Our third holiday gift guide this season is dedicated to Kids and Pets! You can be the most cynical adult alive, however spend the holidays with children and your Grinch heart will have no other option but to grow three times its size. We also included pets in this blog because they are one of our greatest sources of joy and love and deserved to be spoiled in the holiday season (well, all year round really when you think about it). We picked five gift suggestions that we hope you will not only love for your nearest and dearest but will inspire you to do the work of actually shopping small and shopping local, not only for your holiday gifts but for all year round shopping. That is the main goal of our gift guides.
With the kids and pets gift guide we focused on small, independent brands that have a mission and a story. We included different categories and price ranges. Like all previous gift guides, there is an online store and you just need to click onto the captions for the link. We hope this starts the love and passion for hunting the treasures out there that smaller and more artisanal brands provide.
Toys for children (I bet you thought this one was for the pets) are of course at the top of this list. Mon Ami (“my friend” in French) is a child accessory brand established in 2018 that specializes in products that create a delicate balance of beauty, comfort, and emotional connection—creating treasures to cherish, gift, and grow up with. Besides toys, Mon Ami have many child related accessories. It was hard to pick our favorite plush toy so since it was the holidays we went with Jingle Holiday Dachshund, the cutest pup around! With his smart holiday sweater and festive Santa hat he is one super snuggly dog stuffed animal. Gifting this sausage puppy stuffed animal to a little one dreaming of owning a dog or the dachshund lover in your life will guarantee a lifelong childhood friend. This nine inch long bundle of love will also melts the hearts of not only children but their adults too.
MCNALLY JACKSON INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE - THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS: CLASSIC ORIGINAL TEXT PAIRED WITH MODERN ART
Books are always a favorite gift suggestion from The Local Artisan Guide, especially for children and definitely for the holidays. We always highly recommend going to independent, small book stores and McNally Jackson is one of our favorites. If you have a small local independent book store in your neighborhood it is a treasure trove for gift giving for both children and adults. We highly recommend “The Night Before Christmas: Classic Original Text Paired with Modern Art” by Hayden Goodman (Illustrator) based on the original story by author, poet and scholar Clement C. Moore. Hayden Goodman is an African American painter, illustrator, and character artist. She works primarily in gouache to paint witches, fairies, goblins, and other mysterious creatures from mythology and folklore. For this rendition, “On Christmas Eve, a little girl is woken by the clatter of Santa's reindeer on her apartment building's roof. When jolly Saint Nick comes down her chimney, she and the other children in their apartment building get swept up in a Christmas adventure.” The book features beautiful bright illustrations filled with diversity (much needed right now) in this modern twist of a classic tale where every child can see themselves in it. It is surely to become a holiday tradition and keepsake for the family of the child who receives this magical book.
MOMA DESIGN STORE - LE CHOCOLAT DE FRANÇAIS GALATIC CHRISTMAS PRALINE BALLS BOX
Chocolate will always be a holiday gift favorite, especially for children. We love MoMA Design Store because their gift merchandisers search the world for special brands that they feel will lift us up in beauty and artisanal traits. It is an amazing destination for both the brick and mortar and the online store to source spectacular holiday gifts that are easily accessible. A brand we love from France is Le Chocolat de Français which MoMA offers in their collection. This fun decorative tin contains nine milk chocolate praline balls. All Le Chocolat de Français products are made in France, using traditional chocolate-making techniques, with 100% natural ingredients. Contains 3.9 oz of chocolate. The tin is certainly a keeper and let’s face it, this is a gift for the kid in all of us.
And now for the pet portion of our program. Let’s face it, treats are the best thing that can happen in a pet’s life (besides the love of a good human). They pursue treats the way we pursue a good pizza. We found Barkin, a small independent dog brand that we feel in the future has the potential to become a huge dog brand. The company is dedicated to producing all-natural treats for dogs while championing a greater social mission. Inspired by their late English Bulldog, Marlow, who is the heart and inspiration behind this brand, Barkin also has a mission to pledge their support to causes that promote mental health and emotional wellness. We saw how dogs were going crazy for their Chicken Pot Pie Soft & Chewy Treats so we knew this had to be on the holiday gift guide for dogs. The Chicken Pot Pie is a tantalizing blend of natural goodness designed to delight your furry friend's taste buds while providing wholesome nutrition. Crafted with the utmost care, these treats are made with three key ingredients: tender chicken, luscious sweet potato, and aromatic parsley. This treat offers moderate protein, a good amount of fat for energy and taste, and fiber to support digestion. It’s balanced to provide energy and flavor while remaining shelf-stable and easy to chew. This gift is a win/win! And quite honestly, I can’t tell you how tempted I am to try it myself. One day!
LUCA THE NAPA DOG - SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA CABLE CAR DOG TOY
Besides treats pets love their toys. Lucca, The Napa Dog is another small, independent pet brand inspired by the love of a dog, in this case it’s Lucca, a big 70 lbs fluffy dog. The brand specializes in dog inspired gift baskets however they also feature other categories and pet toys are one of them. Since it’s a Napa based brand we love their San Francisco, CaliforniaCable Car Toy. Never has tug-a-war been so cute with this soft cable car that has a crinkly roof and bold squeaker. Guaranteed hours of fun for both your furry one and you.
We hope we have inspired you with these gifts. Please take a look at your local neighborhood toy stores, holiday markets, independent bookstores, pet shops and children boutiques. They contain a trove of artisanal gifts for your loved ones that they are sure to become family heirlooms.
Next week is our last blog for holiday shopping and it will be GIFTS FOR ALL! We will also be featuring in our Instagram stories special picks starting on Sunday, November 30th for all of Advent. These will be be brands we know and love that only have an online presence. Now that the holiday season is officially on its way and Black Friday is over we hope you are enjoying the season and finding shopping for your loved ones a pleasure.
Last but definitely not least we have our holiday gift guide for the most important individuals during the holidays and that is the children and our fur babies (pets). Children and pets are what the holidays are made for as their innocence and joy during the holidays make all the preparation worthwhile. We have looked far and wide for gifts that we feel will actually be appreciated by children/pets and not be thrown aside after five minutes of playing with them. We also look for gifts that will not contribute plastic to all the future garbage landfills. We recommend gifts that will be lovingly cherished and passed down generation to generation, made by artisans with thoughtfulness and love. We have all different categories and price points and all the gifts can be ordered from the brand’s online store (click onto the caption to go to the store).
This has been a personal favorite for years, I love getting these beautiful hand made in the USA alphabet blocks for children. Not only do young children love playing with them, they are educational and aesthetically pleasing. I have the French alphabet blocks here however Playing Mantis (my favorite toy shop in NYC) has the blocks in so many languages. So whether it is Chinese, Danish, French, Spanish, etc. it is a great and fun way to introduce language skills to young ones. Made from sustainable Michigan basswood with non-toxic inks, the 28 44cm blocks feature letters, numerals, and animal pictures. These blocks are guaranteed to become a family heirloom.
LITTLE MOONY - ORGANIC PIMA COTTON NEW YORK TAXI BODYSUIT WHITE LONG SLEEVE FOR BABIES
Little Moony is a beloved children’s boutique in Nolita, NYC that offers cool and chic clothing for your little ones. We love this NYC taxi cab one piece bodysuit for a newborn to 18 months. It’s the best way for a baby to show their love for NYC with the iconic taxi cab. With the soft pima cotton designed with three convenient snaps between the legs for easy dressing and diaper changes, ensuring practicality without compromising on style.
“You, Me & Our Families” by 90 Day Fiancé alumni Kenny and Armando is a children’s book celebrating the diversity of families structures today around the world. “Through engaging illustrations and relatable language, it introduces young readers to seven different family dynamics, including single-parent families, households led by grandparents, families with two dads, adopted families, traditional mom-and-dad families, and stepfamilies.” Books are always a great gift especially around the holidays and this book on the unconditional love of all different types of families is a great lesson to teach all children.
A great gift for a young child is a portrait of them when they were very young to have and to keep for generations to come. Etsy has a few artists available for portraits and we like HansHPortrait store on the site as the style of painting is quite figurative and gets the essence of the child they are painting. The sizes start at 8” x 10” to 24” x 36” and can have more subjects in the painting (for higher prices). It will be a great piece of art to have in the child’s room and to have in the future for their home.
KALA BRAND MUSIC CO. - RED SEA SOPRANO SHARK UKULELE
One of the best ways to help make children smarter is to introduce them to playing a musical instrument. It is also fun for them and helps build up self-esteem (besides musical talent). We love the ukulele as an intro instrument as it not too hard to learn to play (compared to say the piano). This Red Sea Soprano Shark Ukulele is well-suited for casual players looking for something colorful and fun to sink their teeth into. The Shark is a terrific deal that also looks and sounds great.
Here is a game for kids of all ages that helps your math skills at the same time. This multicolored domino game is a fun way to play. “This fun set of wooden game pieces in bright, saturated colors brings a tasteful, modern touch to this ancient Chinese game dating to the 12th century.” Even better for every purchase, manufacturer DesignWorks Ink plants a tree with the One Tree Planted initiative. That’s a win/win!!
What do you get the kid that has everything? How about a donation in their name to children around the world who are in desperate need of help, food, water, clothes, safety and a roof over their heads. With “Save the Children” a non-profit organization that has been helping children around the world for decades. Save the Children is extending their Giving Tuesday match so your gift today can double in value!
•$50 (becomes $100) - to help provide enough food to keep 10 children from going hungry for a month •$150 (becomes $300)- to help provide warm, cozy blankets to 60 children affected by conflict •$300 (becomes $600)- to help provide psychosocial support to 30 children
It’s a great lesson to teach children compassion, empathy and giving and that is what the holidays are for.
CLIC - Long Wool Rocking Sheep in Natural Gray, from Natures Collection
Introducing good home decor taste is the gift that will keep on giving. To make it fun for the kids (and aesthetically pleasing for the parent) we found this beautiful rocking sheep which is sure to be a toy they will not only love but will definitely will become a family heirloom. The copy is long but a well worth read: “The Original Rocking Lamb is a piece of furniture just as much as a toy. The frame is made of pinewood, and the head is carved by hand. The body is upholstered with foam and covered with sheepskin. Povl Kjer designed the first Rocking Sheep for his niece as a humorous reminder of her country roots in 1981. The Rocking Sheep has become well-known, first in Denmark, then followed by the rest of Scandinavia, and today the Danish design classic is sold all over the world. The wood used to make The Rocking Sheep is pine, which has traditionally been used for furniture in Scandinavia due to its good qualities. All the wood comes from Swedish or Finnish forests. The wood is FSC certified, and our supplier always informs us which sawmill has processed the wood for each batch. The sheepskins come from Iceland and Sweden, where the sheep roam freely with their lambs in a clean and unspoiled nature. Sheep are bred for meat production, so when a Rocking Sheep is upholstered with a sheepskin, it is a resource that is being exploited rather than wasted. The skins are tanned at the best and most controlled tannery in Europe. When it comes to sustainability, it probably matters most that our production is local and takes place in the countryside in the heart of Denmark. The Rocking Sheep is so durable that it can be used for generations to come. If a Rocking Sheep breaks, we repair it free of charge, no matter how old it is. Just as we want the child to feel safe and comfortable with the Rocking Sheep, we also hope that our customers will experience the joy of getting an honest product, that has been made with pride and care since 1981.” Dimensions L: 33 inch, W: 10 inch, H: 24 inch.
What better way to immortalize your dog than an ornament of their cuteness? Chilly Dog Sweater Co. offers 45 different breeds of dogs all made of original handcrafted wool. This darling Maltese ornament (in memory of my late dogs Powder Puff and Q-Ball) is 4” x 4”.
BARKIN - LAMB MIXED MEDLEY SINGLE INGREDIENT TREAT
Since our dogs are clueless about gift giving for the holidays (or so we think) they would especially appreciate treats. I am quite sure it will be number one on their lists of gifts if they could let us know. That brings us to Barkin Dog Treats and their Lamb Mixed Medley Single Ingredient Treat crafted with the finest quality lamb liver, lamb heart, lamb kidney, and lamb lung, these treats are a testament to our commitment to providing the highest standards of nutrition and taste for your furry friend. One of the benefits of Barkin is that a portion of their proceeds go to pet related causes and organizations that advocate for mental health and emotional wellness. A win/win for all!
OUR GREEN HOUSE - SCRATCHING BALL CAT TOY - SALMON
Let’s not forget cats (or other forms of pets). Our Green House ball toy will bring your cat hours of pouncing, swatting, and chasing fun with a rattle sound inside. 1.75” in diameter and made of sisal in the USA, it’s a gift your cat will love.
We hope you appreciate the gift suggestions for children and pets that are artisanal and chosen so they will love and appreciate and most of all cherish. We at The Local Artisan Guide wish you and yours a very happy holiday and remind you to please shop consciously, shop local, shop small and most of all shop artisan!
