Some of us are natural-born gift-givers who know just the right gifts for every wonderful person in our lives. Meanwhile, the rest of us might have a harder time picking out the perfect present.
Regardless of which category you fall into, being conscious of where you’re shopping and who you’re supporting is important. We vote with our dollars, so it is crucial that we give our money to companies that align with our values whenever possible. Here are some of my favorite places to shop during the holiday season that I can feel good about supporting.
There is no better way to show someone just how much they mean to you than by getting them a gift unique to their interests and hobbies. The absolute best place to go for this is Etsy, where the possibilities are endless. I have gone to Etsy for countless gifts, from a Rachel Green-inspired sweatshirt for my Friends loving friend to a morse code necklace with a sweet message for my bestie.
Etsy is also the perfect place to turn for music and TV-related gifts. Just a quick search of your loved one’s favorite artist, for example, is bound to provide you with an endless array of potential gifts. The best part about Etsy is that, because it is a website for handmade goods, you know you are supporting small businesses and artists.
I first discovered Gasp while scrolling through TikTok a few months ago, and I haven’t been able to get them out of my brain since. Gasp is the perfect destination for all your Millennial and Gen-Z gifting needs, selling items from Jibbitz for your Crocs to car air fresheners to sweatshirts. Some of my favorite items they’re selling are their dinosaur claw clip and beautiful body candles. Truly, though, you cannot go wrong with anything from Gasp. Even if you already have a gift picked out, they have the perfect accessories to make sure your presentation is perfect, including Harry Styles wrapping paper.
While online shopping is super fun, there is nothing like the experience of walking into a store and physically perusing everything on display. Nearby, one of my absolute favorite places to do this is Idyll Mercantile. Located in Downtown Santa Barbara right off State Street, this is the perfect place to go for any of your more earthy, granola friends. The staff are super friendly, and they can help you find the perfect plant to gift your loved one. They do, after all, have a huge selection to choose from. They also have beautiful jewelry and prints, as well as cards that you may want to give alongside your gift. They do have a website as well, but the inventory on there is quite limited. For the best experience, I highly recommend visiting Idyll Mercantile in person.
If you’re shopping for a wellness fanatic, Lush is the perfect place to visit. They are known for their hard stance against animal testing, which means that when you shop here you know you are supporting a brand that does not practice cruelty towards animals. They have incredible gift sets that range from under $25 to over $100, so there is bound to be something your loved one will enjoy. If you prefer to piece together gift sets on your own, they are also known for their colorful bath bombs and refreshing masks that are sure to help your loved one get relaxed. You can either shop online, or you can visit a Lush store in person to get to experience the array of colors and scents for yourself.
While this last company is on the pricey side, I still wanted to share it with you all because I truly love their mission. As you may have heard, the founder of Patagonia gave away his company this year, declaring that it now belonged to the Earth. Going forward, the company’s profits will be used to fight climate change. In a time where there is so much climate anxiety, to see such a large and well-known company join in the fight against our planet’s destruction is so wonderful.
If your loved one is the outdoorsy type, consider looking to Patagonia for a gift for them. Perhaps they would like a Lightweight Synchilla Fleece Pullover to keep them warm on their outdoor adventures, or maybe a 32L Backpack to take along with them. While supporting Patagonia is definitely a bit of an investment, you can rest assured knowing that you are also supporting the planet. If you want to read more about their activism, you can also do that on their website.
Since the holiday season is definitely a time of heavy consumerism, it is important that we remember how important our shopping habits are. We vote with our dollars, so if we simply continue to support companies that do not align with our morals, those companies will only continue to grow. On the other hand, by supporting small businesses and companies whose values align with our own, these are the ones that we can hope to see thriving going forward. Have a great holiday season, and give companies you believe in the gift of your business.