(This article first appeared in the December print edition of the Hendersonian.)
Still have one, or two—or 10—names on your holiday gift-giving list and are drawing a blank?
Now’s a good time to “think local” and “shop local,” and the Hendersonian has done a little scouting to find items available at local businesses that have a local connection/theme or are locally made.
Here are some ideas we discovered:
• Day’s Garden Center, 200 S. Alvasia St., has an Amaryllis & Paperwhite Potting Station where you can put your personal touch on a container of these winter-blooming bulbs. Select your container, plant your bulbs, decorate with moss or sand and you’ve got the solution to adding a little color to the darker winter months.
• Is there a bookworm on your list? Henderson County Public Library’s circulation desk (101 S. Main St.) has two types of book bags (also T-shirts) sold as a fundraiser by the Friends of the Library to support library programs. And at the library’s Christmas at the Library event (Dec. 7) and the Garden Club of Henderson’s Holiday Home Tour (Dec. 12), the Henderson Education Foundation will sell at pewter Christmas ornament depicting the library.
• Here’s local two-fer: In addition to lots of food products, apparel and gift items, Beach Bum Farms (223 Third St.) is offering Christmas-scented soaps locally produced by Niagara Soap Company, including “Christmas Morning,” “Peppermint Candy,” and “Tis The Season.”
• Need the glow of holiday light? At Landy Lane (236 N. Main St.) “The Candle Bar” is available for you to design your own scent. Pick a jar and layer the soy and beeswax “beads” to build your creation. Holiday scents include “Holiday Home,” “Silver Birch” and “Balsam & Cedar” (and others.)
• Is there a person with a sweet tooth on your list? J’Petals (131 First St.) carries honey and creamed honey in a variety of flavors produced by local beekeeper/producer Edward Hickerson (Hickerson Flowers & Plants.)
• Feeling warm and cozy while sporting hometown pride is possible with an monotone earth-hued sweatshirt adorned with “Henderson” spelled out in appliqué available at The Olive Leaf (136 N. Main S.)
• In the decor department, Whims & Wishes (112 N. Main St.) has a very broad selection of wooden cutouts (including Christmas ornaments) that you can paint and/or personalize for someone. A notable one is an ornament featuring the “I Love Henderson” sign. For the kids’ stockings (or kids-at-heart) you can “Build Your Own Take Home Paint Kit” with wooden cutouts and paints.
• If you’re not feeling very creative (or don’t have time to paint) but still have hometown spirit in mind, how about a colorful “It’s A Wonderful Life In Henderson, Kentucky” ornament from Elite Downtown (213 Second St.)
• Feeling nostalgic about Christmas Past? Tip Top Design Co. (1725 N. Green St.) offers a “Christmas in Henderson Kentucky” Tshirt with a vintage Santa delivering presents to the tree. The design on the cream-colored shirt is classic Christmas red and green.
• Sweet Pea’s Gift Shop (3000 U.S. 60-East) is home to “The Porch at T.J.’s, which offers all sorts of Henderson-themed shirts, sweatshirts, pillows, coasters, magnets and more.
• Looking for apparel and other merchandise from our two local distilleries, Silk Velvet and Rhythm River? You can find that at The Depot Gift Shop (101 N. Water St.) operated by the Henderson Tourist Commission. Among many other things, they also have a set of 42420 notecards created by local artist Katie Hargis.
• For one-of-a-kind vintage items, antiques, clothing, books and oddities (along with handmade items by local artists), try Corkscrew Curiosity (920 Second St.) And Mimi’s Vintage Vault (1205 S. Green St.) is filled with locally curated vintage clothing, glass, accessories and specialty items from local makers and artists.
• Also for those with a sweet tooth, Tooties Kettle Crack storefront (1541 Clay St.) will be open Dec. 3-20 with locally made gourmet kettle corn, fudge, Oreo balls, peanut butter balls and cocoa.
• For barbecue fans, Thomason’s Barbecue (701 Atkinson St.), recognized in Southern Living Magazine’s “best of” lists, offers its barbecue sauces for sale. One gift set offers one bottle each of The Original Dip, KG’s Sweet Sauce and Limited Edition Kentucky Bourbon Festival Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Damon’s Heat Rub and a Thomason’s Barbecue branded kitchen towel.
• Still haven’t hit on just the right idea? The gift of food is never a bad idea and nearly every local restaurant offers gift cards, often with a Christmas bonus attached to them. Also, the Henderson Chamber of Commerce (114 N. Main St.) also has gift cards that are redeemable at 58 participating member businesses selling everything from shoes to services to food and drink.
