Why I'm NOT hosting a "Black Friday" or a "Small Business Saturday" or a "Cyber Monday" sale

I'm feeling a little ba-humbug-ish about the "buying" season right now.  I am subscribed to a whole bunch of company's newsletters and usually I don't mind just hitting delete as I'm scrolling through the hundreds of emails I get a day, but for some reason this year I'm over it.  I'm burnt out. This year it seems like the only thing people are talking about in my virtual world is shopping, crowds, how to avoid crowds, scams to watch out for, how to get the best deals, which day is the best sales, etc, etc, etc.

Honestly, I'm bored with the whole thing.  

I know that there are plenty of people in the world that need things, but most of the people I know personally don't need any of the crap that they are shopping for.  And that is truly what most of it is anyhow.... crap.

I know I sound bitter.  I feel bitter.  I wish the focus was on quality and meaning rather than sheer quantity.

So that brings me to my business.  There are lots of reasons that I sell handmades other than making a profit, but yes, the main reason that I produce and sell my art is to make a buck.  I am in business. Therefore, I need to sell things in order to stay in business.  I get it.

But by selling handmade merchandise, I don't make more profit by selling mass quantities at slashed prices.  I make less.  The time it takes (per item) to make 5 items is the same as if I was making 50.  I am still painting doll faces by hand, I am still double stitching seams, I am still pinning and cutting the fabrics, I am still doing all the things that need to be done to make what I make.  These steps don't go away just because I'm producing more.  

I would much rather sell less, but still sell a quality, handcrafted item that makes me proud to put my name behind it.  I am not looking to attract gobs of people to buy my stuff that are just buying to be buying.  I will gladly wait until the person who appreciates my work is ready to welcome it into their home at the appropriate price for the time it takes me to make it.