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Note: This story was originally posted in 2024 and updated 2025.

I used to find myself scrolling endlessly through gift guides online — the ones that suggest I get a smart mug for my mom and a cashmere wrap for my sister.

While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with either of those two gifts, I know I can do better — and I know I can do so locally.

sums it up perfectly: if a city the size of Tucson shifted just 10% of its spending from chains to local businesses, the transition would lead to 1,600 new jobs, $53 million in new wages and an economic impact of more than $130 million.

When you shop local, your money stays here, Local First Arizona says. “By sourcing more products and services locally, we are investing our dollars to create self-reliant local communities that offer opportunity and prosperity for all.�

Here’s a long list of gifts to give this holiday season — all found through a small business in Tucson.

Make it monsoon all the time

Here in Tucson, we love the rain — so much so that we want to smell the rain on even our cloudless days. Luckily, many local creatives make that scent come alive year-round.

If your gift recipient is a monsoon fan like we are, here are some gift ideas:

• Candles from ²¹²Ô»åÌý
• Fragrance roll-ons from Ìý²¹²Ô»å
• Soap from , ,Ìýand
• Face oil, sunscreen, perfume spray, salves, essential oils and more (plus literal bundles of creosote!) from

A custom charm necklace or bracelet 

The charm necklace trend has taken off for good reason. In Tucson,Ìý has a full charm bar with hundreds of different charms. There are classic charms of flowers and hearts, but tons of funky picks too: think Goldfish crackers, cheese wheels and tiny bags of potato chips.Ìý

Chains range from $20-$25 for a necklace or bracelet. Charms start at $2 each and go up to $9. The average final total is $35-$55, but that depends on how many charms you choose. After selecting your charms, you'll sit down and assemble the jewelry for your loved one.

Sigfus is located at , open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.

Soap that reminds you of Tucson

Because of course our local creatives have figured out how to make a bar of soap reminiscent of our favorite desert city!

 creates soap bars carved to look like our beloved "A" Mountain, scented with spearmint, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils.

 makes bars with a translucent desert scene in the middle. Hold it up to the light and see how it peeks through! (She also makes candles shaped as cacti wearing Santa hats and cowboy hats, just saying.)

For the person who can never have too many stickers

Hola Chingona is one of Tucson's most treasured stores. It's the concha-shaped purses, the mouse pads that resemble a buttered tortilla, the churro lip scrubs, the "horchata and chill" tumblers, the candles that smell like Fabuloso.Ìý

But on my last trip into the store, they had sheets of taco-shaped stickers, complete with illustrations of popular musicians and names to match. Think "BADbacoa" aka Bad Bunny as a barbacoa taco and "BirRIHANNA" aka Rihanna as a birria taco.

Stickers are $4 each or $8 for the whole pack. Shop  or in person at , open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. (Hola Chingona has LOTS of other sticker options, too.)

Other iconic sticker makers in Tucson:

• , who also has bookmarks and bumper stickers
• , who also has tea towels and earrings
• , who raises money for shelter cats
• , who also has fake cake trinket boxes and enamel pins

The self-care category

We all need to treat ourselves once in a while (or all the time).Ìý

 is a vegan cosmetic line created right here in Tucson. There's lip gloss, eye shadow and neon eyeliner. I get compliments every single time I wear my Super Nova highlighter. But the compliments aren't for me — they're for Emiliaxocosmetics founder Monique "Emilia" De La Torre.

More self-care and cozy items:

• Bubble bath, massage oil and more from 
• Body cream, lip balm and more skincare from  ²¹²Ô»åÌý
• Bath bombs in lots of fun shapes ²¹²Ô»åÌýcolors from 
• Candles, bath salts and room sprays from ,Ìý,Ìý ²¹²Ô»åÌý

A plant that’ll thrive in our desert (and gifts inspired by nature)

This section goes two ways: a literal plant that will thrive in our desert or a colorful sheet of stained glass shaped like a cactus. Let's start with the former.

You can head to any number of local nurseries to pick up a plant that will happily grow in our climate. Think ,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý,ÌýÌý²¹²Ô»å . (But really, there are too many nurseries to name here.)

Alternatively, for someone who doesn't have a green thumb but wishes they did, local artist creates stained glass shaped as potted cacti. No watering necessary!

Other plant-ish gifts and items inspired by nature:

• Macrame plant hangers from  ²¹²Ô»åÌý
• Stickers and stationery from 
• Seeds from 
• Adorable planters shaped as homes from 
• A hand-painted pot from 
• Metal yard art from 
• Dried flower bouquets from 

For the chef in your life

Jackie Alpers is the mastermind behind the cookbook, which includes recipes of her own and collaborations with several other Tucson chefs. You'll find lots of Sonoran-style recipes, from carne asada to huevos rancheros.

Other worthy options for someone who likes to cook: is known for prickly pear jelly and syrup; has jam and tea blends; and don't forget the saguaro-printed oven mitts from .

Something witchy

Tucson is blessed with its many .

You can hop over to to find desert-themed tarot cards crafted by owner Melissa Mercilliott. Or you can head to  where owner Lulu Tineo creates limpia mists and beautiful floral bundles for smoke cleansing. Then there's Torrie Dueñas, who sells altar candles and crystal-charged skincare at .Ìý

Whatever you choose, from the crystals at to the astrology books at , there are loads of options for the bruja in your life.

This year, Monsoon Mystics, along with 10 other local metaphysical shops, is launching a month-long . You can participate in the city wide game, and support local businesses, all while doing your regular seasonal shopping.

Participating shops include Monsoon Mystics, Purple Sky Incense, Aquamarine Daydream, Celestial Rites, Luna Ink & Oddities, Mourning Star Curio, Celestia Collective, The Ninth House, Di Luna Candles, Libra & Thorn, and Nexus Occult Books.Ìý

Once you achieve bingo, you can turn your card in at any participating store to be entered into the raffle.Ìý

A plushie of their favorite animal

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Sometimes you just want a plushie of an angry frog or a smiling axolotl. I don't make the rules!

 crochets adorable plushies, including giraffes, squids, cats and platypuses. Over in midtown is , , which is a wonderland of toys, puzzles, dress-up kids costumes and stuffed animals including the trendy Jellycat. Good luck going home with just one Palm Pal — they're all adorable. (Side note: this is the perfect spot to go if you're looking for a gift for a kiddo in your life.)

Paper goods, stationery and books

If your gift recipient loves to read, you're in luck. Tucson has enough to make your heart sing, packed with tomes written by local authors!

Of course, you can pick up a book on your recipient's to-be-read list, but if you're looking for something more,Ìý is the bookish maker of all bookish makers. Think book-themed enamel pins, hats and tote bags.

For fans of journaling, handcrafts journals inspired by the Southwest using leather and craft paper. has sets of pens with adorable Tucson-themed sayings. Ìý²¹²Ô»å  have nature-inspired designs on greeting cards. has holographic saguaro paper weights and wall hangings that I think everyone needs.

If you're searching for prints to frame and hang up, try , , , and .

Your loved one’s favorite snack

I, too, love snacks. Here are some packaged goodies that will hold up as stocking stuffers:

•  — caramels flavored with chai or lavender honey
• ,  — candies coated in chamoy
•  — smoked nuts and lots of flavored popcorn 
• , and  — beloved shop for handmade chocolate
•  — my favorite is the prickly pear caramel ðŸ�¿
• ,  — candies coated in a Mexican spice blend
•  — chocolate, including the viral Dubai bar
•  — more than a dozen tea flavors 

If you wait a bit closer to Christmas, you might be lucky enough to gift baked goods. There's a long list of bakers we love, but here are a handful: for cakes, for banana bread,  for focaccia, and Ìý²¹²Ô»å for cookies.

And if your loved one no longer lives in Tucson but misses it: ship them .Ìý

Desert-themed bolo ties and minimalist-ish jewelry

Say a permanent goodbye to rings that make your fingers green.

When Spring Winders took a jewelers metalsmithing class in college, we all ended up benefiting. She eventually started , creating silver jewelry perfect for any desert dweller, from a roadrunner bolo tie, to a javelina-shaped ring, to a necklace of a horned lizard.Ìý

For jewelry that's minimalist-ish, check out ,Ìý,Ìý,ÌýÌý²¹²Ô»å .

These earrings are the last thing from minimalist

You have your friend who likes dainty jewelry and then there's the friend who wants bubble wands hanging from their ear lobes. (I'm the latter.)

, whose charm bar I mentioned earlier, has bowtie pasta that hangs from your ears, plus mirrored scorpions.Ìý has tons of monsoon-inspired earrings, plus dangles of cowgirls, ouija boards and other funky shapes.  has palm-sized snakes, T. rex skulls and crescent moons.

If you're into earrings, you should also check out:

• , who has different styles of beaded earrings
• , who has both bold and minimalist jewelry
• , who has beautiful small and larger earrings
• , handmade jewelry with vintage pieces

A custom charcoal drawing 

I've said it before and I'll say it again and again. My dream is to one day own a custom .

I've twice ordered commissions from charcoal artist Dierssen, once for my editor and another for my stepmom, both using photos of their kiddos. Both were received with cheer.Ìý

Pricing is based off size and medium, but I'll tell you one thing: they're well worth it.

For the animal lover and full-time pet parent

 is a scientific illustrator and wildlife biologist who graces us with her designs of Tucson critters that are equal parts scientifically accurate and adorable. She makes stickers, cards, ornaments and prints, along with pet bowties.

For dog parents, check out , which has tons of patterned collars. For treats and toys, try ,Ìý, and Cones For Bones,Ìý.

We haven't forgotten about our fellow cat parents —  creates cat hats and crocheted catnip doughnuts!

A coffee mug you know will get used over and over again

One of my all-time favorite mugs is the Flower Power mug created for Arizona Poppy, , by . It's one of the most popular items in the shop, and for good reason.Ìý

Find other one-of-a-kind pottery, including mugs and trinket dishes from these makers:

T-shirts you'll want for yourself

I often stay away from clothing as gifts, but T-shirts are the exception. Here's where to get some fun ones:

• is known for their pocket tees — except the pockets are shaped like Arizona!
• At the most recent Made in Tucson market, I couldn't keep count of how many times I saw an attendee wearing a shirt. You might spot hints of existentialism and humor here, but also desert vibes.Ìý
• is owner Elizabeth Valenzuela's love letter to the Latine community. Find shirts with sayings like "fueled by chisme" and "como chingas."
• Find embroidered tees along with decorated glass tumblers from .
• Designer and screen printer is where you'll find tees, patchwork pants and "love sucks" hoodies.
• My favorite shirt from print shop is their "Mt. Lemon" shirt that not only spells Mount Lemmon incorrectly, but also spells "Tucson" wrong and sports a picture of "A" Mountain.
• is an Indigenous clothing company selling T-shirts, hats and more.
•  has a tee that say "Be a good Tucsonan." For obvious reasons, they're must-haves.
• °Â³ó¾±±ô±ðÌý has clothing, the brand is most known for their hats with a tiny embroidered saguaro. I bet you've seen one in the wild.

And if you're looking for desert-inspired onesies and toddler clothes, check out .

When in doubt, go with a gift card 

If the above options are overwhelming (I get it), try a gift card or membership instead. Some ideas:

• A membership to , the , ,  or whatever their favorite attraction is
• An annual pass to
• A gift card 
• A gift card to a restaurant in
• A gift certificate for a staycation at a spot like

Where to shop

Many of the above makers will be at markets this season.  are upcoming holiday market

This list is by no means exhaustive (and neither is the endless amount of gift ideas), but here are local gift shops that might carry the above goods:

• Arizona Poppy,Ìý
• Bruja,Ìý
• Celestia Collective,Ìý
• Di Luna Candles,Ìý
• El Be Goods,Ìý
• Galeria Mitotera,Ìý
• Hola Chingona,Ìý
• Kira Kira Collectibles,Ìý
• Libra & Thorn,Ìý
• Mildred & Dildred,Ìý
• Monsoon Mystics,Ìý
• Pink Moon Mercantile,Ìý
• Pop Cycle,
• Proper Shops,Ìý
• Saguaro Square,Ìý
• Sigfus Designs,Ìý
• Sonoran House,
• The Lavender Manor,Ìý
• Tiny Town,Ìý
• Warm Shape,Ìý
• Why I Love Where I Live,Ìý
• Yolia Botanica,
• 440 & Co,Ìý