November 16, 2021
Where has the last year gone?! It feels like I was just putting together my holiday gift guide for 2020 and now here we are again shopping local in New Jersey in 2021! For all of you making an effort to shop local for the holiday season, I just want you to know how much I appreciate you. As a small business myself, the past two years have been crazy but the support for small local businesses has been SO incredible to see. Just know, whether you shop one of my holiday ornaments or from one of the many incredible New Jersey shops below, I appreciate you!
Guess what’s back?! My Christmas ornaments are officially LIVE on etsy! There is a very limited supply this year and once they are gone, they are GONE (I just can’t risk shipping and supply issues that are all too prevalent this year!). Everything is fully customizable and pre-orders will start shipping on November 29th. The cut off for online orders will be December 6th for shipping orders and December 10th for pick-up orders . I don’t know about you, but these ornaments always put me in the holiday spirit – I can’t wait to share a little extra holiday cheer this year!
Use code LOCALPICKUP at checkout to save on shipping if you’re local to Hoboken, NJ
As a calligrapher, you can probably guess that I love a personalized gift. Schwing Shop offers beautiful custom embroidery on a variety of dreamy gifts ranging from apparel & accessories to dog bandanas and tote bags. Like anything custom, make sure to order early because these are sure to be a hit over the holiday season! Make sure to check out her custom embroidery Christmas stockings too!
I love a good, perfectly curated, gift box. Brittany Paige Designs has something for almost everyone on your list, but if you can’t find what you are looking for you can also build your own! Even if you don’t want a gift box, Brittany Paige Designs offers a range of dreamy gift items: candles, totes, pins, and more. She even offers holiday cards and wrapping paper so you can enjoy her one-stop shop for everyone on your list.
These ornaments pair well with my calligraphy ornaments, don’t you think? No matter what your style is, I always have to include Love Amarie’s painted ornaments in my holiday gift guide. Plus, who doesn’t want their Christmas ornaments to show off a little local Hoboken pride? If you have a bride-to-be on your list (or are a bride-to-be-yourself), she also has absolutely stunning custom clutches as well. Trust me, these are worth the splurge.
You know that Tiktok sound about never having too many candles? Can’t we all relate? Candles always seem to make a great gift and Wicked Scents has an absolutely outstanding collection. They carry different brands, but you’ll get special credit from me if you shop from their locally made section.
If you are looking to get most of your holiday shopping done in one stop, Washington General always seems to have something for everyone! You can feel their passion for gifts from the moment you walk through the doors. Frome cute custom carafes for a new homeowner (like the one pictured above!), garden essentials for the plant mom in your life, and a whole lot of local love from local vendors, you can feel good about shopping here. Have a new baby on your shopping list? These tiny Hoboken onesies make my heart melt a little bit!
Margo Market is my favorite place to shop for the fashion forward and sustainably conscious. Okay… and myself! Margo Market strives to connect us as consumers with real local artisans all over the world. Margo Market offers a variety of apparel, accessories, and home goods for every eco-friendly person on your list.
Can you tell I love giving home decor and unique Hoboken merchandise as presents? Unjumbold is another one of my favorite home goods stores – perfect for holiday shopping! They design their products to elevate your every day, and what I love even more is the conscious effort they make to support women, LGBTQ, and Black-owned companies. They carry a wide variety of home, art, and lifestyle products – and a lot show off the Hoboken New Jersey love (like the doormat pictured above or this unique New Jersey cutting board).
Who else has learned to appreciate wine a little more after this crazy year? For the wine-loving enthusiast in your life, I would happily recommend a virtual trip to Live Life Uncorked (a fellow etsy shop owner!). They have everything for the wine & cheese fan, from luxury cheese knives to wine tumblers! I’m also a huge fan of these sparkly gold resin coasters.
Jewelry is always a great gift. Love Locked is one of my favorite jewelry stores – specializing in unique and handcrafted goods! As a wedding calligrapher for most of the year, I often find myself admiring my couple’s gorgeous engagement rings and more often than not, they are from Love Locked! Even if you are not proposing this year, Love Locked has an absolutely stunning collection of earrings, necklaces, and rings. They even have a “Shop under $100” section to make gifting easy!
Shameless plug: If you want to shop my ornaments in person, you can do so here!
The Hive is still working on their online store, but I promise you they are worth the visit! Everyone appreciates a great bag of coffee (or a gift card!) but The Hive offers so much more than that. They offer a variety of wellness, beauty, and lifestyle products at their cafe, as well as some non-toxic toys for the mini-me’s on your list!
I hope you have found some holiday shopping inspiration here and I’ve made it (just a bit) easier to shop small and shop local this holiday season. As a small business owner myself, I know firsthand how much it means to both me and my fellow shop owners. One of the most rewarding parts of owning my own business for the past few years has been the relationships with vendors. These entrepreneurs work hard so I want to send you a huge THANK YOU for shopping local this holiday season. And of course, if you are in need of some Christmas ornaments, shop Write Pretty for Me below!