winter gift giving is a lovely gesture of bringing appreciation and light to the darkness. however it’s also has become a very capitalized and stressful expectation of the season. while i’ve had a lot of complicated feelings around the current state of holidays like Christmas, i try to move away from the standard expectations and let some of these lovely gestures float back into a more fufilling and warming place. some of ways i try to de-capitalize the winter holidays are by celebrating the Winter Solstice, not forcing the gift-giving to happen immediately BY the 25th- allowing the time and space for winter gifts to arrive whenever they do throughout the season- and by prioritizing time with myself and those i love.

but another way to more ethically participate in the Winter festivities is pretty simple: shopping small, independent makers, shops, and artists. it is a a simple thing you can do that produces a great result. not only does shopping small return more money back into the local economy, get cash into actual peoples’ hands (not corporations), and support folks’ dreams - it also helps you find an unique gift that you probably can’t get anywhere else. and it always feels great to receive (and give) something like that.

Here’s some of my favorite makers and items you can shop this holiday season :

please be mindful a lot of these makers (including myself) have a December 15th deadline for orders to arrive for Xmas - but also, why limit yourself to only giving gifts at the very beginning of the winter? we still have a couple dark months ahead of us, why not bring the light deeper into the season, spreading the cheer even further!

Boheme Botanika

www.bohemebotanika.com // @bohemebotanika (instagram)

Amber is a lovely person that i was lucky enough to have spent time living with nearly ten years ago when we were both finding our way in the world. she pours so much care into the earth, her products, and her business in general. she crafts almost all of her products with what she grows and forages in her home in Vermont, and when she can’t use her own plants she sources them from wonderful other sustainable growers. her herbal and folk magic knowledge is amazingly vast and if you’re in the northeast i can’t encourage you enough to sign up for one of her plant walks, classes, or herbal apprenticeship- and if you’re not out that way she has a patreon that is also a great way to learn from her.

the one herbal product i’d like to focus on as one of my FAVORITES is the Hydrating Maple Spray. As someone who lives in an especially dry and unique high altitude climate, my skincare routine has to be unique as well. I’ve found this Maple Spray to do wonders for my skin- especially in the extra dry winter. but this spray is a great product to have regardless of your local climate. it also has a bright quality that really helps wake me up on cold frosty mornings.

Desertshipbuilder

www.desertshipbuilder.com // @desertshipbuilder (instagram)

Audra Knutson is a multi-media artist that i am excited to be able to call a friend. her spacious abstract geometric themes are drawn from her own experience living in the high desert. jewelry, weavings, poetry, and prints can be found on instagram, and often elsewhere in the physical realm around Taos. I was lucky enough to purchase this gorgeous ring by her from Lun + Ojo gallery (Taos, NM) and it is one of my favorites. find more of her work and take some home for yourself online.

Milagro Mavericks Arts

@milagro_mavericks_arts (instagram)

this is another lovely artist that i am lucky enough to be good friends with. Leona works with materials that would often find their way to the garbage bin and transforms them into gorgeous pieces of jewelry. I absolutely treasure my necklace i got from her, and she has lots of styles and colors of leather earrings as well. reach out to her on instagram to purchase or even get yourself a custom piece of your dreams!

Waxleaf

www.etsy.com/shop/waxleaf // @waxleaf (instagram)

while we’re in the jewelry realm- Waxleaf is another wonderful artist that makes amazing nature inspired pieces of wearable art. I got myself a gorgeous pair of these snake earrings last fall for my birthday- but Melissa has so much for you to choose from. bones, coffee beans, teeth, moss, broken vintage jam jars, and pressed flowers all make their way into her gorgeous pieces.

Lisa Giancolors

www.etsy.com/shop/LisaGiancolors // @lisagiancolors (instagram)

I guess i’m pretty lucky to know so many lovely creative folks in the world - and Lisa is definitely one of them. we both met while interning at Tower Hill Botanic Garden and have been friends since. an immensely talented dancer and also tie dyer, Lisa creates intricate, show stopping designs in her tie dye work. I’m lucky enough to have a gorgeous mushroom shirt of my own, but i encourage you to give her a follow and check out her stuff. elevate your tie dye game with one of these amazing peices of wearable art.

Corpus Ritual

corpusritual.com // @corpusritual (instagram)

Jennifer Patterson is a lovely spirit who is kind enough to share their healing experience and expertise with the wider world. I am lucky enough to own a copy of the Power of Breathwork and to have taken a couple online breathwork classes with Jennifer and I can’t tell you how profound my limited experience has been (especially as someone with anxiety) especially because of their trauma informed approach and queer lens. Jennifer also makes wonderful herbal products as well if you’re looking for gentle plant guidance to get you through whatever it is life may be throwing at you.

Mutable Cross

roseblakelock.com // @mutable_cross (instagram)

this past birthday i treated myself to an astrology reading by Rose Blakelock and i can not speak more highly about it! while i may have given the wrong birth time (eek, my bad lol) I truly believe that the universe will get you the messages you need to hear however it can, and what i heard was exactly what i needed. Rose is really affable and i found myself laughing and instantly relaxed in her presence. her insights were unique and resonated immensely with me, but she also offers you the space to disagree or offer more information which allows the person getting the reading to retain their autonomy throughout the entire process. i can’t wait to have another reading tbh. Rose is also a queer friendly astrologer and quite gentle in her approach.

Wilde Ink

www.wildeinkshop.com // @wilde.ink (instagram)

this powerhouse of beauty literally floors me with her dedication to her craft and level of production. based in Taos, NM, Laurel uses her artmaking process as a way to stay in touch with the divine. get her hand carved, nature based and abstract designs on prints, notebooks, clothing, and other fabric goods.

Lynx Leatherworks

@lynxleatherworks (instagram)

this amazing lady crafts all kinds of wonderful leather goods to keep all your belongings (fashionably) in one place. check out her instagram to see what kinds of things she’s crafted up, and DM on instagram if there’s something you like!

Oak Ring Pens

oakringpens.com // @oakringpens (instagram)

i met these lovely folks through the Questa Art Market this past fall and they make some wonderfully gentle and magical illustrations that also adorn their unique pens. this is something i haven’t really seen anywhere else and it’s definitely made an impression on me!

Foggy Memory Boys

foggymemory.com // @foggymemoryboys (instagram)

well, i couldn’t wrap up this list without including my musical friends the Foggy Memory Boys. while you can find them traveling from the southwest to the midwest and beyond sharing their own unique version of New Mexico Bluegrass, you can also grab their album and other merch through their online shop. I’ve been lucky enough to draw up some designs for these folks as well, including their album cover and my favorite piece of merch - their FMB Aprons!

I hope this sparks some enthusiasm for gift giving this winter holiday season and remember to shop small and have patience with folks <3