The holiday season is officially upon us, and while many of you may be presently focused on stringing up lights or stocking our pantries with baking ingredients, you may also find yourself facing an unchecked holiday shopping list. It’s been a stressful year, after all.
Fortunately, the holiday season presents the perfect opportunity to support small businesses. The perks of shopping small are numerous. For example, purchasing from small businesses supports communities and local economies, provides sustainable shopping alternatives and offers unique products with personal customer service.
If you’ve enjoyed shopping from the comfort of your own home during the pandemic, Etsy is the perfect place to turn to during the holidays for one-of-a-kind, personalized gifts. Etsy is a global marketplace for small businesses and features a variety of items ranging from jewelry to home decor.
If you’d like to shop small this holiday season, here are five Etsy shops you won’t want to miss out on.
1. The Brady Scrunch
The Brady Scrunch is a handmade scrunchie business based out of the UK. However, these aren’t your average monochromatic scrunchies. Every item in The Brady Scrunch’s inventory is pop-culture-inspired. Each scrunchie is made from Duchess satin, handsewn, and features original illustrations and designs on its fabric. Whether it’s the Bridgerton, Olivia Rodrigo, Gilmore Girls, or Taylor Swift design that catches your eye, there’s a little something for everyone’s stocking!
2. ARTTbyALII
ARTTbyALII is based out of Dunnville, Canada, and sells the owner’s original artwork and pop-culture inspired items. Ranging from stickers to stunning art prints, ARTTbyALII offers unique finds for the fans of Star Wars, Marvel, Harry Potter, and other popular music artists in your life.
3. Mustard Yard Press
Based out of Los Angeles, California, Mustard Yard Press offers a wide variety of unique, colorful prints that can be featured on t-shirts, crewnecks, phone cases, stickers, and so much more. Heavily inspired by a vintage aesthetic, Mustard Yard Press puts a stylistic twist on pop culture’s biggest movie franchises and musical artists. Whether you’re looking for a funny t-shirt or something eye-catching for someone on your list, this Etsy shop’s got you covered!
4. BriarWick
Is there someone on your list who only needs the slightest excuse to buy a new candle? Well, BriarWick is your one-stop-shop. BriarWick is based out of Los Angeles, California, and combines the owner’s love of candles and literature. While the majority of BriarWick’s soy candle scents are heavily inspired by the characters and settings of various popular fantasy novels, their inventory has expanded to also include seasonal and more general scents. Regardless of the candle you chose, these light and airy scents are sure to be the hit of your Secret Santa exchange!
5. Sunflowerhues
Looking for truly eye-catching jewelry? Look no further than Sunflowerhues. Based out of California, this Etsy shop sells handcrafted, truly one-of-a-kind polymer clay jewelry. With stunning designs and an expansive inventory, you’ll be able to account for all the varying tastes of your loved ones while browsing this shop.
Wishing you a very happy holiday season, collegiettes! Happy shopping!