If your household is anything like mine, you’ve made a few online purchases in the last few days.

Cyber Monday, or Cyber Week, or whatever it is now, is hard to resist, with major retailers all offering deep discounts that are pretty tempting as the gift-giving season approaches.

Want a cozy and beautiful Pendleton blanket for half off? Or sturdy and stylish Blundstone boots, that rarely go on sale, at 15% off? How about a screaming deal for a sleek little portable Sonos speaker for that teenager in your life?

All weekend long, my husband has been looking up from his phone, and asking me if he should buy this or that.

Strangely, this morning, he also had the idea that I should write an editorial about shopping locally, now that the gold rush is over.

Good idea.

Let’s all take a moment to remember our postal workers here on Vashon, who last year at exactly this time were crushed by the volume of package deliveries. Let’s give them the break they deserve this year.

Let’s shop at home.

This weekend and next, local artists will roll out the red carpet, welcoming islanders to their studios, tucked away all over Vashon and Maury, to pursue beautiful artworks at affordable prices. Map out your stops by visiting vivartists.com.

Then head to our local shops where you’ll be greeted with warm smiles.

Start in Burton, and visit the shops in that charming little village, and then head north on the highway.

At Center, visit Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie and The Minglement, and then stop at the Old Fuller Store to check out Golden Afternoon, a beautiful new boutique and gift shop.

At the Country Store & Farm, get some Maury Island Farm jams, thick wool socks and other beautiful apparel (and that Pendleton blanket or Blundstones if you missed the cyber sale).

Does someone in our life love plants and greenery? Make time to stop at Little Bird Gardens, Dig Deep Gardens, and Kathy’s Corner.

After that, when you hit the stoplight in town, find a place to park your car, get out and get serious.

You’ll have to stop by Granny’s Attic to pick up those sure-to-please ugly Christmas sweaters and hundreds of other highly affordable gifts and stocking stuffers.

In the center of town, Vashon has the finest places to shop on earth — and merchants who can’t wait to see you at WinterFest and throughout the month.

There’s our beautiful, old-fashioned pharmacy, a lovely bookstore, an auto parts store, a flower shop, clothing stores, bakeries, consignment and vintage shops, two great hardware stores, a skateboard shop, a pet supplies depot, galleries, places to buy birdseed and bicycles, two grocery stores, wine and liquor stores, and two cannabis shops, for heaven’s sake.

People also love to get gift certificates. If you’re looking for those, you’re in luck, because we have a movie theater, two world-class performance and arts education centers, home-grown opera and repertory theater companies, dance, yoga and Pilates studios, massage and other personal care practitioners, an athletic club, hair salons, wonderful restaurants and a brewery, coffee, tea and juice shops, and an abundance of farmstands.

And hey, while you’re at it, how about the gift of reliable, accurate local news? Here at The Beachcomber, we work hard all year long to give islanders incredible value for the price of their subscriptions.

You know it and I know it — stay at home, and you’ll not only get all your shopping done, but you’ll also give the gift of a brighter economy to your own small town.