Welcome to my carefully curated just for you 2020 holiday gift guide that actually supports people just like you and me! If you are one of the fortunate who remains employed during this incredibly trying pandemic, and you have some disposable income to bless others with gifts this holiday season, this guide is for you.
This holiday (or #treatyoself) gift guide is meant to help you focus your shopping in places that will make real life people do a happy dance when you make a purchase. Whether it’s a stay-at-home mama slinging goods as a brand rep for a company she loves and making a commission in the process (hi! me!)… Or maybe it’s a small business in your hometown that is fighting tooth and nail to stay open… Not to forget all of the wonderful independent bookstores out there that provide so much more fulfillment to shop from than places like Amazon (does Jeff Bezos really need to be any richer?)… And, most importantly, there are recommendations in here that also point you in the direction of supporting our black-owned business community plus women in business.
So much thought has gone into these recommendations, that I truly hope you will take the time to click on each link and check out every business. They are all incredible!
Much love and many thanks,
XOXO
Lea 🙂
Black-Owned Businesses
Now more than ever, we need to support all of the wonderful black-owned businesses out there! Get all of the candles that make up the Diaspora collection from Bright Black Candles, with this set of five full-sized candles. With this collection, you’ll travel the globe and take a scent journey across space and place. The set includes five full-sized candles that honor cities of Black greatness. Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Durham (USA), Kingston (Jamaica), Paris (France) and Salvador (Brasil).The Zen Succulent is a modern terrarium and plant craft business based in Durham, and can ship plants and accessories to your doorstep! “We play with the concepts of nature’s classical elements (air, earth, water) through our individual terrarium’s use of tillandsia air plants, Japanese marimo balls, vibrant succulents, and more, and how each inhabits its respective landscape.”Everly Organics is a high end, yet approachable, organic beauty line featuring CBD oil as a key ingredient. The brand is a unique boutique experience for women of color and women facing unique skin care challenges.Jeddah’s Tea is firmly committed to maintaining a supply chain that empowers local economies. “We stand for social equity and economic empowerment for all. We endeavor to educate and liberate our community, and to always be open to learning from it. We are dedicated to creating safe space for people from all racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, gender, economic and societal backgrounds, and provide all access for those of all abilities.”
A Few of My Own Business Ventures
I have an Etsy shop of photography prints, art, and postcards! Right here is a listing for a set of film photography farmers’ market prints, for the homegrown lover in your life. I’d love for you to check out my shop for other photography-related gift ideas.
This bath set is perfect for the self-care lover in your life. This skin-softening trio from Beautycounter, is designed to create a luxurious at-home spa moment to reveal hydrated, healthier-looking skin and boost peace of mind. It includes everything needed to unwind before, during, and after bathing. And then there’s the jellies!! Sheer, high-shine color plus sweet scents, minus the sticky finish. These universally flattering lip glosses from Beautycounter glide on easily with a lightweight, cushiony texture. This holiday favorite is back in an ultra-glossy rainbow of shades!Calling all wine lovers! I’m obsessed with the clean-crafted organic (and headache-free!) wines from Scout and Cellar. They have lots of beautifully curated holiday wine gift sets, including this gorgeous sampler set!Did you know that Monat isn’t just haircare, skincare, and wellness products? They have goodies for pets, too! I can’t rave enough over this pet duo from Monat! It smells incredible! It includes a gentle cleansing dog wash balanced for your furry family’s specific skin pH level, as well as a freshen up deodorizing spray for the times you can’t quite manage bathing your pup!
More Woman-Owned Businesses
One of my absolute favorite people owns one of my favorite shops, located in Friday Harbor, Washington. I love the selection of home goods, gifts, and clothing she curates from around the country! Please check out Deer Hazel!
The Flourish Market based in Raleigh, NC currently currently partners with 50+ brands that work all over the world, providing dignified jobs and fair wages to inspiring artisans and makers in vulnerable communities. “After launching our brick & mortar store in Downtown Raleigh in November 2016, we quickly realized that while customers were excited to intercede in the life of a woman in the developing world though their purchases, they were also in desperate need of someone to encourage their worth as well. It’s our hope that you find that here.”Local Durham mama and friend of mine, Natalie from MeGotTheBeatDesigns, does an incredible job repurposing vinyl into jewelry! These earrings are the perfect gift for the retro, vinyl lover in your life who lives for nostalgia and has an excellent sense of style.Matilda Jane has some of the sweetest pieces for your home, gifts for kids, and clothes for yourself plus your kiddos (matching mama + daughter time, anyone!?)! My friend Jessica works with them and has her own site to shop through. And I adore every last piece!Capturing a sophisticated perspective of the kid in all of us, JacQueline honors the iconic LEGO® brick with fine details of ethically sourced Diamonds & recycled precious metals. Y’all… fine jewelry made with LEGO bricks!! How do I pick just ONE favorite piece from her shop!? You MUST check out her incredible work.I have been a fan of elSage Designs for years! Inspired by a life spent adventuring outside, and local to the heart of Skagit Valley, WA, elSage is focused on fostering adventure and connection to community. Using a mix of block printing and screen printing techniques, Phoebe and Jonathan create unique apparel, accessories, and prints, bringing together activism, art, and a sense of place. Deeply rooted in both social and environmental responsibility, elSage donates 1% of annual gross earnings to organizations working tirelessly to save the environment. They spend additional donation dollars giving to social justice organizations fighting for equality.I discovered this amazing shop while strolling through Black Mountain, NC a few months ago. Element Tree Essentials is a small local business specializing in hand crafting a very unique candle: a soy lotion candle that doubles as a fragrant moisturizer! A luxurious addition to the home and body, Element Tree Essentials brings a variety of delicious fragrances to any space. Offering warm and inviting ambiance, these lotion candles infuse the skin as a warm moisturizer- a lavish gift to the skin. These distinctive candles are the perfect gift for any occasion.“The things we make (at The Far Woods) reflect our deepest desires about the world. We seek to contribute to a great Culture Shift in which there is a land ethic, a reverence for nature, a rejection of the dominant throw-away mentality, and direct connection to where our food and the things we use come from. Many of our artworks serve as educational tools and inspiration for deepening relationship to nature, food, and community. Our practice crosses disciplines, including teaching handcraft skills, beekeeping, and growing food, to work toward an ecologically-viable and socially-just future.”My dear friend Laura is on a journey to adopting from Burundi. So she has created a shop full of beautiful items to help fundraise this family dream. 100% of the profits from these shirts will go towards the Duggleby Family adoption. Please check out The Advocate Hope Shop.Lisa Crowder Jewelry is another wonderfully talented maker, based in Austin, TX!Janet Guertin is an incredibly talented local artisan of handmade journals, paper goods, and artist books. Check out these amazing cork journals!If you’re local to the Pittsboro, NC area, Solstice Herb Farms is the most creative soap maker I have ever known! You can get in touch with Stephanie at the Pittsboro Farmers’ Market or on Facebook!Lindsey from Clockwork Songbird Cosplay and Jewelry is not only an incredibly talented maker, but a wonderful human, too! I highly recommend checking out her Etsy shop!
If you’re local to the Pittsboro or greater Triangle, NC area, definitely check out Over the Moon Farm! I adore Emily and her family so much and she is such a wonderful local resource for all things flowers!! Local pickup & delivery available.
Gifts That Do Good
Have you thought about buying gifts from nonprofit organizations that are working hard to make this world a better place? The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where every member of the LGBTQ family has the freedom to live their truth without fear, and with equality under the law. We empower our 3 million members and supporters to mobilize against attacks on the most marginalized people in our community.Preemptive Love stretches across Iraq, Syria, Latin America, the United States, and beyond, working together to unmake violence and create the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible. They respond fast with relief on the frontlines of conflict: food to help families survive, shelter to remake home, and medicine to mend the wounds of war. They create jobs—providing capital for vulnerable families to start businesses, coaching to help their businesses thrive, and connection to global marketplace. And they reach across enemy lines and creating the most diverse community of peacemakers on the planet, to stop the next war before it starts.
Indie Bookstores
Flyleaf Books based in Chapel Hill, NC, now offers curbside pickup and shipping options!Books are Magic is a wonderful indie shop in Brooklyn that I recently ordered from!Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh is not only a kick ass indie bookstore, but pre-pandemic they also hosted some of the most amazing author events. I mean, I got to see Sally Mann do a speaking event and then meet her afterwards!McIntyre’s Books is located just up the road from me in Pittsboro, NC (Fearrington Village). I so very enjoy not only their thoughtfully curated book selection, but also their incredibly inviting atmosphere and friendly staff.Here is a beautifully curated set of books from a local female-owned business in Raleigh, The Flourish Market. 2020 was literally one for the books. When catching up on the newest reads, always support independent retailers and bookstores!
What other suggestions would you add to this list that falls in line with one of the above categories? I’d love to hear you suggestions and possibly update the list as time goes on!
