This year, my goal has been to shop local and support local business especially run by women. This gift guide is dedicated to supporting local businesses. If you have the money to support small this year, I encourage you to do it. Amazon has made plenty of money this year while the small guys have suffered.
Sh*t That I Knit Winter Hats, $75-125
STIK is a local favorite. You can’t walk a block in the South End without seeing at least one person wearing a signature beanie. Christina, the founder, is from Weston (where I currently live) but lives in Boston. STIK creates high-quality knitwear and accessories that make you feel good. The materials used to create their products are sustainably sourced and handmade by women in Peru who are working moms earning a fair wage. STIK also donates Knit Kits that teach young adults undergoing cancer treatment how to knit! I can’t wait to buy matching mommy and me beanies with baby girl!
You can purchase directly from the STIK website here, on Nordstrom, a Crush Boutique and For Now.
I also love their new (this season) headbands!
Bee + Roo Poncho, $125
I have a Bee + Roo cashmere nursing poncho from my nursing days with Connor and it was an absolute find as it was also lightweight and washable! It looks so good as is but doubles as a nursing cover! The founder and designer is a local gal who currently lives on the South Shore. I had a light weight one for summer and am excited to use the black for baby girl this winter. All new moms struggle with good nursing tops and this one is a simple, classic and elegant solution to a pair of blue or white jeans. You can pick one up at It’s For Now in a variety of colors.
Chappy Wrap, $55-135
You didn’t know this but you need a Chappy Wrap. It’s one of the softest, warmest, biggest and most comfortable blankets you’ll own! We’ve had a couple for years and recently expanded our collection to match our new living room decor. We also have one ready for baby girl’s arrival (seen above). Below is the one we currently have in our living room! The boys each have their own kids size blanket too and they are equally as obsessed. We had to get two because they were fighting over the oversized ones we have for our couch! Buy, and see more patterns and styles here.
The company is family owned and run by a local New England mother/daughter duo. The daughter happens to be the sister in law of my friend who introduced Nick and I!
Olive’s and Grace, store
If you have absolutely no idea what to buy someone, you need to visit Olives and Grace ASAP. The owner of this beloved South End gift shop, Sofi, is first an amazing all around human but has also chosen to close the shop after Thanksgiving for her maternity leave! She legit had a baby on Friday the 13th and is planning to take a break at the store so she can take a proper maternity leave. She’ll be fulfilling orders up until Thanksgiving so go and order online or pick up a gift that gives back, an RBG or Dr Fauci prayer candle, candles made by female refugees to benefit their new lives here or some locally made sweet treats like Seacoast Sweets one of my favorites.
The Golden Cod Gold Coin Necklace, $150
This new brand emerged during the Pandemic and comes from social media maven Robbin Mangano and her husband who are based in Scituate. I love wearing my local roots which is why I wore my Eden Bracelet (THE original Cape Cod Bracelet for 30 years of my life) and this necklace is the perfect New England statement necklace that can be layered or worn on it’s own! I actually wore mine for our Christmas pictures.
Bath Robe $88, Crush Boutique
So this gift guide was made with the Millenial mom in mind and on the top of my list this year is a warm and fuzzy bath robe. In the middle of the pandemic, a lot of these smaller boutiques in Boston that have relied on foot traffic have been struggling. Crush Boutique has been my go to shop for party dresses and cute sweaters but now that I spend my days working from home, driving to and from preschool a bath robe feels more appropriate way to support another small business!
RMS “Un” Cover-Up, Follain $36
I could do an entire gift guide on products from Follain. It’s a clean beauty store that began in Boston and is still run by the founder, Tara Foley who has two kids about the same age as my two! I’ve always been in awe of her mission which is basically to put more clean products in peoples hands and get chemicals out of our beauty products!
My favorite purchase from Follain aside from the Tammy Fender cleansing milk is the RMS “un” cover-up. It is the perfect concealer for blemishes, discoloration but mostly dark under eye circles. Like all Follain products, it is CLEAN and held to the highest standards for non toxic beauty products.
Other local businesses worth checking out to support small businesses:
Kids clothes and toys:
- Tadpole (South End, Boston MA)
- Magic Beans (Boston and surrounding areas)
- Whitney + Winston (Beacon Hill, Boston MA)
- Cou Cou (South End, Boston MA)
- Shop Merry Lion (Reading, MA)
Jewelry + Gift Stores
- Isabel Harvey (Wellesley + Ack) – Love this $38 beaded necklace
- M.Flynn Jewelry (Boston)
- Gus and Ruby Letterpress (Portland, ME, Portsmouth, NH and maybe )
- Urban Grape (Boston) – For wine gift baskets! My gift request always and go to hostess gift!
- Place and Gather (Charlestown, MA)
Women’s Fashion
- Wish (Acton)
- Dudley Stephens (CT also available at For Now)
- Crush Boutique (Boston, MA)
- Mint Julep (Brookline + Cambridge, MA)
If you have another small business to support, let me know below in the comments! My goal is to avoid Amazon, Walmart and Target but we shall see as all Tommy wants are super hero action figures.
I am planning to curate a fitness gift guide as well with some of my favorite leggings, fitness equipment and more.
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