(Image: Station 7)
Still looking for a few perfect gifts? It’s the most wonderful time of the year to shop locally and skip the sadness of telling your special gift-getter that the perfect present is still somewhere in the back of UPS truck. Here are a few ideas from around Capitol Hill and the Central District. Let us know where you’re shopping this year in the comments.
Station 7 is a second-generation family business that focuses on handmade goods, and has made a retired 1920s firehouse its home. Lauren Tilden, owner, told CHS that some of this season’s bestsellers are shower steamers, which allow you to turn your shower into a full-blown steam room. Volcano topography coasters, candles, and minimalist jewelry by And Arlen have also been fan favorites.
“When you shop with us, you’re not only supporting our small business, but dozens of other local makers and artists whose goods we carefully curate,” Tilden said. “From candles and home goods to jewelry and paper goods and everything in between, Station 7 has you covered this holiday season.”
Tilden’s recommendations for stocking stuffers and smaller gifts consist of small, affordable, and festive tin candles made by Lulumiere, lip balm made partially from beeswax, and bun pins by local jewelry designer Rebekah J Designs.
Sprinkles of Joy Self-Care Deck is another stocking stuffer recommendation by Tilden, and features 50 cards across five categories: connection, savoring, gratitude, creativity and learning, and mood boosters. Station 7 is located on 15 Ave E.
If you’ve got a buddy that acts like an indoor cat during colder months, Elliott Bay Book Company has plenty of books that are easy to consume—like a bag of chips that you can’t put down. The woman and queer-owned independent bookstore has over 150,000 options resting on their cedar shelves. Senior book buyer Holly Myers recommends “Day” by Michael Cunningham.
“Michael Cunningham trains his perceptive lens to one family. Isabel and Dan are struggling in their marriage, as they parent their two young children while sharing their home with Isabel’s brother, Robbie,” Myers said. “The novel follows the course of their lives on a single day over three consecutive years, beginning on the morning of April 5, 2019. Told in three parts, and moving through the day and the years, the book explores both the banality of the day to day while plumbing the depths of love, loss and the bonds of family.”
(Image: Butter Home)
If marriage isn’t your thing, a recommended book for young adults is Oliver Jeffers’ “Begin Again: How We Got Here and Where We Might Go – Our Human Story. So Far.” Co-owner of the bookstore, Murf Hall, said Jeffers shares his thoughts on where we’ve been and what paths we choose to take. It’s an inviting book that allows readers to self-reflect to make positive changes in this world.
“His signature style artwork with undefined shapes make it all the easier to grasp the timely messages of inclusion, kindness and hope,” Hall said.
In addition to books, Elliott Bay Book Company offers eco friendly wooden bookmarks, washi tape, Edgar Allan Poe copper-tin literary themed candles, and for the Gays— a Lady Gaga inspired keychains with a rainbow backing that says “BORN THIS WAY.” The bookstore also has a wide range of puzzles, like a mushroom themed puzzle, a Christmas Lego puzzle, and Star Trek, among many others. Visit Elliott Bay Book Company on 10th Ave.
Butter Home, located in Chophouse Row, specializes in fun and functional home items and is stocked up on delightful gifts from local artists and makers. Owner Claire Corley shared some of her favorite gift suggestions with CHS.
“Some of my favorite locally made small gifts/stocking stuffers are Unit 65 Ceramic Soap Dishes with a lovely bar of soap, SML Topographic Coasters, brass plant stakes by Fruitsuper, Flower Bath Salt from A Wild Light Apothecary, handmade food themed ornaments from Crunch Supply, and any of the jewelry from Mucho Design, Knuckle Kiss, or Baleen,” Corley said.
Elm Candle Bar offers a variety of fall-scented candle options, including chai tea, christmas cookies, and candy canes. Kelsey Haynes, general manager, recommends scooping products from their signature scent collections, which includes candles, lotions, and car diffusers.
“We even made a sample bundle in cute holiday tins that make for a fun gift for a trio of friends,” Haynes said. “If you’re looking for an experience-based gift, we also offer gift cards for our custom scent blending in-store, and we’re currently offering a holiday promotion.”
(Image: Arte Noir)
This holiday season, if you purchase a $100 gift card, you receive $10 for your person. The scent-blending experience takes about an hour for a group of two and prices range from $30 to $53. Elm Candle Bar will be open on Christmas Even from 10am to 4pm for any last minute gift needs.
Located in Midtown Square in the Central District, Arte Noir celebrates and highlights Black artists and creators, and all proceeds go towards the artists. Products include a Holiday Slay Christmas coloring book, vintage brass multi-crystal Soul Chains, mugs and glasses, and a 2024 limited-edition calendar.
The Cura Co. describes themselves as a “one-stop shop for conscious living,” and is located on E Union near 24th. The store’s offerings range from apparel to home and beauty goods, with the Pichulik dynamic bracelet and Awamaki Inti handwoven Nawi wristlet being some current bestsellers. At Cura, individuals can shop women-owned, sustainable, BIPOC owned, handcrafted, vegan, and LGBTQIA+-made products.
$5 A MONTH TO HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
🌈🐣🌼🌷🌱🌳🌾🍀🍃🦔🐇🐝🐑🌞🌻
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.
Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for $5 a month -- or choose your level of support 👍
