One of the great things about living in Wellington County is the collective of small towns and villages that make up our area.
Each place is a little different from the other, yet in all the ways you’d expect, very much the same. All are grounded in a sense of community, and nothing brings about that sense of home quite like the Christmas season.
We take care of our own, here. Neighbours help one another. We support our food banks, hospitals, charity groups and church fundraisers. We watch out for each other’s kids. We make eye contact on the street and often say hello to people we don’t know, because it’s the right thing to do.
And when the snow piles up, as it’s sure to do soon, my neighbour Dave will truck across the street in his snow-blowing tractor and make sure the Carpenter doesn’t have to shovel. We love Dave (no, seriously, we love Dave).
We are there for each other when tragedy strikes, because we all know someone affected by it. We like to celebrate together too. Some of the best parties I’ve ever been to, I could walk home from (thanks Dave). Grocery shopping takes me about three social hours. And if I’m looking for my friends on any weekend from September to April, chances are they are at the arena. I like that.
This holiday season, I want to remind you that taking care of our own also means supporting our local merchants. “Shop local” might be a buzz phrase these days, but it goes beyond retail trends. It’s not just about buying more stuff. These are the stores that donate to our fundraisers with silent auction items, offering up door prizes. They hang the promotional posters of our special events in their store windows, but have to pay for advertising to support their own businesses. If we’re going to draw from our local shops, we need to support them too.
It’s truly about creating the kind of community we want and making sure it thrives. Our economic future here depends on the success of our local businesses, but it goes beyond shopping. When we support the shops, we support the families behind them. They are the people you see at the grocery store and the hockey arena too. These people are as invested in our community as we are, and those are the kinds of businesses I want to support. We’re all creating a positive standard of life here, together.
I’m not bashing big box stores. They create jobs and contribute to the local economy too. I have gift requests to fill that no independent retailer could accommodate. My shopping list will be both local and beyond, but I will make a conscious effort to do what I can right here. My books will come from the store where they actually remember which authors I like, and also sell the books written by my writer friends in town. Our Christmas stockings will be full of the best candy bought from a store that specializes in sugar addictions. The unique antique treasures and funky clothes are all from here. And for handcrafted, original pieces, well, let’s face it, the best artisans live here.
Think big picture, but small storefront window.
(Note: my wish list is posted in every store window. Just sayin’.)