holiday gift guide

Home for the Holidays: The Ultimate Local Gift Guide

This holiday season, join us in the spirit of intentional giving with our curated gift guide - a tribute to the remarkable local businesses that enrich our community. Each of these businesses offer unique and thoughtful gifts that are sure to bring joy to your loved ones, and make a positive impact on the place we call home. While our guide highlights some of the best, remember that there are countless other local gems waiting to be discovered in our town, each offering the perfect gift to make this holiday season truly memorable.

The Happy Envelope: Luxury in Every Detail

The Happy Envelope stands out for its exquisite offerings, from luxury letterpress wedding invitations to custom stationery and art prints. Delve into their collection of gifts that will not only capture your attention but also make your heart smile with every thoughtful detail.

The Plaid Apron: A Farm to Table Staple 

Delight someone's taste buds with a meal or gift card from The Plaid Apron. This eatery bridges the gap between farmer and restaurant offering a delicious culinary experience that supports local producers.

The Painted Perch & Co: A Market of Treasures

This market boasts over 30 vendors offering a diverse range of goods, from antiques and painted furniture to local artwork and handmade pieces. Find unique holiday items that support a good cause.

Union Avenue Books: A Literary Haven

Dive into the world of literature with Union Avenue Books, Downtown Knoxville's locally-owned independent bookstore. Explore their vast selection and support local authors by choosing a book that speaks to the heart of your loved ones.

Stanley’s Greenhouse: Nature's Gifts

Located south of downtown Knoxville, Stanley’s Greenhouse is a locally-owned retreat for plant lovers. Explore their Holiday Marketplace every Sunday in December for gifts and decor crafted by local artisans.

The District Gallery and Framery: Where Art Comes to Life

The District Gallery is a haven for art enthusiasts, offering custom framing and a stunning array of one-of-a-kind jewelry and artwork from local and regional artists. Uncover the perfect piece to adorn your loved one's space.

Doing Dishes: Unearth Vintage Charm  

Step into the charming world of Doing Dishes, a quirky little shop that specializes in buying and selling vintage, antique, and collectible china by the piece. Discover unique treasures and add a touch of nostalgia to your holiday gifting with their one-of-a-kind selection.

71 South: Dining in the Heart of Baker Creek Preserve 

Nestled within Knoxville's Urban Wilderness, 71 South offers a unique dining experience in a century-old converted church. A casual atmosphere with local brews and handcrafted cocktails - a perfect destination for any occasion.

Minimal Optimist: Sustainable and Stylish

Explore the sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle boutique, Minimal Optimist, for naturally inspired goods and unique gifts. Each item reflects a commitment to sustainability, making it the perfect choice for those who appreciate style with a conscience.

Roost: Thoughtfully Curated Home Goods

Nestled in downtown Maryville, Roost is a boutique furniture and home goods store. Beyond offering stylish items, they provide professional interior design services to help you style your space, ensuring your home is as unique as you are.

Bradley’s Gift & Home: Handcrafted Delights

Bradley’s offers a delightful array of handmade sweets, unique home goods, and special gifts for any occasion. Discover ornaments, candles, and decor that add a personal touch to your holiday gifting.

Fig & Co.: Unique Finds for the Home

Fig & Co. is your destination for one-of-a-kind goods, including accent decor, art, furniture, and gifts. Browse their selection of holiday decor and gifts that will make a statement in any home.

Gather: Modern Farmhouse Charm

Experience the charm of modern farmhouse aesthetics at Gather, where you'll find specialty finds for baby, home, and gorgeous accessories for your loved ones. Their seasonal merchandise is a beautiful blend of style and southern hospitality.

Help You Dwell: The Gift of Tranquility

Give the gift of Help You Dwell's organizing services to a friend, loved one, or neighbor. Perfect for new moms, transitioning homeowners, or anyone who could use a little extra love in the form of an organized space.

Photography Session: Capturing Moments

For the gift of memories, give the gift of a timeless photo session that will be cherished for years to come. 

Heather Anne Thomas: the visionary behind Beall + Thomas Photography, who transforms moments into timeless works of art. Heather's elegant style and commitment to perfection results in photographs that are not just snapshots but pieces of art that you'll proudly display in your home. 

Suzy Collins Photography: A keen eye for capturing genuine emotions make her family photo sessions a truly enjoyable experience. Suzy captures images that celebrate the essence of family bonds, she has a remarkable talent for immortalizing the genuine moments in any session. 

As the season of giving unfolds, let's unite in celebrating the joy of intentional giving by supporting our local businesses. By choosing to shop locally, you not only find unique gifts but also play a crucial role in maintaining the vibrancy and resilience of our community. Happy Holidays!

Holiday Gift Guide

We’ve created this Holiday Gift Guide in hopes that it will help with your gift giving this year. Here you will find a carefully curated selection of our favorite places to find gifts that are personal, thoughtful, and Unique.

Experiences:

  • Wake Foot Sanctuary: Give someone the. unique experience of a specially formulated herbal soak and rejuvenating massage that is sure to de-stress and re-energize.

  • Plaid Apron: Gift someone a meal or gift card at this great eatery in our community that prides themselves on bridging the gap between farmer, restaurant, and mouth.

  • Top Golf: Give the sports lover in your life a gift certificate to Knoxville’s newest entertainment venue. The bays are climate controlled all year long and even if you aren’t a golfer, it’s a great way to spend a few hours having fun!

  • Help You Dwell: Give the gift of HYD’s services to a friend, loved one, family member or neighbor. Our services are a wonderful way to show love to a new mama, a transitioning homeowner, or just someone you love. This gift card can be used towards organizing, packing, and/or unpacking services.

Goods:

  • Reece: This is one of our favorite shops for one-of-a-kind pieces! They have thoughtfully sourced home goods from all around the world and offer services to help you style your space and can also source custom or antique pieces that will be unique to your home.

  • Happy Envelope: We love this shop for so many reasons! They offer luxury letterpress wedding invitations, custom stationery, art prints, and gifts that will make your heart smile.

  • Minimal Optimist: This shop is a lifestyle boutique that specializes in sustainable, eco-friendly, and nature-inspired goods and unique gifts. They also have great gifts for your plant-loving friends!

  • Union Avenue Books: Downtown Knoxville's locally-owned independent bookstore with a great selection of the newly published titles. They also host a variety of local, regional and nationally known authors for readings and book signings. We love to support local shops as well as local authors!

Unique Seasonal Items:

  • Bradley’s Gift & Home: In addition to hundreds of handmade sweets, you can find unique home goods and special gifts for any occasion. We love all the different ornaments, candles, and decor they have for sale during the different seasons of the year.

  • Fig & Co.: FIG exists as an avenue to provide unique and one-of-a-kind goods for the home, including accent decor, art, furniture as well as gifts. Their selection of holiday decor and gifts is amazing!

  • Back Porch Mercantile: This shop is a unique space that offers specialty finds for baby, home, gift items and accessories that are inline with a modern farmhouse aesthetic and southern hospitality. Their seasonal merchandise is beautiful and like no other.

  • The Painted Perch & Co: This market has over 30 vendors offering goods such as antiques, painted furniture, Haitian artwork and handmade pieces (all proceeds go back to Haiti), new and repurposed furniture, gourmet food, hand crafted textiles, gourmet pet items, boutique adult and children clothing and jewelry like Myra bags, Fusion paint, reclaimed wood pieces, gift items/baskets and so much more! They have a huge selection of holiday items that would be great for anyone on your Christmas list.

Local Holiday Markets:

  • Stanley’s Greenhouse-Located across the river south of downtown Knoxville, Stanley’s is a locally owned greenhouse and plant farm. Shop with them on Small Business Saturday (November 26), or visit on Sundays in November and December for their Holiday Marketplace for one-stop shopping for gifts and decor.

  • Riverview Family Farm-Located in West Knoxville, Riverview Family Farm is holding their annual Holiday Barn Sale on Friday, December 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, and Saturday, December 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stop by and see local vendors with a variety of goods.

  • Ijams Holiday Market-Located on Island Home Avenue, go celebrate the holiday season by supporting local artisans and makers at the ninth annual Ijams Holiday Marketplace on not one, but two dates this year: Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 from 10 am-3 pm! You'll find crafty delights, including beautiful jewelry, all-natural body products, glass, pottery, apparel, local food trucks, a beer garden, hot drinks, and so much more!

  • Foothills Holiday Market-Located in the Smithview Pavillion in Maryville, this market is going to be open Saturday, December 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a variety of gifts and items from local vendors, as well as food trucks for snacks and lunch.


Happy Shopping Friends!

Holiday gift guide: Give the gift of experience rather than goods

gift guide.png

Christmas is less than two weeks away and we have a great list of gift ideas that won't clutter up the homes of the ones you love. We have compiled ideas for all age groups, budgets, and interests. We've even managed to think of ways to support local businesses without having to purchase tangible items. Whether you're shopping for "the person that already has everything", someone who is working toward a minimal lifestyle, or for someone that you wish would get rid of some clutter, we've got you covered. 

Experiences:

  • A Weekend away. Knoxville is conveniently located in driving distance from Nashville, Atlanta, Louisville, Chattanooga, and the Smokey Mountains. Try out an air bnb property rather than a hotel for a more personalized experience.
  • Dinner out. A few of our local favorites are A dopo, Knox Mason, Emelia, and J.C. Holdway
  • Manicure, pedicure, massage, spa treatment etc. Support a local salon like Wild Lavender or Pure Lux

Give the gift of classes or offer to teach someone a skill that you have:

  • Teach a loved one to knit, crochet, embroider, or sew. Loopville offers lots of classes for all levels of learning
  • Teach someone how to bake your "signature" treat or cook your favorite meal or give the gift of cooking classes at The Cutting Edge Classroom
  • Music/instrument lessons. Bill Jones Music offers many options.
  • Art or pottery classes. Check out Mighty Mud or ask a local artist if they offer private lessons.
  • Yoga membership or class package. The Glowing Body is one of our favorite locally owned studios.
  • Photography classes. Light Finds offers classes and private lessons as well!

Events:

The Mill & Mine: Image Source

The Mill & Mine: Image Source

Gift ideas for Kids:

The Basement community art studio. Image Source

The Basement community art studio. Image Source

Miscellaneous:

CSA share. Image source

CSA share. Image source

Think outside of the box this year and give those you love something that they will remember forever!