Local Holiday Gifts

Feel good this holiday season by keeping your purchases and donations local! Support a local business, home business or charity and keep your dollars in your town or city. Why It Pays to Shop Locally 

We began our "keeping it local" holiday season by making a trip over to the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm to pick out the perfect Charlie Brown Christmas Tree for Clay's room and a tree for our living room. This year's trip was freezing cold, but just as fun as the last 3 years in keeping with our family tradition. Despite the press reporting that the drought has affected the trees, there are still many to choose from. 

We also headed over to Toy Joy so that Clay could pick out an ornament for this year's tree and were happy to see that they had a tree set up at the back of the store with tags asking for donations of toys for kids in Bastrop affected by the wildfires. All you have to do is select one of the tags with the child's name and age listed, purchase a gift and Toy Joy will wrap it and make sure it gets into the hands of a deserving boy or girl! 

What are you doing this season to support our local economy and community? 
Please feel free to leave your comments and ideas at the bottom of this post. 

Five Ways to Celebrate Local in December

1. Satisfy a Sweet Tooth...
Better Bites Bakery - Pick up one of these delectable gluten, dairy, peanut, soy and corn-free cupcakes, cake balls and more at People's Pharmacy on North Lamar. Try their Churro bites! Delicious!


Bird's Nest Bakery - Custom made cakes and treats by my fabulously talented Aunt Julie!

2. Support a farmer...

Johnson's Backyard Garden - Farmers' Market Bucks or Gift Subscriptions


Farmhouse Delivery  - Gift Certificates and Food Gifts

3. Celebrate good taste...

Salt & Time Gift Box - A great gift for the guys on your list


Antonellis Cheese Gift Guide


Gift Certificates to Locally Owned Restaurants like Hopfields or Pacha





4. Stuff a Stocking with a Local Treat...

Bearded Brothers Bars & t-shirts - My favorite is the Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla (available at People's Pharmacy)


Confituras Gift Baskets filled with local jams & jellies - Try the Baker's Box or Jam Shares wrapped up with red & white twine

5. Pamper yourself or someone you love...

So.A.P. - South Austin People's Peppermint Foot Cream - SO amazing! Love this stuff. Available at Wheatsville


Austin Soap Gift Baskets - Individual soaps available at Wheatsville




Cleaning services from Purple Fig Cleaning Company or maybe your own homemade peppermint oil cleaners

Don't forget to treat yourself before all the holiday indulgence! Try out a workout at my favorite locally owned place to get fit, Dancer's Shape. They even have a new cardio dance class beginning in January. Or, get a gift certificate or some comfy new workout gear for a friend!

Dancer's Shape is located at 5350 Burnet Road, Suite 7 in Austin, Texas
www.dancersshape.com