Supporting Small And Local Businesses: A Gift Guide

Are you looking for that perfect gift for your loved one but trying to keep it unique and thoughtful? Try shopping small this holiday season by supporting a local business. Small businesses hold hidden treasures that are just waiting for you to find them. Anything from clothing to home decor and jewelry, the Compass has you covered with a local holiday gift guide for shopping small on Long Island with some tips included for shopping small online.

Local

Locals Only

Are you shopping for a proud Long Islander this holiday season? Check out Locals Only LI, a clothing brand made by Locals for Locals. Head over to their website localsonlyli.com to shop and check out their Instagram page @localsonlyli to keep up with their newest drops and the occasional scavenger hunt; keep it local! From tapestries to hoodies and stickers to beanies, you’ll find the perfect gift for your favorite bacon egg and cheese-loving, Billie Joel singing Islander.

Designed by J

Custom items always make the most heartfelt and unique gifts you can give to someone. Designed by J brings your ideas to life with every custom order. With a broad range of items such as mugs, t-shirts, home decor, and ornaments, the possibilities are endless for your gift-giving needs. Pick the item you want to be customized, and then you can choose your colors and fonts; even designs or personal logos can be used. For inspiration, you can swipe through her past orders on her Instagram page at @designed.by.j and make your gift ideas a reality.

Lolamina Designs

Find beautiful and dainty jewelry for the dog lover in your life with Lolamina Designs. It is a mother-daughter-created business that brings awareness to multiple causes in each piece they sell, including rescue animals in need, Spikes K9 Fund, Senior dog sanctuaries, and many more. Each collection has a portion of its sales given to the cause it was created for, all the while you show off your support with the piece you purchase. Find their shop at lolaminadesigns.com and their Instagram page at @lolaminadesigns, Gabriella from Lolamina is giving our readers a 30% discount on orders until January 1st, 2022, when you use the code COMPASS at checkout! Support the animals in our community and all over this holiday season when you shop with Lolamina! 

Online

If you didn’t know, you can shop small even when online shopping! Check out Etsy.com, a shopping platform that makes reaching out to small businesses easy. Here you can find tons of categories already sorted out for you or type in some keywords for the perfect item. The great thing is, you can speak directly to the small business. Reach out and explore the many talented online shops that are just one click away.

Kids

If you’re looking for something special for the kiddos, it’s easy to find a gift for their interests. Shops like EnduringBoutique on Etsy make premade gift boxes that come with all the goodies beautifully packed waiting to be opened! Or scroll through pages and pages of toys, clothes, and room decor for all ages until you find that perfect gift, you might be stumped with all the amazing choices, but you are sure to find the superb present.

Seasonal

As the holidays roll in and out, home decor is a great way to show off your festivities and make a great gift! This year, a popular item was interchangeable holiday signs, a piece of decoration you can keep up all year long and change the accents to meet each season, like the one by TealMoonCreation on Etsy. Whatever your taste is, you can find it for any time of year.

Art

Small artists use Etsy to reach out and sell their work; you can find paintings, sculptures, art prints, and handmade textiles. What better way to decorate than owning a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork by a small artist you supported firsthand. Some artists even create custom orders for portraits or family photos (and some funny pet portraits) KristaKimStudio is a shop on Esty by a talented artist selling original oil paintings ready to be displayed. Art can be a beautiful gift that can bring beauty to a home for years to come.