We should do everything we can to support Canberra businesses this season

And travelling anywhere involving borders is, for many, beyond the pale this year.

But while this may well be the fourth summer in a row that has been sullied by forces beyond our control - heatwaves, bad weather, fires and a pandemic - this one could be as good a time as any to keep it local, and mindfully so.

Stay local, eat local, shop local - each of these acts will be helping Canberra's flagging economy.

Many of us have spent most of the long lockdown weeks in our own suburbs, dreaming of a time when we can leave, freely.

Drive to the coast, catch the Murrays to Sydney, fly to Queensland, book tickets overseas - perhaps we'll leave these for sometime next year.

In the meantime, it's now the time to start exploring beyond our own suburbs and comfortable little communities, and see what so many of our small businesses have to offer.

For the vast majority of us, online shopping is a modern convenience that is here to stay, and has broadened our horizons immeasurably when it comes to the way we consume almost anything.

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And for a good many of us, it's got to the point that wandering into a local shop and emerging with a purchase feels downright quaint, especially with the looming panic of Christmas.

But it shouldn't. Our local shops and businesses are where our money should be directed right now.

Our local economy anticipates a rush every year, but with lockdowns, border restrictions and so much uncertainty, not one business is taking its local customers for granted this time around.

Many local art and craft shops broaden their ranges, and local makers work overtime as a matter of course at this time of year to give shoppers more inspiration for gifts, and this year is no different.

The gift guide in last week's Panorama liftout was a conscientious reminder of all the things on offer this year, and all the ways we can support our local artists, makers, galleries, arts organisations and restaurants.

Similarly, with yet another summer of no extensive travel, there's no better time to sample the city's burgeoning - and strangely eclectic - restaurant scene, much of which is tucked away, gem-like, in suburban shopping centres.

Buying, eating and staying local also means keeping more Canberrans employed.

It's not something most of us think too deeply about when we scroll through untold millions of online offerings and fork over money to the likes of Amazon.

COVID has made the world feel, at times, both smaller and larger, as we've all been beset by a common enemy even as our own worlds have shrunk down to a small inner circle.

But it's this sense of community that has perhaps been missing in the years leading up to COVID.

Many have forgotten how much is happening in their own suburb, how many small businesses are working hard to keep the community going, and how many of us appreciate their presence.

So, art, jewellery, homewares, prints, books, fancy gin, locally-made chocolate, or even a restaurant voucher - any of these are readily available at several places around town, and most will let you order via click and collect as well.

It's a new world, filled with old-world traditions and comforts. Let's take the best of what Canberra has to offer us this season.

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