Eclectic local gifts for everyone on your list
It’s easy to visit Amazon or another major online retailer and purchase all your holiday gifts with a few simple button clicks, but supporting area businesses and keeping money in the community, not handing it over to a bunch of billionaires, is more in line with the holiday spirit. City Pulse has compiled a list of local gifts $50 and under, from sweet treats to home decor to gift cards, that will satisfy even the pickiest of gift recipients. You won’t even have to wait for shipping — you’ll have everything on hand and ready to wrap, if the shops don’t do it for you.
Jigsaw puzzles
$15-22
Clever Clover
317 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing
With themes ranging from cats and dogs to national parks, wild mushrooms, “The Wizard of Oz” and “Bridgerton,” Clever Clover offers an array of colorful 500- and 1,000-piece puzzles that will provide at least a few hours of indoor entertainment during the cold winter months.
OKTO sensory art clay kits
$11.99-$29.99
Odd Nodd Art Supply
317 E. César E. Chávez Ave., Lansing
One of Odd Nodd’s most popular products, OKTO sensory art clay is made with safe, natural ingredients and doesn’t leave a residue on hands or hard surfaces. Some sets only contain clay, allowing the user to create whatever they’d like, while others come with a canvas and instruction booklet so users can “paint” 3D images with the clay.
Board games
Prices vary
The Gaming Cantina
4750 Hagadorn Road, East Lansing
143 S. Cochran Ave., Charlotte
Games are a great gift because they allow everyone at the get-together to join in on the fun when the exchange is over. With locations in East Lansing and Charlotte, the Gaming Cantina has a variety of options, from kids’ games to “Family Guy” Monopoly to more obscure picks you may have never found otherwise.
DIY craft kits
$14.99
Broad Art Museum
547 E. Circle Drive,
East Lansing
Older kids and teens can create useful and unique crafts with these handy kits, including henna, clay earrings, sun catchers, rainbow flowers and screen prints. Pick up a few to keep them busy all winter break.
Holiday soap bars
$12
Phillips Cider Bar & Market
3000 Vine St., Lansing
Handmade in Michigan, the Soap Baron’s moisturizing soap bars are 100% vegan and free from parabens, petrochemicals and sulfates. They’re available in an array of holiday-themed scents and designs. Gift sets containing a bar of soap, a soap tray and a crocheted hand towel are also available for $24.
Christmas bath bombs
with toys
$7.50
Bridge + Main Market
119 N. Bridge St., DeWitt
Perfect for kids (as long as they’re old enough to know not to swallow small objects), the six bath bombs in this set are filled with small, holiday-themed toys like a reindeer, a polar bear, a candy cane and a penguin, which are released when the bombs dissolve. Bath time has never been more fun!
Self-care gift set
$40
Horrocks Farm Market
7420 W. Saginaw Hwy., Lansing
Featuring a bath bomb, a bar of soap, a body butter or sugar scrub, a lip balm and a 4-ounce soy candle, this set is perfect for giftees in need of a pampering session. A variety of scent options are available, and each product is handmade in Grand Rapids with sustainable ingredients, free from artificial preservatives, animal fats or detergents.
Treat-themed candles
$20-$40
Horrocks Farm Market
7420 W. Saginaw Hwy., Lansing
Based in Brighton, My Wife’s Candles crafts mouthwateringly realistic dessert-themed candles, a great gift option for a baker or someone with a particularly sweet tooth. Find holiday-themed options like s’mores, apple cider donuts, pecan pie and Christmas peppermint candy at Horrocks. As an added bonus, once the candles are finished, the containers can be washed out and used as glassware.
Flavored popcorn
$3.50-$8.75
Jackson Popcorn Depot
1982 W. Grand River Ave., Okemos
With more than 50 varieties of gourmet popcorn, including sweet flavors like bubblegum, apple pie and banana split and savory flavors like dill pickle, pizza and ranch, there’s something to satisfy everyone at Jackson Popcorn Depot, located in the Meridian Mall. For those with braces, the shop also sells a variety of candy, including its own freeze-dried and cotton candy.
Portable s’mores kit
$35
The Beeswax Barrn
1867 Lake Lansing Road, Haslett
Take s’mores indoors or on the go with this portable kit, featuring an eight-pack of graham crackers, eight mini chocolate bars, eight marshmallows, a roasting tool and a mini portable fire pit made from beeswax. Orders must be placed online, by phone at (517) 749-5278 or at the Dec. 14 Meridian Township Farmers Market (1982 W. Grand River, Okemos).
Hot cocoa kit
$15
Mitten Mallows
Pre-order at facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551669496340
There are few things more comforting than a cup of hot cocoa in the winter. This kit includes two servings of gourmet cocoa mix and two marshmallow mug toppers, which come in three flavors: peppermint, vanilla and strawberry. Pair it with a mug or some shooters of liqueur if you want to go the extra mile.
Winter cocktail flight box
$35
Twisted Craft Cocktails
126 E. Main St., DeWitt
Make crafting great cocktails easy with this cocktail flight, containing five 4-ounce jars of ingredients that will infuse flavor into liquor up to four times each. Flavors include Berry Blush, Cherry Citrus Smash, Winter Warmup, Paradise Punch and Hot Toddy.
Craft liquor
$17-$39
Red Cedar Spirits
2000 Merritt Road, East Lansing
Red Cedar Spirits’ artisanal liquors can be enjoyed straight up or mixed into seasonal cocktails, a great gift for those planning to imbibe at this season’s bounty of holiday parties, New Year’s Eve celebrations and family get-togethers. Options include multiple varieties of vodka, gin, whiskey and bourbon as well as cherry eau de vie and apple brandy. Most products are available in 375- and 750-milliliter bottles.
Michigan State University pillow
$42
Bridge + Main Market
119 N. Bridge St., DeWitt
Graduates of Michigan State University, especially avid MSU sports fans, can display their alma mater loud and proud with this decorative pillow. It may also serve as a handy punching bag during losing games.
Champagne kit
$30
Sedona Wanderlust
215 S. Washington Square, Lansing
www.sedonawanderlustboutique.com
Whether saved until New Year’s Eve or used right after the gift exchange to celebrate the holiday at hand, this kit makes popping a bottle of champagne even more of an event than usual. It includes two mini stemless glasses, a bottle stopper, confetti, coasters, swizzle sticks, edible glitter, a champagne cocktail recipe booklet and a “ring for champagne” bell.
Scientific glasses
$23.95
Quark!
549 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing
For the scientifically curious giftees on your list, these 18-ounce glasses are printed with a range of interesting subject matter, from the levels of the atmosphere, ocean and Earth’s core to the Periodic Table. They’re guaranteed to make every sip an educational experience.
Michigan cutting board
$25.95
Studio Shop
122 W. Grand River Ave., Williamston
No one can have too many cutting boards, and this 13.5-by-7-inch bamboo board, engraved with a Michigan-themed design, would also work well as a charcuterie tray. The Studio Shop offers many other Michigan-focused designs on cutting boards as well as coasters, mugs, tea towels and more.
Enamel flowers
$5-$12
Ornamaloo
215 S. Washington Square, Lansing
Made by Cedar Springs-based Annabelle Noel Designs, these enamel flowers, available in 12- and 18-inch sizes, would be a great gift for gardeners looking to brighten up their plots during the grey winter months. They can also be displayed indoors with artificial foliage to create an everlasting bouquet.
Hold on to Hope vases
$50
Fireworks Glass
119 S. Putnam St., Williamston
These hand-blown vases are more than just vibrant display pieces — half of the proceeds from each vase are donated to a local family struggling with the effects of cancer. They’re available in seven colors and will come in handy once spring blooms arrive.
Wine and Canvas gift certificate
$25-$45
580 Frandor Ave., Lansing
Located in the Frandor Shopping Center, Wine and Canvas offers paint-and-sip events where guests can enjoy alcoholic beverages while creating works of art on canvases, wine glasses, wood boards and more. Gift cards are available online, with three price options based on class prices.
Downtown Lansing, East Lansing and Eastwood Towne Center gift cards
Name your price
app.yiftee.com/gift-card/lansing-mi
app.yiftee.com/gift-card/east-lansing
app.yiftee.com/gift-card/eastwood-towne-center
These digital gift cards can be used at participating locations in each area for everything from food to clothing to tanning and waxes. If you can’t decide on a gift your intended recipient will love, allow them to choose!
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