Whatever your love language may be, this time of year the best thing you can be is an excellent gift giver. When planned with care, the task of selecting the perfect gift can be rewarding, not only because of the brownie points you are earning, but also because it is an opportunity to directly support our local artisans and businesses. In Louisiana and Mississippi, we are fortunate to live amongst some of the most creative, innovative, and fun-makers in the world—don’t waste this opportunity to stuff stockings with one-of-a-kind goldstuffs.
To aid in your shopping endeavors, we reached out to some of our region’s most beloved tastemakers to see where they turn for the “perfect gift,” for everyone on your list.
For the Foodies
- Honey and Water Buffalo Meat from Bayou Sarah Farms in St. Francisville —Ann Connelly, owner of Ann Connelly Fine Art Gallery in Baton Rouge
- Michael Vizard’s Seasoning Salt (available online at B. Viz Design and in store at B. Viz Atelier in New Orleans) —Ann Connelly
- The steaks or hamburger patties from the meat counter at The Francis Smokehouse & Specialty Meats in St. Francisville. —Brandon Branch, owner of the St. Francisville Inn
- A cast iron pot from Guidry Hardware & Supply in Lafayette —Francis Pavy, Acadiana artist
- Stuffed chicken from Hebert's Specialty Meats—Francis Pavy
- Book an afternoon tea at Gourmet Girls —Ann Connelly
- Sweets from Angelo Brocato or Levee Baking Co. —Melissa Martin, chef and cookbook author, owner of Mosquito Supper Club and Saint Claire
- My go-to gift for the cook in my life is a gift card to Red Stick Spice Company. I like to add a few packets of my favorite spices and a couple samples of my favorite teas to give them a taste of what they offer. Or a cooking class! —Madeline Ellis, founder and designer of Mimosa Handcrafted
- In Chef Celeste's Louisiana Kitchen, the popular Baton Rouge area chef shares recipes celebrating the bounty of Louisiana's native plants and animals. —Michelle Cavalier & Lauren McBride, Booksellers at Cavalier House Books, Lafayette & Denham Springs
For the Women in Your Life
- Fresh bouquet from Forage Floral Design in Baton Rouge —Ann Connelly
- Wreath sash from Fig and Dove —Ann Connelly
- You can't go wrong with anything from Papillon Savon (Lafayette). Their cold process soaps, which are made with natural pigments and essential oils, come in a variety of scents. If you want something more unique, grab the jar of tallow! —Hannah Gumbo, Acadiana artist
- Trashy Diva Vintage is great for lovely jewelry and pieces for "extra" folks —Melissa Martin
- My go-to beauty gift would be a gift card to ZaZa Nail Boutique in Baton Rouge. They gift wrap the card so beautifully, and it comes with one of their amazing scented lotions. Besides that, the salon is gorgeous and feels like a true escape.—Madeline Ellis
For the Music Lovers & Musicians
- Season tickets to the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra —Ann Connelly
- A frottoir from Lafayette Music Company —Francis Pavy
- Clifton Chenier Tribute Record from Valcour Records —Francis Pavy
- The End of All Music record store in Oxford and Jackson, Mississippi has a Record of the Month Club, where they send subscribers a record of their choosing each month. —Maria Zeringue, Director of the Louisiana Folklife Program
- My go-to gift for music lovers is either a vintage band shirt from their favorite old band. The Time Warp Boutique is a good place to check for those. Or a piece of jewelry from Second Line Jewelry, made from chunks of broken drum cymbals!—Madeline Ellis
- Combining a double LP and bilingual guide book Pasé Bel Tan: Francophonies and Creolites in Louisiana, which archives our rich cultural heritage in seldom heard soundscapes. This is a collection of both memory and transformation within Louisiana’s musical traditions. —Michelle Cavalier & Lauren McBride
For the Traveler
- A custom framing gift certificate from Ann Connelly Fine Art, of course! —Ann Connelly
- The Assouline Travel Series books from Sage Hill boutique in St. Francisville. I have a collection of about fifty. Flipping thru them takes me right back to my travels.—Brandon Branch
- Buy a North American Reciprocal membership from the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson (or the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, the Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge, or Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge) and you’ll gain admittance to this great museum—and great museums across the country. —John T. Edge, author & food writer
- My best gift for friends and family who travel are compression bags from The Backpacker. They have a huge selection of all kinds of shapes and sizes of bags and they last forever, I still have some I bought when I worked there 20+ years ago! —Madeline Ellis
- What better way to capture your travels than the Voyager Journal! The journal comes with three inserts: lined, dotted, and blank. It’s travel sized and ready for you to collect your adventures in one place.—Michelle Cavalier & Lauren McBride
For the Artist
- A annual membership to Baton Rouge Gallery —Ann Connelly
- A set of pure sable brushes—Francis Pavy
- As an artist, I would never turn down a coffee gift card. (Reve, Carpe Diem, and Five Mile Eatery are Lafayette faves). Pausing mid-project for a coffee run is a much needed energy boost as well as a mental break from the work. When making coffee at home, I prefer a handmade ceramic mug. VAR Ceramics (Baton Rouge) & Little Clay Bug (Lafayette) both have beautiful work. —Hannah Gumbo
- An annual membership to an art museum or gallery is a great way to support local artists and engage in art and culture year-round. —Maria Zeringue
For the Crafter
- Vintage fabrics and ribbons from Promenade Fine Fabrics in New Orleans —Ann Connelly
- Lafayette artist Sam Wrobel is a wycinanki artist, which is a papercutting folk art with Polish origins. He has recently been offering workshops at Scrappie Studio.—Maria Zeringue
For the Cozy
- Custom pillows and textiles from B. Viz Design —Ann Connelly
- A Barefoot Dreams robe from Sage Hill boutique in St. Francisville. It's the best robe, and you can spend all day on the sofa wearing it. Trust me, I have! —Brandon Branch
- The Knots Bayou, Baton Rouge's only local yarn shop, is a good place to start for finding a locally made cozy blanket. —Madeline Ellis, founder and designer of Mimosa Handcrafted
- Gifting quilts is perfect for this time of year. I would recommend checking out your local quilt guild to see their offerings or maybe inquire about starting to learn how to quilt! —Maria Zeringue
For the Gardener
- Any unique planter from Red Onion Garden Home & Living —Ann Connelly
- A blackberry plant from The Cajun Gardener—Francis Pavy
- The best gift for the gardeners in my life is pressed flower art by Roots Floral Preservation. She presses local native flowers in beautiful framed pieces that any gardener would enjoy. —Madeline Ellis
- My go-to gift for a gardener would be a couple of plants and a gift card to Beavers Abundance, with their wide selection of native plants. —Madeline Ellis
Best Stocking Stuffers
- The socks from Deyo Supply Company in St. Francisville. I love their socks; they fit great and have awesome colors and patterns. —Brandon Branch
- My favorite stocking stuffers are from Hey, Penelope, especially for Louisiana lovers. She always has a fun collection of local makers I haven’t seen before. —Madeline Ellis
For the Reader
- Conversational Cajun French I by Arcadia Press—Francis Pavy
- A new reading journal and floral page holder are the perfect gifts for the readers in your life—throw in a "Wrapped in Red" surprise book for an extra element of whimsy and mystery. —Michelle Cavalier & Lauren McBride
- Lemuria Books in Jackson, Mississippi turned fifty this year; their First Edition Club is the best in the business. —John T. Edge
- My go-to gift for the readers in my life is a gift card to Red Stick Reads, and I like to pair it with a bookmark or one of their stickers or cute tote bags. —Madeline Ellis
- For your friend or relative who can’t get enough of reading fantasy, I would recommend the wonderful ceramic trolls and dragons by Mississippi-based ceramicist Sam Clark. —Maria Zeringue
- Baldwin & Co Books is a black-owned indie bookstore in New Orleans. The store offers a membership that includes gifts, discounts, invites to member events throughout the year. This is a great way to support a loved one’s book habit while also supporting your local community of booksellers and readers. —Maria Zeringue
For Kids (Or Kids at Heart)
- I love giving a container of Honeysticks beeswax washable tub crayons. Your bathtub was an empty canvas . . . until now. —Hannah Gumbo
- Bamboo PJs—they are soft and stretch so well that the kids don't grow out of them right away. Southern Slumber has a variety of fun prints including snoballs, crawfish, & a Mardi Gras line. —Hannah Gumbo
- My go-to gift for my daughter would be a night out at Jubans. It’s her favorite restaurant for celebrating anything big, and she loves the cotton candy at the end. My go-to gift for my son would be a subscription to weekly fresh juice from Herb ’N’ Bros Juice Shop. He loves them! —Madeline Ellis
- Shannon Kelley Atwater's Fais Do Do celebrates the Cajun tradition of the fais do-do. This party of possums is a two-step you won’t want to miss. —Michelle Cavalier & Lauren McBride
For Your Best Dressed Friends
- Tim Allis’s Henri Bendel and the Worlds He Fashioned! Allis’s book follows Henri Bendel as he makes his way from Lafayette to NYC in the fashion and design world. —Michelle Cavalier & Lauren McBride
- Lekha has cozy cozy amazing things for ladies.—Melissa Martin
- My go-to gift for the fashionable ones in my life is a gift card to Wanderlust by Abby—Abby always has the newest most fun pieces before anyone else!—Madeline Ellis
For the Movie Buff
- A beautiful, locally made wooden bowl from a place like Middleson Woodwork, filled with artisan popcorn and chocolates for an elevated movie night. —Madeline Ellis
For the Outdoorsman/Woman
- A hiking stick—every outdoorsman needs at least one! Artist Gene Seneca makes some of my favorites. —Madeline Ellis
- Swamp Gear USA's waterproof backpack—Francis Pavy
For the “Impossible to Gift”
- Louisiana cartoonist Fred Mulhearn's More Life in Looziana. Mulhearn's always funny and often big-hearted jabs at Louisiana culture will delight both locals and transplants—if you’re not sure what’s on their list, we promise they’ll love this.—Michelle Cavalier & Lauren McBride
For the Imbiber
- Bristow Barrel Aged Reserve Gin, distilled in Jackson, Mississippi, aged for twelve months in new American oak, bottled at cask strength, tastes of time and spearmint, and is my favorite “summer bourbon.” —John T. Edge
