This year, more than ever before, it’s important to show you care, not only for your loved ones but for your community at large. One way is a “now and later” form of gift giving — buy a present (large or small) from a local establishment now, along with a gift certificate to use in the future. This helps keep your favorite restaurants and shops afloat and lets your giftees know you can’t wait to spend time with them in the Berkshires again soon. Purchase something unique from your favorite Berkshire County museum’s gift shop and an annual membership there for a friend. Get your hands on a one-of-a-kind creation from a local artist and a gift certificate to the restaurant you can’t live without. Pair an instrument from Magic Fluke or Sauve Guitars with the gift of lessons from Berkshire Music School or even a chance to build your own instrument at Brier Road Guitars. Art supplies from JWS and a class at IS183, snowshoes from Berkshire Outfitters and a Trustees of Reservations or Mass Audubon membership — the possibilities are endless! While you’re brainstorming, here are a few more ideas to consider mixing and matching. In the Berkshires, Small Business Saturday runs all year long!
The pandemic has put a damper on the in-person artisan markets and handmade holiday festivals where creators make a large percentage of their annual sales. You can help by buying directly from your favorite makers. From the jewelry of Anni Maliki and The Peach Tree to fun bags and totes by Jesse Tobin McCauley and ceramics and candles from Veronica Martin Design, the Berkshires is brimming with talent.
Support your favorite ceramic artist by gifting one of their handcrafted mugs filled with loose-leaf teas or coffees from a local café. A colorful mug from a local potter — Williamstown potter Amrita Lash or Great Barrington potter Daniel Bellow — and Cherry Blossom or Cacao Kisses tea from the new Dragon Well Tea Shop in North Adams, or a nature-inspired teacup from Ellen Grenadier and Six Depot Café’s Heart of Darkness whole bean coffee or Witches’ Brew herbal tea are just two of many options.
Stay-at-home orders have created many a budding chef or baker. Support someone’s newfound or rekindled love of cooking with useful gadgets from The Chef Shop (inside both Guido’s stores), Different Drummer’s Kitchen, or Hillsdale General Store along with the gift of a cooking class at HGS Home Chef or Miraval Berkshires.
Pressed for time? Visit these “one-stop shops” that have done the hard work of gift curating for you. Many stores are currently offering private browsing hours for at-risk shoppers — just ask!
Pittsfield’s Township Four is much more than a fresh flower and plant store. This chic boutique is the perfect destination for luxe body oils, bath salts, candles, ornaments, and more. Pick up a screen-printed tea towel for yourself and a DIY terrarium kit as a gift.
Party planners Only In My Dreams Events opened The Shop on Main Street in South Egremont in September and it boasts a quirky selection of curiosities that include local makers and fun national brands. The company also sells its own parties in a box, ideal for intimate gatherings. The New Year’s Eve Pack includes champagne glasses, hats, noisemakers, and more for four people. The Proposal Pack (rose petals, balloons, tissues, etc.) is meant for just one pair of lovebirds.
Evergreen Fine American Crafts, on Main Street in Great Barrington, stocks gifts “of the moment” aka assorted masks and mask chains, as well as timeless items such as handcrafted jewelry, home décor, and DIY craft beer kits (alcohol is timeless, right?). Find another astonishing array of jewelry, boxes, And, on Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington and on Walker Street in Lenox, An American Craftsman galleries offer a tantalizing selection of contemporary works, from unusual gifts to decorative art objects, from furniture to sculpture, from art glass to jewelry to complex wooden puzzle boxes.
Workshop GB, a holiday pop-up shop at 25 Railroad Street in Great Barrington (open through December 30), is a collaboration of local artists showcasing their wares in person. Shop textiles by Jamie Goldenberg, ceramics by Ben Krupka, cards and prints from Sarah Martinez, the clothing and designwork of Molly & Aurel De St. Andre, cut paper art by Maude White, woodwork by Joshua and Kris Kantor, and bespoke hats from Karema Deodato.
Stop by Hillsdale’s Passiflora Home to put a checkmark next to every person on your list. Here you’ll find cuddly plush toys for the kids, funky earrings, scents for the body and the home, pillows and floor cushions, chocolates, NSFW coffee mugs, greeting cards, holiday decorations, and more.
If you don’t have time to curate local treats for your intended, Berkshire Box will do it for you. Choose from seven themed collections, including boxes for foodies, tea lovers, and those who could use a spa day or better sleep. The boxes include goodies such as Soma’s Aroma’s candles, self-care items from Blue Skye Wellness, Bola Granola, Bear Butter, Bourbon-barrel Aged Maple Syrup from Woodlife Ranch, and more.
Has 2020 turned someone you know into a farmers market fan? From Mighty Food Farm in Shaftsbury, Vt. to Chaseholm Farm in Pine Plains, N.Y. and our entire county in between, Berkshire Grown has an extensive list of regional farms offering annual
CSA memberships. A steady supply of fresh veggies, pasture-raised eggs, meats, cheeses, herbs, flowers, and more is a gift that keeps on giving through the summer and into fall.
Pet lovers will appreciate it when you show a little TLC to their DOG or CAT with a set of oatmeal and aloe grooming products from Zogics Pet, healthy treats from Whole Life Pet, a personalized painting of their best friend by artist Carol Lew of Old World Pet Portraits, or a photo shoot with a local photographer.
