Shop Small Gift Guide

17 Small New England Businesses To Support This Christmas!

I think we can all say that 2020 has been a difficult year for most…but I’m always thinking about the effect it has had on small businesses.

I’ve been researching ( and maybe a wee bit of shopping) all the amazing small businesses up and down the New England coast…and I’ve put together a list that covers a little bit of everything!

I updated this post on 9.10.22 and checked all the links, I’m happy to report all the small businesses are all still going strong and most of the products I recommended are still available!! I removed the inactive links from the mentioned products.

Oldfield Society

Amy, the owner of the Oldfield Society is also an English teacher…so it’s fitting that all her candles and accessories have literary-inspired names.

Her Emily Brontë candle is a personal favorite of mine and makes my home smell so pretty!!

The Massachusetts-based Oldfield Society Holiday Collection has a candle named Little Women and a copy of the book with a beautifully illustrated cover.

Did you know that Louisa May Alcott wrote her book in her home in Concord, Massachusetts??

Homebody

Logan and Lindsey Archer are the founders of Homebody in Maine. They make handmade items out of wood and also hand-poured candles.

I am in love with their wood house ornaments!! They’d be the perfect addition to your Christmas tree this year and would make a sweet gift for a housewarming.

Their Holiday Gift Set of 3 wood boards is gorgeous!

On The Road Again

On The Road Again is a Massachusetts-based company that upcycles remnant materials into the coolest bags…the handles are made from seatbelt webbing!!

My favorite is the Liberty Blue Tote Bag…I can just imagine loading it up with my towel, sunscreen, and cheesy book and heading down the beach!!

“On the Road Again began with a desire to eliminate waste in our landfills.  We partner with other USA makers to turn remnant materials into handcrafted totes, handbags, and home goods that are Re/Designed for Adventure™”

Mermaids + Madeleines

Mermaids + Madeleines owner, Heather Auclair, makes handmade coastal jewelry down in Massachusetts. Her shop is filled with the loveliest earrings, bracelets, and necklaces for the jewelry lover on your Christmas list.

I love her freshwater pearl pieces! They are so pretty and feminine.

Brainstorm Puzzle Co.

How cool are these puzzles???

Brainstorm Puzzle Co. is the brainchild of married artists Briana and Jason. They also have a print shop with an amazing selection of prints that would make unique gifts for those hard to buy for friends.

I can definitely picture spending a cold winter night putting together the Pine Tree Puzzle with a nice glass of wine in front of the fire! (It also is available in a print!)

SAJ Ceramic

SAJ Ceramics owner, Sarah Jones, is a New Hampshire artist and teacher.

She crafts the prettiest bowls, plates, and the coolest earrings!!

“My current collection is defined by a bright seaside palette and clean lines. The pieces reminisce on warm beach days in NH filled with bright sun and salty water.”

-Sarah jones

Native Candle Co.

My Mom and I first met Alanna the creator behind Native Candle Co. last winter at a Holiday market. She has such a warm and welcoming personality…plus her candles smell amazing!!

When I have the Saturday Morning candle burning my sons think I’m baking lemon bread…

The Native Candle Co.’s Cozy Gift Set is the perfect gift…I was just eyeing it for myself (that’s the problem with finding all these good things, you end up shopping for yourself!!)

“I started making candles with the hope that I could create a cozy, beautiful atmosphere with candles that are non-toxic.”

-Alanna, owner

Winnies

These are genius!!! Winnie’s are indoor/outdoor slipper socks.

The name comes from our beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee here in New Hampshire.

Imagine you are inside with your feet all warm and cozy and what do you do when your puppy wants to go out…you have to take off your slippers and change into your shoes; not anymore with Winnie’s!

They have an over sock that attaches to the fleece sock that you can wear outdoors…I love Yankee ingenuity!!!

Portsmouth Soap Company

Portsmouth, NH is exactly what you picture when you think about a quaint New England seaport town. Lovely little shops and cafés line the streets near the harbor.

That’s where you will find the Portsmouth Soap Company’s store started by two longtime friends, Lauren and Tracey.

Check out their Specialty Gifts HERE. You have to see how cool their Winter Berry Soap looks and since it’s New Hampshire look at this Pinecone Soap & Sack ( great stocking stuffer!!)

Sewcialite

Roula is the talented New Hampshire artisan behind Sewcialite.

She creates bags, bowls, and jewelry.

Oh, I love the look of her Maritime Rope Bowl!

And look at how cute these Tartan Coasters are!!

Forest + Ash

Right down the street from Phillips Exeter Academy in historic downtown Exeter, New Hampshire you can visit the Forest + Ash store.

Hanna and Robin, the co-founders have created a super stylish spot filled with goods for your home and life from other local artisans.

For the holidays they have curated five different gift boxes that will cover just about everyone on your list in one click!

You can also shop online for their kitchenwares, really unique jewelry, cool bags, & more.

Oh Happy Day

I have to admit I have the biggest crush on Oh Happy Day’s dough bowl candles!! They look so rustic and pretty…plus they smell amazing!

I love the scent of the Balsam Fir for the holidays…and the Frosted Juniper candle smells soooo good!!

Plum Island Drift

Plum Island Drift creates coastal art and home decor from pieces of driftwood found around Plum Island, Massachusetts.

Plum Island is a beautiful beach located on the northern shores of Massachusetts.

Their Driftwood Whales would make the perfect gift for any coastal decor lovers on your shopping list.

You could fill up one of their Whale Cutting / Charcuterie Board with meats and cheeses for a unique hostess gift!

Finding Silver Pennies

Danielle of the Finding Silver Pennies blog is also a talented artist. Her prints from her watercolors capture the feel and colors of her seaside Massachusetts town.

I find her Beach Rocks print so soothing!

She also creates beautiful notecards! I love the Sunset Scene Watercolor Boxed Set of 8.

Her teenage son, John is also an artist and the creative behind Ink Harbour Illustrations.

Maine Salty Girl

Cherie Herne of Maine Salty Girl is an 8th-generation York, Maine native. York is a classic coastal New England town on the Southern coast of Maine (not too far from me!)

Salty Girl creates already made pieces of art from driftwood like this Driftwood Heart Wall Hanging that would look be perfect on a teen’s bedroom wall.

What I think would make a creative fun Christmas gift would be one of the Salty Girl DIY Driftwood Wreath Kits.

Ben’s Sugar Shack

No New England shopping guide would be complete without New Hampshire maple syrup!!!

When I was looking for local maple syrup to share I loved the story behind this small business.

The owner, Ben, has been making syrup literally since he was a little kid! Talk about finding your passion early on in life…I’d say 5 is pretty early!!

New Hampshire pure maple syrup and buttermilk pancake mix will make the perfect Christmas morning breakfast!

Momremedy

Oh, and one last thing…for cleaning up those holiday messes!!!

Do yourself a favor and pick up some Momremedy hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner.

I use it for all kinds of messes- it cleans all the teenage boy smudge marks off my stainless steel fridge and does a fantastic job on my counters. I also just got a chocolate frozen yogurt stain off my new sectional with a couple of squirts ( sidenote: yes, my husband is still alive!!)

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So as we all get caught up in the holiday craziness, my hope is that we can choose to #shopsmall this season.

It’s a guaranteed way to find a thoughtful gift and will mean so much more!

Wishing You All The Joys Of The Season!