OK, maybe Wal-Mart is the only solvent mercantile operation in the country, but that doesn’t mean you have to do all your shopping in the big-box behemoths. Especially not this season, which is supposed to be about the joy of giving. Where’s the joy in giving the same-old, same-old, when the one-of-a-kind, never-thought-of-that gifts — the ones that will surprise you as well as the folks on your gift list — can only be found in Tampa Bay’s small independent businesses?

That's the thinking behind Creative Loafing’s Indie Holiday Shopping Spree. We'll be spotlighting a variety of locally owned, independently run establishments where you can find everything from an ammo vest to a rat zapper to Gasparilla Christmas ornaments made out of goose eggs (they're at Villa Rosa Distinctive Linens in Tampa).

Plus, we’re offering an incentive to encourage your indie shopping sprees: Sign the Shop Local pledge, and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win $1,000 worth of gift certificates from participating local retailers.

See the Creative Loafing staff scour Tampa Bay for some unique holiday gifts: