Well, Asheville, we’re not sure how it happened, but in the blink of an eye, the holidays have arrived. Hanukkah starts today, Christmas is 15 days away, Kwanzaa starts on Dec. 26, and the general season of giving is well underway. Long story short — we’ve got some shopping to do. 🎁
Here is our curated list of qualitree gift ideas so you can sleigh the holidays.
🎁 Our Editors’ picks
Last year, I (Brook) got my BFF a pair of salvaged leather fringe earrings from M Designs, and she loved them. Minx, Hazel Twenty + Charmed Asheville are also high on my local shopping list this year.
Ali here — I’ve been trolling the Show & Tell Holiday Pop-Up shop (where I snagged myself some earrings from YEWO) and The Big Crafty’s Instagram, where they’re highlighting area makers + their wares in lieu of their usual winter fest – so far I got an adorable plushy for a friend’s little one from Tadpole Creations. And I’m crushing hard on JAWBREAKING’s offerings at their brand new brick + mortar (19 ½ Eagle St.), which are gonna look great on any fashion-forward loved ones on my list.
🎁 Stocking Stuffers
○ A cute + functional tea towel from The High Fiber
○ A giftcard to Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe — to buy all the books
○ A delectable hot cocoa bomb from Ivory Road Cafe & Kitchen
○ A long tail scrunchie from Southern Charm
○ A limited edition tea candle that smells heavenly + is soy-based from Dobra Tea, Nightshift Wax Co., and Idle Hands Ceramics
🎁 If you’re shopping for…
Your Gen-Z cousin who sends you the funniest memes on Instagram + has 609 followers on Spotify:
○ A witty t-shirt from Moonlight Makers or tickets for a seated patio show at The Grey Eagle (fingers crossed for a mid-late 2021 concert season).
Your neighbor who always has a treat for your dog and never lets you forget about street sweeping day:
○ A pretty print by a local artist or a fresh wreath for their front door.
Your funny coworker who has a sweet tooth and never gets annoyed when you have a dumb question on a Monday morning:
○ A pie flight from Baked Pie Co. or this locally made leather wrap bracelet by Dawn Rentz.
Your sister that loves taking nature photos, but only for the aesthetic:
○ Beautifully potted succulents from Flora Asheville or a membership to the WNC Nature Center.
Your BFF from college who moved to New York after graduation and is one cold winter away from being convinced to move back:
○ A Winter Gift Set from Echoview Fiber Mill or some award-winning shoes for outdoor adventuring from Astral Footwear .
For the friend that has an Instagram page for their pet:
○ Pamper that pup with superfood treats from Botanical Bones or a new collar or leash from Hollywoof Styles (they come in soo many styles + colors).
Your grandma who plays a mean game of bridge, lets you eat ice cream for breakfast + just learned how to FaceTime:
○ A Faber Castell fountain pen from Origami Ink or the Asheville Bee Charmer cookbook.
Your one-year-old nephew (or best friends’ kid) who is, without a doubt, the cutest nugget of all time:
○ A pretty bedtime book called Goodnight Asheville + a bottle of Chemist Gin from Chemist Spirits for nugget’s folks.
Your mom who runs half marathons faster than you and folds a fitted sheet in under two minutes:
○ A garmin watch from Jus Running, or a donation in her name to a local nonprofit like Homeward Bound,
Open Hearts Art Center, or the Asheville Humane Society.
The cute guy you met online who always beats you at Mario Kart and who you’re not dating but you’re not, like, not dating either:
○ A funny flask from Sanctuary of Stuff + a reservation at Axeville.
Your dad, the undisputed grill master + craft beer aficionado, who would also love to not receive another pair of socks this year:
○ The Grill & Roast spice collection from Spicewalla or some sustainably crafted leather kicks from Asheville-based Opie Way Footwear.
The music maven that you just know will sell out The Orange Peel one day:
○ A vinyl record print of their demo from Citizen Vinyl or a pint glasses from Moog Music.
Your White Elephant gift exchange match (with a $25 limit to boot):
○ A sweet pair of earrings from Embellish Asheville or a cute post- or note card from TwoPeas Postcards.
