For the Home: Bethany Khan
@arcadianrevival
1. Live Holiday Wreath
Starting at $65 / Arcadian Revival
There are always a few people we end up scrambling to find a holiday gift for. Bring the nostalgic, invigorating smell of pine to your friends or family with a wreath for their door or to use as a centerpiece. I’ll be taking a limited number of orders this holiday season (email bethany@arcadianrevival.com), but you can also find gorgeous wreaths at Native Farm Flowers, Hewitt’s Garden Center or Sunnyside Gardens.
2. Custom Frame
Price varies / Kettlewell and Edwards
When it comes to design, especially for the home, there is nothing more important than making the space your own. Whether it’s surrounding a textile, old print or family photo, a custom frame is sure to be a successful gift. Kettlewell and Edwards is located right on
Phila Street, and owners Chloe and Kate work across budgets and can help with design. I’m guessing they’re already busy, so pop in soon!
3. Expanding Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope
$40 / Northshire Bookstore
Few gifts can be more beautiful, touching and appropriate across a wide audience than books. Surrounding a home with books provides warmth and places value on edification. Anything you choose from Taschen Books is a win. Expanding Universe is a moving, artistic look into space that’s certainly a pleasing addition to any coffee table or book shelf.
4. Historic Union Avenue Porch Spindle Candlestick Holders
$38 for a set of two / Waverly Square Antiques
A little birdie told me that there are a few pairs of these candlesticks still available at Waverly Square Antiques in Ballston Spa. Candles and candlesticks instantly add holiday charm to any home and, who knows—maybe you’ll find a special gift for yourself while exploring Waverly Square’s maze of antique treasures!
5. Hand-painted Horse Bottle Opener
$18 / Silverwood Home and Gallery
This would not be a Saratoga gift guide without something equestrian included! I love to give gifts that meld home with food and wine, like this gorgeous, hand-painted, cast iron horse bottle opener. Pair it with a bottle of Old Tavern Farm’s Cabernet Sauvignon for the perfect hostess gift for any party.
For Him: Jack Carpenter
@jacksoncarp/@twobuttonsdeep
$120-$220 / Feathered Antler
I started commissioning custom pet paintings for the people in my life with animals, and they have never failed to bring a big smile. All it takes is one picture of a pet, and Feathered Antler’s Gretchen Tisch will create an incredible painting that will live forever in your loved one’s gallery.
2. Dinner and a Show
Price varies
Dinner and a show is a classic gift that often gets overlooked, but it’s hands down one of the best gifts you can give. Not only is it a great gift in the moment, but it also gives you and the recipient something to look forward to for the weeks or months leading up to the event. Some of my most memorable shows have been at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, the Palace Theatre, The Egg and Proctors Theatre, all of which have tons of great restaurants nearby.
3. Decorative Pennant
Price varies / Oxford Pennant
I was sold on Buffalo-based Oxford Pennant after a visit to their HQ last winter. They produce everything in house and offer a wide range of inspirational, quirky and decorative pennants to hang in your home, office or at an event. I have a large “You’ll Think of Something” pennant that hangs in my living room…it was helpful to channel that message while making this list.
4. Printed Photos
$18 per roll/ McGreevey ProLab & ProPress
There’s something special about pictures taken on a disposable camera: Maybe it’s the film effect, maybe it’s the nostalgia, or maybe it’s that you forget what’s on the film by the time you remember to develop it. For a unique gift, pick up a disposable camera and capture a special event or trip with a friend of family member. Afterward, get the film developed at McGreevey in downtown Albany and gift the photos (yes, real photographs!) to your loved one.
5. Stewart’s Shops Gift Card
Any amount
You really can’t go wrong picking up a Stewart’s gift card for anybody that lives in the great upstate. If someone doesn’t appreciate a Stewart’s gift card, you probably don’t want them in your life.
For Her: Ashlee Rose Hartley
@ashleerosehartley
1. Poppy & Pout Lip Scrub
$15 / Caroline + Main
Kill the stocking stuffer game this Christmas with an exfoliating lip scrub by Poppy & Pout. The product is 100 percent natural and comes in many varieties, such as pomegranate peach, island coconut, marshmallow creme and pink grapefruit. Now to decide which one to buy…
2. Local Tea Sampler and Local Honey
$56 / Saratoga Tea & Honey
When shopping at Saratoga Tea & Honey, it’s hard not to go home with both tea and honey! Not sure what to get? Go with a tea sampler (there are three varieties—Fruit & Floral, Herbal and World of Tea) paired with 100 percent raw local honey, which was made within 30 miles of Amsterdam right here in the Capital Region.
3. Caddis Readers
$95-$115 / Lifestyles of Saratoga
The silver lining to having bad eyesight? You have one more way to accessorize! Pick up a pair of Caddis reading glasses for your farsighted friend or family member; they come
in a variety of styles and colors to fit any fashionista’s aesthetic.
4. Saratoga Sweater
$132 / Pink Paddock
This sweater is one of Pink Paddock’s most popular items year round, but it’s an especially great purchase heading into the holiday season. The lady in your life will love repping Saratoga Springs in style and comfort all winter long.
$140 / iRun Local
Whether you’re buying for a seasoned runner or someone just getting into the sport (like me!) you can’t go wrong with a new pair of Hokas. The Clifton 8 is best for everyday running and walking, and comes in all sorts of eye-catching colors.
For the Kids: Brittany Wilson-DeMarco
@brittwd
1. Lucky’s Adventure in Saratoga
$17.99 / Northshire Bookstore
Lucky’s Adventure in Saratoga is the first of a three-book series featuring Lucky the dog by local author Elizabeth Macy. Lucky’s adventures take her to some awesome spots around town, including the old Lake Local, a special spot near and dear to my family’s hearts. We absolutely love reading this book to our son.
$100 for one adult and one child/ Children’s Museum of Saratoga
Nothing screams entertainment in the wintertime like the Children’s Museum at Saratoga. This interactive museum offers yearly membership passes for families, so the kids can enjoy the fun as often as they’d like.
3. Loog Mini Guitar
Starting at $89 / Lex & Cleo
The Loog Mini Guitar is a real guitar for children ages 3 and up. For all the future musicians out there, this is the perfect gift. To say our toddler is obsessed is an absolute understatement: He loves to put on performances for us! Bonus points for this toy being aesthetically pleasing for all the moms who want their kids’ toys to match the rest of the house.
4. Babiator Sunglasses
$24-$40 / Lex & Cleo
Babiators are an adorable accessory for children that not only dresses up their look but protects their eyes, too. These stylish sunglasses for children ages 0-2, 3-5, and 6+ offer 100 percent UVB & UVA protection, while simultaneously being super cute. And if your kid is anything like mine, he or she will absolutely love wearing them.
5. Green Sprouts Stacking Cups
$5.99 / Play Hollow
I stumbled upon this adorable children’s store in Ballston Spa on a whim, and wanted to purchase something to support a local business. I never dreamed that the few dollars I spent on colorful stacking cups would give me hours of my time back! My baby was mesmerized by these simple stacking cups, and would play with them nonstop for huge stretches of time. An absolute win.
For the Foodie: Erika Dibble
@saratogagrazingco
1. Cheese Club Membership
Starting at $70/box for a 3-month membership / The Cheese Lover Shop
Why not give your favorite foodie the gift that keeps on giving? With a cheese subscription from The Cheese Lover Shop, the charcuterie connoisseur in your life will have endless opportunities to sample cheeses, charcuterie and expertly paired accouterments monthly. What could be better than that?
2. Half Baked Harvest Every Day: Recipes for Balanced, Flexible, Feel-Good Meals
$25 / Northshire Bookstore
This cookbook by Tieghan Gerard has it all—delicious comfort foods, creative cocktails and gorgeous photography. Her unique take on classic dishes is sure to inspire any foodie.
$60 / Beekman 1802
Buying a gift for a foodie who loves to entertain? This stoneware serving tray, designed by Jasmine Crowe and available at Beekman 1802 in Sharon Springs, will be the perfect addition to his or her home entertaining collection. Each of these sleek trays has a unique design and is an absolutely stunning piece.
4. The Saratoga Basket
$87 / Saratoga Tea and Honey
Chilly winter temperatures definitely call for a gift to warm the body and soul, and this box does just that! Filled with local honey, Spa City Earl Tea, Saratoga Chocolate’s Genmai Cha dark chocolate bar, honey candy, a honey dipper and a tea infuser, the Saratoga Basket is winter-gift perfection.
5. Wine Tasting/Food Pairing
Starting at $200 (plus product) / The Saratoga Sommelier
This experience gift is the perfect way to give the foodie in your life a memorable experience and an opportunity to learn about complementary wine and food pairings. The Saratoga Sommelier’s tasting is totally customizable and can be as fancy or as laid back as you’d like.