Christmas lights decorate the Square in Oxford, Miss., Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014. (Photo/Thomas Graning)
The Oxford Chamber of Commerce gets the holiday season started in early November with its campaign entitled “Shop Oxford,” which is in its fourteenth year. The campaign focuses on encouraging Oxford citizens to shop locally.
“It is a reminder campaign where we remind our local people that by shopping locally, their tax dollars are being spent and reinvested back into community services, like our schools, streets and other community services all over Oxford,” said Pam Swain, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Swain said it is crucial that people know the negative impact of shopping outside of Oxford and not supporting local businesses.
“People have become so accustomed to shopping out of convenience when they’re online or out of town that the holiday campaign is necessary to remind everyone how important that revenue is to our community,” Swain said.
The seven percent sales tax from Oxford businesses funds the city budget. The number of people choosing to shop in Oxford impacts whether or not the budget goal is not met, achieved or exceeded.
“It greatly impacts our city of Oxford budget,” Swain said. “There are years that we see a decrease in tax collections for the months of November and December, and that is very impactful as far as funding things within our community.”
For the past three years, however, revenues have increased annually for both months. According to the Department of Revenue for the State of Mississippi, Oxford’s sales tax figures for November increased nine percent from 2010 to 2011, five percent from 2011 to 2012 and 15 percent from 2012 to 2013. For December, the increases were 16 percent from 2010 to 2011, five percent from 2011 to 2012 and nine percent from 2012 to 2013.
Another campaign tactic the Chamber of Commerce uses to promote “Shop Oxford” is having a float in the annual Oxford Christmas Parade, which is held on the first Monday of December each year.
The Lions Club of Oxford organizes the parade.
“All we have to do is give the date out, and it takes care of itself,” said John Mulkey, Lions Club treasurer and parade associate chairman. “The community has always been very supportive and involved with the parade. It almost runs itself.”
The 40 or so members of the Lions Club begin planning in October to facilitate the 15 to 20 floats, various walking groups, classic cars, motorcycles, horses and five marching bands that the parade typically boasts.
“All of our funds that we raise are charitable, so the city helps us out with the actual cost, which is around $1,500 a year to put it on,” Mulkey said. “We try not to charge for anything since the city is pretty good about helping us out.”
Several other community organizations in Oxford have their own role in creating Oxford’s holiday atmosphere. Visit Oxford, city employees and the Oxford Electric Department are responsible for decorations found around town. The University of Mississippi Department of Hospitality and Nutrition works to host the Oxford Holiday Market held in the Oxford Conference Center each year.
“We all work together to promote one another and what we have going on,” Swain said. “Together, we make Oxford a very unique holiday experience.”
A new addition to the holiday celebration is the Holiday Open House hosted by the Oxford Square Alliance. This year marks the third annual Holiday Open House.
“The goal was to create a Norman Rockwell-type environment to kick off the holiday season, and I think for the past couple of years, we’ve really succeeded in that,” said William Hunt, employee and member of the Oxford Square Alliance.
The event, held on Black Friday each year, features pictures with Santa, ornament decorating, carriage rides and the official lighting of the Oxford Christmas tree.
The open house is funded by dues from the Oxford Square Alliance and various local sponsors.
“We want to make everything free, so that anyone can come and enjoy the atmosphere and experience the special place that Oxford and the Square are,” Hunt said.
While each organization does something different to help with the overall process, every group agrees that the collaboration and quality of the events help make Oxford a special place to celebrate the holidays.
“It keeps you grounded,” Mulkey said. “Christmas is both a religious and a secular holiday, and I think it’s important that whatever way you choose to celebrate it you have an outlet.”
