(Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash)
If you are still looking for a Christmas gift, here are a few places that would appreciate your business. Missed the cuto have your items shipped by Christmas Day? There’s still Epiphany. Remember, there are 12 days of Christmas! Christmas ends on January 5th! And really, you don’t need a special day to send a gift. Gifts are appreciated all year round, especially when it’s least expected. So brighten someone’s day and order from one of these small businesses.
If you live in Montgomery County, Maryland this is a favorite shop. Pre-Covid, my daughter browsed their unique gifts and home decor, bought Maryland inspired gifts and goods, and enjoyed a hot cocoa. The store is still open and will provide different shopping experiences. You can still visit them in person or schedule a virtual shopping appointment for gift choosing and curbside pickup. The homey atmosphere and helpful shop assistants make this a quaint and beautiful shopping experience. It’s small town charm in the suburbs of D.C. Come and take a look. You won’t regret it.
Bethany Beach Bookstore located in Bethany Beach, Delaware is my favorite independent bookstore. Even though we don’t live locally, I take advantage of their online ordering and have book and gifts shipped directly to my home. In the summer they often have authors visiting for book signings. No matter the season, they’ll ship books to you. I love that they support independent as well as widely known authors. They are open in person, for curbside pickup, and can ship books directly to you. I’ve already taken advantage of their online shop to buy books for my favorite bibliophiles.
(Photo provided by Owner of Designs by Arias)
Designs by Arias makes exquisitely made hair bows, personalized pencil pouches, and face masks. I have bought several hair bows for my daughters. Designs by Arias offers high quality handmade hair accessories. She specializes in fancy glitter bows with polymer clay centers. I have also bought individual personalized pencil pouches for each of my children to keep their materials for distance learning in one place. I’ve ordered the large pouches which not only hold pencils, but also small notebooks. Perfect for school, travel, and learning from home. The owner has also ventured into masks and made personalized masks for her and her husband for their intimate wedding in November.
Lumber gypsy specializes in headbands, but also sells earrings, t-shirts, beanies, scarves, and blankets. I was introduced to Lumber Gypsy by a friend. I have a large collection of headbands created by the owner. They are comfortable and stylishly keep my hair out of my face. Her headbands sell out pretty quickly, but she restocks new patterns regularly. Any large families out there? I’ve gotten a lot of my compliments on my t-shirt, “Yes, they are all mine” referring to the gaggle of children I have around me at (almost) all times.
With love, Sarah is a small business that makes handmade and unique jewelry. I found her through a recommendation from a friend. When I first placed an order with Sarah she was fundraising for a local community devastated by flooding. She often gives a portion of her sales to charity. In addition to earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, she also makes wine charms, bookmarks, and trinket dishes. A good portion of my jewelry has been made by Sarah. I had an opportunity to meet her in person, and she is lovely.
Brightbox sends a small curated boxes of goodies. I have sent a few Brightboxes to friends. They have curated boxes or you can make your own to have sent. Each Brightbox includes a personal note from you. Just choose your card to fit the occasion and send. They have a little something for everyone. Don’t have time to send it for Christmas? These boxes are good for anytime of the year when the recipient could use a pick-me-up. Or send one as a birthday surprise!
Elly & Grace makes Christian t-shirts for women. I currently own their Choose Joy t-shirt and Choose Love hat. 2020 has been a rough year and I have often pulled one of these items to wear to remind me to Choose Joy no matter the circumstance. They have uplifting messages and remind us to Love our Neighbor (even when we don’t want to). Elly & Grace designs a variety of short sleeves and long-sleeves options.
Seneca Creek Crafts makes miniature wreaths for all occasions. According to their Etsy site, "Seneca Creek Crafts is a tiny family business making tiny things! Julie handcrafts miniature wreaths (3 inch ornaments & 2 inch dollhouse decor), Mikey helps at craft shows, and Jenny designs miniwreaths and rubber loop bracelets." I love that the family is involved in this business venture. I currently have my eye on a mini wreath to share with a friend.
Longhand makes customized pencils emblazoned with song lyrics or tv show and movie quotes. The owner will also make customized pencils for the name of your special someone. This is a perfect gift for the student or writer in your life. From their site: “At Longhand Pencils, we want to inspire you to bring writing by hand back into the modern age. With pop-culture-inspired foil-stamped pencils, you can celebrate your Stranger Things binge-watching and Taylor Swift carpool karaoke-ing with the OG writing instrument: the #2. Now, write on.” They are closed through January 4th, but the pencils are a perfect gift anytime of the year. There are so many references to great books, song lyrics, tv shows, and movies that I’m having a hard time deciding what to order. I guess I just have to buy them all!
Need something for the pensive reader? Give them a subscription to Ruminate Magazine. This thoughtful literary magazine weaves beautiful artwork, poetry, and prose. They publish both fiction and nonfiction pieces. From their site: “Stories, poetry, and art teach us to slow down, to listen, and to pay attention, awakening our hearts to ourselves and one another. Every quarter, a new issue of Ruminate is delivered to your mailbox, helping you nourish and reaffirm your creative and spiritual intentions.” This is a favorite lit mag for those days I just want to get lost in words and artwork while sipping my favorite tea.
**Author Note: The author does not recieve any compensation from the small businesses mentioned above. She just loves to support small business owners. Happy shopping!
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