Local, to me, has always been about connection, support, and kindness.

I remember attending a craft fair at our community centre with my Mom, the tables filled with handmade treasures, the air buzzing with chatter, and the smell of coffee percolating from one of those big, silver urns. Mom gave us the nod and my sister and I each chose the biggest Christmas stocking we could find, lovingly crocheted by someone in our neighbourhood, to no one’s surprise, we still hang those same stockings every year.

Whenever Auntie Rosemary would visit, she would bring us little gifts and fun trinkets that were thoughtful and unique and always made us feel so special. One of the best gifts I’ve ever received was when I was about 12 years old. She brought me the most beautiful handmade, stuffed otter which was made by a local artist in Vancouver, where she’s from. In it’s little hands, she tied a signet ring with my initial etched into the top. I was completely enamoured by both gifts, she captured the feelings of the child in me and the young woman I was turning into. I still have both of these precious items.
This is how I learned the art of gift giving, from the beautiful women in my life that showed me how to appreciate the special, thoughtful, and unique things that you usually find when buying local.

My sister and I have the fondest memories of a restaurant we visited as kids during a family trip to California, a place called Longfellows. It was such a unique and unforgettable experience that we still talk about it today. I must have been about nine. The meal was served family-style: soup, salad, chicken, steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, and cornbread, all endlessly refilled the moment a bowl ran empty. And dessert? An entire chocolate cake. When you arrived, kids were weighed on an old-fashioned scale in the lobby to determine how much they’d have to pay. It was quirky, generous, and completely unforgettable. Years later, I looked it up and discovered there were a few locations, maybe a small California chain, but to me, it still felt local.

Local, after all, is specific to wherever you are. It’s about buying from, eating at, and visiting places owned and run by people who live in the community. No big chains, no corporate gloss, just small businesses with heart, character, and connection. Supporting them has always felt like the truest way to experience a place.