Editor’s note: We usually shy away from reprinting stuff from the Internet, but we’d like to make an exception in this case, as we gear up for the holidays and the shopping and gift-giving that accompany them. “Birth of a New Tradition” is popping up in emails across the country, and several people have forwarded it to the newspaper. Its authorship is a bit murky, so apologies to whoever wrote it.

As the holidays approach, the giant foreign factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.

This year will be different.

This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands.

Yes, there is! It’s time to think outside the box. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese-produced wrapping paper?

Everyone, yes everyone, gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small American-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

To those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen: Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

A bazillion owner-run restaurants offer gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half-dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint?

This isn’t about big national chains. This is about supporting our hometown Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, at a shop run by the American worker?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for Mom? Mom would love the services of a local cleaning person for a day.

Most computers could use a tune-up, and some local person is struggling to get a computer repair business up and running.

Looking for something more personal? Local craftspeople spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan holiday outings to local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip.

Do we really need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When we buy a $5 string of lights, about 50 cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mail carrier, trash collector or baby sitter a nice big tip.

Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that foreigners can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about us, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams.

And when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine.

This is the new American Christmas tradition.