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courtesy of ‘erin m’

Hanukkah is well under way and Christmas is in three weeks, which means that the annual shopping spree of the Holiday Gifting Season is upon us. That also means it is a great opportunity to get out and support the local economy and community by spending your gift dollar with local shops, makers, and other small businesses.

To give you some inspiration, I asked a few women I trust to share their insights about what they plan to give – and what a few of them hope to get – this holiday season:

Kelly Muccio, Owner & Founder of Lost Boys:
Kelly offered two suggestions for gifts for the men on your list which you can find at her lovely menswear shop. There is the Rogan Drift Jacket in Black, “your double-duty blazer,” as she calls it. “Wear it out around town or as your edgy alternative to a status-quo two-button blazer.” She also recommends SeaVees Trail Boots in Walnut, “A trail boot for the street. An American take on the Japanese cult favorite.”

Virginia Blanca Arrisueño, Designer & Founder of De*Nada:
Viriginia heads back to her parents’ house every Christmas – and will be bringing tasty provisions for the trip this year. “I plan on creating a gift basket for my mom and dad this year that contains sweets and bottles of wine from Cork Market and Tasting Room on 14th St. My dad is a fan of Malbec and my mom has an incredible sweet tooth.” Food is kind of a theme with Virginia: “I would love to receive a gift certificate to eat at Bistrot du Coin in Dupont. I don’t even know if they offer gift certificates. But if they don’t, they should. And if they do, hooray! I am huge fan of their Moules Normandes – and my fiance loves their Cassoulet du Bistrotier.” You can find her lovely and gift-worthy accessories line on her website or at the Downtown Holiday Market.

Erin Rooney Doland, the locally-based Editor-in-Chief of Unclutterer.com, author of Unclutter Your Life in One Week:
As you might expect, Erin is the queen of practical gift-giving. I always trust her to find things which are useful and simple, yet attuned to the individual recipient. For her husband, Erin is picking up an Ansmann Energy 8 Charger. “It’s not sexy, but our old battery charger broke and this one is the Porsche of battery chargers. My husband’s computer keyboard and mouse burn through batteries, and being able to use rechargeable batteries is the most practical option.” Erin was quick with what she wanted for herself this year: A new pair of gloves like these. “I tore my gloves while shoveling the insane snow last year, and so I need a new pair to get me through the winter. Being able to wear gloves and operate a touch screen like on my iPhone or at the ATM would be really nice.”

Paige Speyer, Owner of Wink Boutique:
Paige will be giving a Saako cloth necklace – a Barcelona-based line by a DC-native designer, available at Wink – to her friend Nina. “She works for YOA [Youth Orchestra of the Americas], travels a ton and could always use something fun to throw on to update a casual tee and jeans while traveling for work in South America with the orchestra…it speaks to her easy going personality and organic style.” The colorful, multi-strand necklaces add a lot of color and texture to even a simple outfit. Since Paige is planning a big spring trip to Paris, she hopes someone will pick her up Vintage Paris Couture: The French Woman’s Guide to Shopping and Paris Chic & Trendy: Designers’ Studios, Hip Boutiques, Vintage Shops to get ready.

Halle Butvin, Founder & Director of local accessories line One Mango Tree:
“This year,” Halle says, “I am giving my friend Keiranne The Betty Clutch from my collection, because it totally reflects her natural, yet eclectic style and love for eco-friendly products – it’s handmade by women in Uganda, from banana leaves they collect from their gardens.” You can find One Mango Tree at the Downtown Holiday Market as well as online. “I would love to receive this gorgeous, circa 1950-something royal blue winter coat I saw at Rock it Again, a great vintage clothing booth on Sundays at Eastern Market – it will keep me toasty and the bright color will keep my spirits up when I’m missing Uganda during the DC winter.” (I will have to show restraint and not try to track this particular item down myself.)

Brittany Martin

Brittany has tried to leave DC, it just never lasts. She has lived in Chicago, California, and China – but she always comes back home. Brittany is a drinks, nightlife, and style correspondent for We Love DC. Between columns, you can find her on Twitter, Tumblr, or standing by the bar. Email her at brittany(at)welovedc.com.