I love the season of giving. While I completely believe in and support all of the conversations going on about cutting back and being grateful (I know I have a lot to be grateful for and I am indeed cutting back this year) I also just love to give. Finding or making something special for someone whom I love dearly is just … magic.

My tactic is to make a list, check my budget and then hit the streets of Portland as well as visit some of my favorite online shops in search of gold! The moment I find that special something that I feel a connection with, and know my loved one will as well, I get excited. It’s even more of an incredible feeling when it’s something that I make myself. Pow! Giving rocks! That said, you’ll find my holiday GIVE lists below with some of my ideas for giving. You can find last years lists in our Archives under “Holidays.”

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This year I fell in love with ceramics again and I’m over the moon about giving ceramic pieces as gifts. I started a collection for my sweetheart (as much for me, hee hee) and truly do use many of our pieces every single day. What I love is the tactile nature of ceramics, the usefulness. They are personal and each one-of-a-kind. Your recipient will think of you each time they use the gift and you can have fun picking out something that reminds you of them.

GIVE …
Ceramics
+ Object & Totum
+ Eric Bonnin Sylvia
+ Small Spells
+ Shino Takeda
+ Vitrified Studio
+ Akiko Graham
+ Karin Eriksson
+ Clam Lab
+ Jen E
+ Diana Fayt
+ White Forest Pottery

I am a big supporter of the idea that we are all artists. Even those sitting in a board room can have a red and blue pen and some scratch paper and doodle every once in a while, right? I love to give, especially to adults, art supplies. I think it brings out the inkling to create in all of us and everyone could use a little push!

GIVE …
Art Supplies
+ Akashiya Watercolor Pens
+ Akashiya Watercolor Box
+ Shinhan Touch Marker Set
+ Düller Marker Set
+ Washi Masking Tapes
+ Monocle Stationery Notebook

I always have the desire to give things that are useful. It’s just who I am. Trinkets and nick-nacks are never on my giving list because, to me, they are just another thing to dust! Therefore I always feel moved to give cloth dish towels and napkins. A good cloth can be used for years and year and even passed down. Useful and memorable. Such a good combo!

GIVE …
Cloth
+ from Spartan
+ Fog Linen
+ Scents & Feel
+ Lineacarta
+ from Canoe
+ Cloth & Goods

In the last few years I’ve gotten into giving my girl friends little lotions and potion that pamper just themselves. So many of my friends/family take care of their children and their sweethearts but spend little time taking care of themselves so this is my way of saying: I’ll take care of you.

GIVE …
Lotions & Potions
+ Fairy Flower Creme
+ Oakmoss Perfume Oil
+ Earth Tu Face Goods
+ Nuxe Lip Moisture Stick or Face/Hair Oil
+ Rodin Cream

We here at 3191 truly believe in giving handmade. It can be something you made that your friend can eat in a weekend and it will still mean so much. Spend a little extra time on the packaging using recycled jars with ribbon or maybe even add in one of the new kitchen towels to wrap up your warm baked good. Yum!

GIVE …
Handmade Treats
+ Aunt Polly’s Italian Cookies (wrapped in parchment with twine)
+ Chocolate Chip Hearts (stacked in a glass jar with a heart on top)
+ Sweet & Crunchy Nut Clusters (in a glass jar with a bow)
+ An Apple Galette (wrapped in parchment and a new towel)
+ Honey Caramel Corn (in a recycled tin or decorated box)
+ Granola (in a large glass jar with a bow)

And I’ll close my list with giving a little love to my own dear Portland. We have so many talented people here and I love shopping local. Here are some goodies you can get online so you can have a little of my Portland in your gift bag this holiday.

GIVE …
A Little Portland, Maine
+ Tandem Coffee
+ Seawall Soap
+ Baker’s Notes
+ Angela Adams Scarf
+ Herron Clothier
+ Ferdinand Goods
+ Seabags
+ 3191 Quarterly Subscriptions (Portland, ME & Portland, OR with this gift!)

—MAV