Last year, we gave you a gift guide that was local, local, local. We suggested books, art, music and D.C.-specific creations for you to put on your wish list and give to your loved ones for the holiday season. Well, though there are only five days till Christmas this time around, we thought we’d throw it out there again anyway for those of you who, like us, have procrastinated on the gift-giving, but still want to hand out something meaningful. (Do still check out last year’s guide; a lot of the suggestions still pertain and are still available.)
>> For the clothing buffs out there, we have to point you again towards unsungdesigners.com, a site that features indie designers from D.C. and all over the country. Bonus: If you choose Express Mail at checkout, your purchaes will reach you by Decemeber 23 — in plenty of time for wrapping.
>> Art Enables helps artistically inclined adults with developmental and/or mental disabilities by matching them up with professional artists for regular instruction. If you are looking for an excellent cause to support with a holiday donation, look no further: go and buy some art. They even have 2007 calendars and holiday cards for sale. [411 New York Ave. NE]
>> Have you ever heard of etsy.com? If not, get thee over there super quick. It’s a lovely site, full of homemade and handcrafted art and goodies that folks can sell directly to one another. And as a bonus, you can buy D.C.-specific things there, as well. How about this hott Redskins afghan crochet kit? A vintage D.C. car badge? And until you can buy your fabulous Flickr prints at the DCist Exposed show in March, KelleyTPhotography has got lots of great D.C. photos.
>> I totally want this hot Metrobrella, and you know you do, too.
>> If t-shirts are your thing, the D.C. two bars/three stars popular model can be purchased over here. Or buy this popular Threadless design that shows what Butterstick may look like when he gets all growed up. And, if we may be so humble, why not think about getting a DCist shirt? You can get them in almost any style or color combination over at the Spreadshirt store.
>> Local museum gift shops can be pricey, but some of the items are worth it. Online ordering for most of them isn’t really available, though, but stop in at the National Gallery shop or the Hirshhorn — for example, here at DCist we were big fans of the Sugimoto show, and they’ve got a gorgeous book of his stuff for sale.
>> And if you’re concerned more about where you’re shopping as opposed to what you’re buying, we must again recommend BuyIndie, so you can make sure that you’re buying from good, original, independent organizations.
Any other ideas you may have, please share them in the comments. Happy shopping!
Photo by Flickr user Ride ‘N Fast&Take ‘N Chances
