the timing couldn’t be better for Paper Umbrella, because the stores in the Cathedral neighborhood are hosting their Light up the Village night on Thursday, where many stores stay open late, some will even be open for twenty four hours.

“We try to make it a special day,” said Murray MacDonald, co-owner Groovy Mama. “Where we can both offer the opportunity to customers to access some locally sourced products and engage our community. It’s a nice time to see our customers, say thank you for everything they’ve done for us over the years.”

MacDonald thinks that people should support local businesses because then the money customers are spending stays in the community.

“When we spend money locally, up to seventy cents of every dollar stays in our community,” said MacDonald. “That pays peoples wages that pays property taxes, it puts money in people’s pockets so that they can come back to your business. Shopping local can both be economical and an investment in your community.