2024 Holiday Gift Guide

Opened in May, Glass Ripples offers artist-made and vintage glassware, ceramics, and other fun and fancy home goodies (plus DIY workshops for those who want to give glass-fusing a try). Gifts like this one-of-a-kind carafe ($59) by Rhode Island artist Neal Drobnis have plenty of personality and are sure to put a smile on someone’s face. 

Shop local at 200 Elm Street, North Cambridge, MA 02140

Myrth Ceramics offers thoughtful and elegant gifts, perfect for elevating any gathering. Whether for seasoned hosts or those building their collection, these timeless pieces add warmth and sophistication to the table. Designed with both beauty and practicality in mind, this versatile dinnerware is ideal for anyone who values handcrafted, heirloom-quality craftsmanship. Each unique piece, created in Providence, is an artisanal treasure sure to make a lasting impression.

Shop local at 310 Bourne Avenue, Rumford, RI 02191

Walking into this quirky trinket store nestled in Roslindale Village, you may have a difficult time telling what’s for sale and what’s merely decoration. Rossman has carefully curated a selection of handmade and antique items—from jewelry to scarves, books to cards—meant to surprise and delight. With such a vast selection, you’re sure to find a bit of buried treasure like this collection of 75-year-old metallic thread, because why not? 

Shop local at 6 Birch Street, Roslindale, MA 02131

New Hampshire artist Katheren Belle has created these eye-catching and accurate prints for thirty-six years, using US Naval Observatory data to position her pen-and-ink drawings of the changing face of Earth’s nearest neighbor. Available from her website and select shops like Maxima Gift & Book Center, the calendar comes in eight colors, but rest assured that each one is green—Belle uses vegetable-based inks on recycled carbon-neutral paper from a local producer.   

Shop local at 212 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02474

Local artist Dorian Keeffe began this years-in-the-making project as a Valentine’s Day gift, but when the relationship didn’t last, they kept at it, creating seventy-eight original watercolors that nod to classic tattoo flash, mythology, queer culture, and other influences close to their heart. Reproduced in a tarot deck available at 13FOREST, the RISD alum’s arcana should make a great gift for your favorite occultist or anyone looking to reflect on the year ahead.

Shop local at 167A Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02474

MEM just marked its twenty-fifth anniversary, and your favorite tea drinker has likely already sipped from its stock: The company’s Watertown warehouse supplies more than a thousand restaurants and cafes across New England and beyond. Visit its Cambridge shop to find over one hundred loose-leaf offerings—black, white, and green varieties, oolongs and pu-erhs, matchas and mushroom teas—along with all the accessories. With sample sizes starting at three dollars and a monthly subscription option, you can get your giftee a bevy of beverages to savor. 

Shop local at 196 Elm Street, North Cambridge, MA 02140

This Black woman-owned tea cafe and community space in Providence offers over a dozen take-home tea blends handmade by founder Amber Jackson. Jackson designs looseleaf teas for every feeling and time of day, from morning “Glow,” to working with “Money,” the evening “Woosah,” daily “Revival,” and frolicking in a field of flowers while drinking the “Salud” blend of honeybush, red rooibos, lavender, and rose petals. The Tea & Honey Gift Box includes the tea of your choice and RI-made honey by Black-owned Bailey Beattie Apiaries. Or, handcraft your own bundle of teas among Jackson’s black, green, chocolate, and fruit-based options.

Shop local at 52A Valley Street, Providence, RI 02909

At their brand-new Bow Market space, KEEPER uses vintage hand-guided chain-stitch machines to embroider soft goods. Bring in a favorite jacket, tee, or handkerchief, or choose from one of theirs as the base for a unique piece of wearable art!

Shop local at 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143

Albertine Press is a magical world for stationery lovers with the finest assortment in pens, paper, handmade cards, and everything in between. If you are paralyzed by choice and prefer to leave selecting to the pros, all you have to do is choose your color palette and the Albertine Press team will do the rest. Each gift box will come with a journal, three rolls of washi tape, and a selection of pens in all sizes and colors. 

Shop local at 1809 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

Eastie Farm is a community-based non-profit organization with a mission to build a more sustainable and equitable food system. The CSA program is a weekly or biweekly subscription to fresh, local, and organic produce sourced from across Massachusetts. There are many CSA programs to choose from, but we love Eastie Farm for their commitment to community, education, and access. All CSAs are offered at a sliding scale model, which means local produce can be accessible to a range of household incomes. 

Visit the farm at 6 Chelsea Terrace, Boston, MA 02128

Shopping for a crowd? Looking for a sweet treat for your team? Local beekeeping company Best Bees is offering a bulk box of holiday themed honey that shakes out to just thirteen dollars per jar. The honey is harvested from beehives located right next to a Massachusetts cranberry farm, giving the honey a fruity and floral flavor. Act fast and order before December 6 for guaranteed delivery before Christmas! 

And if you’re interested in keeping the honey flowing, Best Bees offers beekeeping services for commercial and residential locations. You could have your own beehive, populate your area with pollinators, and harvest honey, all for just $250 per month.

Every Wednesday at The Koji Club’s teeny tiny sake bar inside The Speedway, chef Moe Kuroki cooks a Japanese homestyle meal for a handful of guests. The meals are always fresh, creative, and somehow extremely cozy. With the new, at-home dinner club option, the makanai dinner means saving your loved one a night of cooking but still getting a home-cooked meal. The Koji Club is also offering holiday add-on items, like whiskey stocking stuffers, sake glasses, and Ichigo Sweets macaron boxes. 

Visit The Koji Club at 25 Western Avenue, Brighton, MA 02135

Smell is the sense most closely intertwined with memory, so it’s no wonder Steysy Clark drew on her childhood summers in Costa Rica when creating House of Art and Craft, her line of small-batch, handmade scented goods. Visit her online shop or Brighton storefront to peruse wares like mango and coconut milk candles and cafecito con leche diffusers, or opt for a gift card to let someone on your nice list create their own signature scent—and their own memory—at a hands-on perfume-making workshop.

Shop local at 524 Western Avenue, Brighton, MA 02135

Marlene Boyette founded Leela Yoga + Wellness in 2013, sharing her “trauma informed, healing centered” practice with Boston’s diverse communities over the last decade through movement, stillness, and sound. While Boyette can be found leading public events around the city, she also offers private sessions filled with deep rest and specialized instruction wrapped in her supportive, choice-based approach inclusive of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities. Options include a customizable one-hour sound meditation with up to one additional guest, or a one-on-one private yoga session and supplemental guided meditation for the duration of your choice.

Marlene serves clients on location or remotely.

Winter is coming and Soft Space is the place to warm up. With just over a year at their new Bow Market location, founders Hannah and Luis Yzusqui offer personal strength and movement training, massage therapy, acupuncture, and mobility classes. But the main event is their cozy Finnish sauna where you can pop in for a thirty-minute sauna and shower session for just twenty-five dollars. 

Shop local at 3 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143

Punchy pinks, blues, and oranges saturate Somerville-based artist Stephanie Vecellio’s scenic marker and pen drawings. Take a peek at her shop and surely you’ll recognize well-known local landmarks, like Coolidge Corner Theatre and Copley Square, or you may even come across a familiar residential street corner. It’s Vecellio’s eye toward the everyday Bostonisms—a pesky too-bright streetlight, a not-quite-upright telephone pole, a sign for never-ending road work—that make these pieces equal parts whimsy, comedy, and perfect for displaying.

Stephanie will be at the Somerville Flea Holiday Market through December 15.

Many locals recognize Boston’s connection to Dunkin’ Donuts, but a lesser-known claim to fame is the invention of Marshmallow Fluff. Boston-based illustrator Julia Emiliani pays tribute to both with her playful and vibrant prints. Available as individual pieces or bundled in themed Boston sets, these prints are a delightful nod to the city’s quirky icons.

Rania Abdalla Kadafour’s work beautifully combines painting and fiber art, creating intricate, layered compositions exploring materiality and meaning. The figures in her pieces often seem suspended in liminal spaces, surrounded by abstract shapes and symbols, inviting viewers into a reflective space. Occasionally, she reimagines her work as small prints, a practice she uses to support Sudanese charities. By purchasing one of her prints, you are bringing home a unique piece of art and contributing to communities in need. It’s a meaningful gift that blends art with philanthropy, perfect for those looking to give back this holiday season.

BAR has been looking forward to the arrival of this book since 2022, when Gadegbeku could be found on our masthead. Now, the Ghanaian author’s first novel is available for preorder. Shipping in early 2025, it will be the gift you give yourself and receive after all the holiday hubbub dies down, a.k.a the best time to settle in with a good book.

Photographer S. Billie Mandle photographed Emily Dickinson’s bedroom corner—where she wrote her poetry—over the course of a year. With this small, vellum-bound volume, you can share in these intimate moments, with Mandle, with Dickinson, with yourself. The quiet task of tracking the light where the walls conjoin is meditative, exhibiting, just like Dickinson’s poems, that expansive themes can be captured within tight margins.

The Boston area has been benefiting from art historian and author Nikki A. Greene’s mind for years now, whether through the innovative performance art series she curates, her advisory work for institutions such as the ICA / Boston, or the classes she teaches at Wellesley College. Now you can delve deeper into Greene’s scholarship with her new book Grime, Glitter & Glass: The Body and the Sonic in Contemporary Black Art, a work that knows that when we experience visual art, all of our senses collide. 

Given that Diné (Navajo) composer, performer, and visual artist Raven Chacon has been making genre-defying works for more than twenty-five years, the release of his first monograph, A Worm’s Eye View from a Bird’s Beak, is as exciting as it is overdue. Chacon, along with Forge Project Executive Director Candice Hopkins, has curated an exhibition titled “Impossible Music,” which will be opening at Tufts University Art Galleries on January 16. Use this career-spanning volume to get a jump-start on Chacon’s worldview.

The year 2024 marked one hundred years of surrealism. Celebrations and exhibitions were held around the world and new publications, such as In the Glittering Maw, repositioned the work of some of the movement’s brightest stars. Here, you’ll find the later poems of Egyptian-French author Joyce Mansour, translated by Boston-based writer C. Francis Fisher. With a preface from surrealist-scholar-icon Mary Ann Caws, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in going deeper into one of history’s most important cultural zeitgeists. 

Andala Coffee House

Falafel sandwiches, hummus aplenty, and specialty teas are sure to impress from this Palestinian-owned coffeehouse bringing an authentic taste of Jerusalem to Cambridge.

286 Franklin Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

Evergreen Eatery & Cafe

Half café serving up house-baked pastries, half dine-in restaurant, a gift card to this casual spot in JP takes care of breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

154 Green Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Faro Café

This favorite spot in Harvard Square is the perfect place to grab a pour over and croissant, peruse a pop-up art exhibition, or catch a game of chess, if your giftee is into that sort of thing. (Oh, and they even offer free plant-based milk options!) 

5 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

home.stead bakery & cafe

Your giftee is sure to find the atmosphere of this woman and minority-owned spot in Fields Corner as cozy as its homemade sandwiches and pastries are addictive.

1448 Dorchester Avenue, Boston, MA 02122

Lehrhaus

This nonprofit Jewish tavern has a forward-thinking kosher menu that functions as a cafe/learning center by day and cocktail lounge/restaurant by night.

425 Washington Street, Somerville, MA 02143

Monumental Market

Have out-of-town friends and family visiting? Bring them to Monumental Market for nut-free baked goods from Lavender Bee Baking Co., fresh local coffee, and an impressive vinyl collection to shop from Vinyl Index.

36 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Madhouse Cafe

Tahini lattes and vintage motorcycles go hand in hand at this hip café that’s adjoined to a repair shop and showroom. And yes, they sell gift cards!

24 Blue Hill Avenue, Boston, MA 02119

Ula Café

Grab an unlimited coffee club gift subscription for this go-to spot in JP that sources local, seasonal ingredients and features coffee from Rhode Island-based New Harvest Coffee Roasters. More than just a coffee shop, Ula regularly hosts community events and features local art and music.

284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Yafa Bakery & Café

Owned by Palestinian visual and food artist Abdulla Awad, this bakery and café uses traditional recipes with a modern twist to create dishes that taste as good as they look.

594 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143

These Korean pantry staples are the brainchild of Boston-based Jen Arsenault, who wanted to bring the craft of homemade Korean cooking from her childhood to the US. The gochujang is a spice-forward paste that packs a savory punch for toppings and dips. The ssamjang is a bit sweeter and funkier—perfect for marinating or adding to a sauce. 

Shop local at various retailers around the city including Super Bien (Brighton), Momma’s Grocery & Wine (Cambridge), and EBO Grocery (East Boston)

This holiday season, Dave’s Fresh Pasta has curated a special gift basket featuring some of their favorite shop selections. By sourcing groceries, produce, and cheeses from local New England producers, Dave supports regional farmers and artisans while offering customers fresh, high-quality products that showcase the area’s unique flavors. This basket is filled with an exceptional assortment of artisanal and small-batch goods—perfect for sharing with loved ones or enjoying on your own!

Shop local at 81 Holland Street, Somerville, MA 02144

These artisan grains are sourced from organic farms across the Northeast then stone-milled in Skowhegan by a small, women-owned team. The traditional stone mill process retains more fiber, nutrients, and oils than contemporary milling techniques, resulting in a richer, more robust tasting grain. The COVID-crazed breadmaking era may have come and gone, but with the winter months approaching, these top-notch ingredients will delight novice and professional bakers alike. 

Shop local at 42 Court Street, Skowhegan, ME 04976

Be ready for dry January with this assortment of alcohol-free beer and wine, mocktails and mixers. According to the Dray Drinks team, they’re “building a community for non-drinkers,” their ethos echoing a nationwide trend toward finding non-alcoholic alternatives. Stop by their small space in the South End to peruse their impressive selection or RSVP for one of their events, like mocktail-making classes and tastings. 

Shop local at 18 Union Park Street, Boston, MA 02118

Providence-based artist and fashion designer Joseph Aaron Segal is obsessed with oddities and wants you to be too. He’s been designing clothes, textiles, and patterns since 2009, but his brick-and-mortar only opened in July 2024. There’s everything and more to love, like these chenille-embroidered chartreuse loopy jeans, because the 90s are so back, or this zig zag sweater with neon green merino. The shop is stocked with everything from bedspreads to sexy undies—surely something for everyone on your list. 

Shop local at 142 Brook Street, Providence, RI 02906

Created by Jane Park (Boston) and Adrienne Markines (New York), Textile General Store is a Filipino- and Korean-owned design studio where hand-crocheted accessories take center stage. The shop features one-of-a-kind hats, scarves, and beanies, but we’re obsessed with the micro “Baguettinis”—purses and clutches for holding your most precious tiny items. 

Most people may cringe at the thought of spending time with a cicada or jumping spider, but Kate Estrop finds beauty in these often-overlooked creatures. Passionate about humanizing nature, Estrop designs stickers that celebrate the charm of these tiny animals, spread positive or punny messages, and show LGBTQIA+ pride. Some of their stickers are waterproof and UV-resistant so that they can accompany you on outdoor adventures, lasting longer on your water bottle or journal.

tell us a story? was created by Josh Rubin and his seven-year-old daughter in Portland, Maine. It is a fantasy-inspired storytelling resource for adults and kids alike. The one hundred storytelling prompts can be drawn in any order—each inviting you to dream up two characters and a place then let your imagination weave the prompts into an original, whimsical story. Each deck features original art by Somerville-based artist Martha Schnee based on a series of etchings by Daniel Mignot from 1596, found in the Harvard Art Museums collection.

Use code BOSTONAR at checkout to get a 10% discount

Shop local at Green Hand Bookshop, 661 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101

For mamas or any care giver with little ones, a photo session with Stefanie Belnavis is unlike any other. Stefanie has focused her work on capturing and celebrating beautiful and honest moments with Black and Brown families, caregivers, and birth workers by creating a space where care and storytelling are at the center. Stefanie offers a range of sessions at a range of price points including: prenatal, labor, perinatal, loss and bereavement, and family portraits. 

From the new kids on the block to the longstanding neighborhood staples, here’s a list of our favorite independent bookstores feeding Greater Boston’s literary scene.

All She Wrote Books
75 Washington Street
Somerville, MA 02143

Brookline Booksmith
279 Harvard Street
Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA 02446

East End Books
Two locations:
300 Pier 4 Boulevard
Boston, MA 02210

389 Commercial Street
Provincetown, MA 02657

Frugal Bookstore
57 Warren Street
Roxbury, MA 02119

Grolier Poetry Book Shop
6 Plympton Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

I AM Books
124 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02113

justBook-ish
1463 Dorchester Avenue
Boston, MA 02122

More than Words
242 East Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02118

Narrative
387 Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02144

Papercuts Bookshop
60 South Street
Boston, MA 02130

Porter Square Books
Two locations:
1815 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140

50 Liberty Drive
Boston, MA 02210

Trident Booksellers & Café
338 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02115