The holiday shopping season is in full frenzy once again and shopping locally offers a chance to support our area's economy while crossing items off somebody's wish list.

Why it matters: This year's holiday season is one of the most important ever for Columbus' small business community according to Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance.

• The district boasts the city's densest concentration of local businesses — nearly 300 — and many are still reeling from the pandemic.
• "These are our friends and neighbors," Pandora tells Axios. "They make Columbus an incredible place people love to visit and love to live in. Without them, it would be a drastically different community."

State of play: After cutting back last year, shoppers are in a spending mood, Axios' Joann Muller writes. The problem is there may be fewer products to buy due to supply chain logjams.

Yes, but: Area vendors are stocked with Ohio-sourced products and can meet shoppers' needs, Ashley Vukovic, spokesperson for Experience Columbus, tells Axios. She refers shoppers to the destination marketing group's gift guide.

• The Short North has organized a holiday shopping trail with e-gift card rewards.

Our favorite central Ohio shops and the gifts they offer:

• For a bookworm: You can't go wrong with The Book Loft in German Village.
• Tyler enjoys giving away gift cards to encourage friends and families from out of town to get lost in the 32-room shop.
• For a sports fan: The Window Guy & Co. offers officially licensed Ohio State home decor and other Ohio-themed items, including coasters featuring iconic landmarks.
• Bonus points from us BGSU grads for having Falcons merch in Buckeye Country!
• Locations: Polaris Fashion Place and the Mall at Tuttle Crossing.
• For a coffee-holic: Grounds from Stauf's Coffee Roasters are the gift that keep on giving — a nice jolt of caffeine — every morning. Festive flavors include Winter Wonderland, Holiday Grog, Gingerbread and Peppermint Cream.
• Multiple Locations
• For a fashionista: Create one-of-a-kind jewelry with Red Giraffe Designs. Alissa bought her mom a bracelet and herself an Ohio charm necklace last year.
• Short North, Grandview Heights, Easton Town Center.
• For an experience: Pouring custom candles at Penn & Beech Candle Co. (formerly The Candle Lab) creates a fun memory and a gift to go.
• Short North, Grandview Heights and Worthington.

📬 What area businesses are your favorite? Reply to this email and help us create a local shopping guide.

In addition to businesses, area nonprofits can also use our help during the holiday season.

• Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, so there's no better time to start.

Our suggestions:

• Mid-Ohio Food Collective: This food bank helps distribute supplies to other local food help charities.
• Franklin County Children's Services: The agency is accepting gifts for children and is hosting a "Black Girl Magic" toy drive on Dec. 11.
• Charity Newsies: For over a century, this organization has raised money to donate clothing to local children in need.

📬 Which area nonprofits do you support? You know what to do.

Ohio State's eight-game winning streak over its archrival had to end at some point, didn't it?

Driving the news: Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh finally got his victory over OSU as the Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes at home, 42-27.

Why it matters: You know why.

What they're saying: "I feel awful," Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said after the game.

• "It's a failure. It hurts. It hurts a lot."
• Defensive tackle Haskell Garrett offered an apology to Buckeyes fans, writing: "As a defensive leader I did not uphold the standard that was set before me in that game … May the rivalry clock reset."

State of play: There was a lot at stake in this year's Big Game.

• Michigan heads to the Big Ten conference title game Saturday for a shot at the four-team College Football Playoff.
• The Buckeyes finish the regular season with two losses and are now on the outside looking in.

To make matters worse, we owe the victors some Ohio-made goodies.

What's next: The Buckeyes await the result of the Big Ten championship and this year's bowl game selection.

🧢 Last week, we asked readers to send in score predictions for a chance to win Axios swag.

• Only three guessed a Wolverine upset.

The winner: John R., who predicted a 32-28 win for Michigan. Congratulations!

🧑‍🎓 Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, an Athens County native, recently launched a new career development program for Ohioans. (CBS Sports)

🚨 Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers will wear body cameras for the first time starting next spring. (WOSU)

🥪 The SK Food Group, a Seattle-based food supply company with a plant in Groveport, announced plans for a new Columbus facility that will create 305 new jobs. (One Columbus)

🎤 Nightbirde, a singer from Zanesville who wowed viewers of "America's Got Talent," says the cancer she's battling is starting to disappear. (CNN)

⚽ Columbus will once again host a World Cup qualifier match for the U.S. men's national team in January. (The Columbus Dispatch)

👋 Tyler here. As a history nerd with too much time on my hands, I'm obsessed with old photos and comparing "then and now."

• In other words, this video showcasing the OSU campus and High Street circa 1965 is an absolute relic.

Flashback: The mind wanders. Is the man wearing a shirt and tie a professor or a well-dressed student? How long did the local typewriter store remain in business? What are sign-carrying students protesting?

• It took some effort to correctly place some of the High Street jaunts, but I was able to track a few blocks with the help of Google Maps.

The intrigue: The building that would later house Buckeye Donuts can be seen around the 19:10 mark.