Shopping locally this Christmas will support the community

Whether its grabbing the ingredients for our favourite holiday meals or trying to find the perfect present for loved ones, everyone will be spending plenty of time in stores.

And after such a tough year for businesses, Christmas shopping provides the perfect opportunity to support local industry.

President of Narooma Chamber of Commerce, Keira Marchini, said the most important reason to shop locally was to support the community.

"Our community can't grow if the businesses aren't doing well," she said. "We've seen so many shopfronts close over the past few years. We don't want that.

"Our town needs to be picked up, not left behind.

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"[When you shop locally] your paying for somebody's kid to go to school or something like that, rather than somebody's bonus Christmas check."

Ms Marchini said it's been a tough year for local businesses, with so many things being so expensive, and Christmas sales will be crucial to many people.

"Businesses are feeling that and having to pass on the prices," she said.

"Especially after the last four or five years. We had bushfires and then we've had COVID, and this year, for myself personally, has been the hardest. This year, with prices increase and everything like that, it's actually been a lot worse.

"So everyone's kind of hanging out hoping that this Christmas, it's gonna make a difference."

There will be events such as A Very Tilba Christmas at Central Tilba (December 1-3), in the lead up to Christmas, will be showcasing some of the region's local businesses and providing a fun atmosphere for Christmas activities.

With many products available online with convenience and at a cheaper price, Ms Marchini said shopping local will be a commitment.

"Committing to paying that extra couple of dollars to see a shop stick around in town and do a bit better," she said.

"Making that commitment to help each other out in town, rather than going out of town, doing a Canberra shopping trip or shopping online, you've just got to make that choice, and think, 'I hope this business is still here in a few years. I'm gonna do what I can to support them'.

"It's never not going to be important to support each other in town.

"We've gone through so much together and I think everyone this year is [thinking], 'If I can just make it through this Christmas, I've just got to make one more Christmas'."

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