“On the 12th day of Christmas, The Junior League of Austin gave to me”…a Holiday Gift Guide supporting local Austin and JLA member-owned businesses, of course!

With COVID-19 making shopping small even more meaningful this year, I’m planning to check off the majority of my holiday shopping list with gifts from local businesses. Beloved Austin small businesses need our support this holiday season more than ever. After years of support for JLA through generous silent auction items, raffle prizes, and monetary donations, the holiday season provides an opportunity for us to do what we can to support these retailers in return.

There’s no need to fret over your holiday shopping list this year. Whether you’re shopping for your mom, sister, fellow JLA member, or yourself—I’ve got you covered! Check out these 12 festive finds across local Austin, JLA member-owned, and A Christmas Affair (ACA)-supporting businesses to help make your holiday shopping a little easier, and much more significant, this year:

1. 1. “Holidays” Tee– This festive tee perfectly pairs with pajama pants on Christmas morning or can be dressed up for your next socially-distanced holiday celebration. Check this off your list for your bestie or yourself (guilty!) from Lilla & Beth, and support this local boutique owned by JLA member Megan Cooper. Curbside pickup is available during business hours.
   2. Ballet Austin’s The Nutcracker: Home For the Holidays Tickets–  Bring The Nutcracker home for the holidays with this virtual experience this holiday season. Grab a small group of your JLA gals for a socially-distanced version of this Austin holiday tradition and support our JLA community partner Ballet Austin.
   3. Darling Little Details Snow Queens Sensory Kit – Darling Little Details was started by JLA member Megan Whittington in 2017. As a work-from-home mom after her daughter was born, Whittington soon began exploring sensory activities to help encourage speech and motor skill development. This Frozen-inspired Sensory Kit doubles as a gift that will entertain any little princesses in your life while also sparking development through sensory play.
   4. Salvation Army Angel Tree Donation – Give the Gift of Giving this year by sponsoring an Angel Tree donation with our JLA community partner The Salvation Army. This year, even more families are struggling and will need our support providing local children the joy of opening gifts on Christmas morning. Adopt an Angel online, or visit a local Angel Tree location.
   5. Antonelli’s Cheese Club Membership – Feed your foodie friend with a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Cheese Club membership from Antonelli’s, an ACA silent-auction supporter and one of Austin’s favorite local cheese shops. Their virtual tasting classes make COVID-19 gifting easy with curbside pickup options. Be sure to add a bottle of wine for a perfect pairing!
   6. Fox & Flock Monogram Notecards – These customizable monogram notecards are the perfect personal touch for any lady on your list. Bonus: support this small, woman-owned business started by JLA member Kelly Tarun!
   7. La Reina Classic Tote – You’ve got it in the bag when gifting this Classic Tote by Consuela, an ACA silent-auction supporter and Austin-based handbag company that partners with artists throughout Mexico on their feliz designs.
   8. Mi Casa Tamales – Okay, so this one isn’t technically based in Austin, but the line for Mi Casa Tamales at ACA can usually stretch all the way from Austin to Boerne! This holiday favorite is a perfect surprise for saving your mom time from cooking, whether during the holiday or any day of the week.
   9. Helene Thomas Monogram Handbag – Any other monogram lovers out there? This ACA merchant, Helene Thomas, is killing the monogram game with these adorable custom totes in a variety of colors. Her story is one of perseverance, pivoting from jewelry to handbags in order to meet market demand.
   10. Cassandra Collections Mask Chain – Treat the trendsetter on your list with this 14k gold-filled mask chain, which can also be worn as a necklace, by local Austin jewelry designer and ACA merchant Cassandra Collections.
   11. Otomi Koozies – No reason your drinks can’t sparkle like you this holiday season! With these colorful koozies from Adelante – a local Austin women’s boutique and loyal ACA merchant, you’ll certainly brighten all the Zoom rooms. Cheers!
   12. Austin-Inspired Dish Towel – Help out in the kitchen! Serve up some hometown support for this ACA merchant and local Austin boutique Longhorn Fashions by gifting this adorable Austin-inspired dish towel to your mom, sister, or bestie to make doing the dishes a little more fun.

My hope is you are able to use this gift guide to inspire your 2020 holiday gifting and that you will continue to keep local Austin businesses at the top of mind when choosing where to spend.

How are you planning to shop small this holiday season?

About the Writer: Krystin Gresham has lived in Austin for six years and is a third-year member of The Junior League of Austin. She’s enjoyed serving children in Del Valle ISD through FIT, volunteering with our community partner ZACH Theatre, and building friendships during her time in the League. Krystin works in the tech industry and loves traveling with her husband, playing golf, learning to cook, and cheering on the Fightin’ Texas Aggie football team!