Christmas Cards and Gift Ideas

There used to be an online store that ONLY sold items that are made in the US, but, sadly, they closed a little over a year ago. I have been sending cards that are made in the US for years, but they have gotten difficult to find. However, I found a new source–Allport Editions (allport.com). They have some really neat designs and while they are more expensive, they are not prohibitively so. This year we are sending a sledding badger. They also have cards for every occasion that you can buy singly.

For gift ideas:

While I originally was only looking for cards, Allport also has some fantastic gifts–puzzles and games and some unique items for children. (I ordered a puzzle for Thanksgiving and it was REALLY difficult.)

I love American Stationery for personalized stationery, but they also have really cute personalized cocktail napkins (https://www.americanstationery.com/dyo-white-napkin.html) and coasters (https://www.americanstationery.com/party/party-accessories/coasters.html).

I bought some cute tags and personalized stamps from rubberstamps.com for some friends last year–Made with Love in the Kitchen of __________. They loved them and they are great for someone that you know who does a lot of baking for gifts. Of course, a personalized address stamp is also a nice gift, especially for someone who has just bought a house, or moved.

There are all kinds of sources for personalized doormats out there, which also are nice gifts.

A mailbox vinyl cutout with name and address is cute and personal–I bought ours from Etsy. There are a bunch of sellers of this item.

There are several sources for personalized photo stamps that use a favorite photo of a loved one or furry friend. Such a cute idea, especially paired with some personalized stationery.

If you want to do a personalized gift, you need to go ahead and do it. This is their busiest time of year and their lead times get longer and longer.

If you are local to Chattanooga, here are some of my favorites:

Alchemy Spice–I especially love their breakfast spice and their poultry seasoning, but all their stuff is great. https://www.alchemyspicecompany.com/ Penzey’s Spices https://www.penzeys.com/ is another favorite of mine–their curry powder, ranch dressing mix, and cinnamon are real standouts.

Velo Coffee–great coffee and they will do cute little bags too, with enough notice. https://velocoffee.com/

Maven Table–fantastic bitters (and lots of different kinds) and mixers https://maventable.com/

Jaime Barks–does a series of ornaments that are just fantastic, but also does prints and original oil paintings. https://jaimebarks.com/

Alexa Lett–does mixed media artwork with fabrics, canvas, notions, and other found items. You can look her up on Facebook or Instagram. She sells items in her booth at Dirty Janes–Fleadom Riders.

The Blue Fox Cheese Shop–great cheese shop on Main Street–they have EVERYTHING!!

Reflections Gallery–they have original artwork and stained glass–just off Rossville Avenue.

My biggest suggestion for unique gifts is to go to smaller places who really curate what they sell and find things that you won’t see at the big box retailers.

Good luck!