Are you looking to support small this holiday season? The best gift you can give is something that gives back to a local business, positively impacting members of our own community and their families. Kansas City has a wide array of carefully crafted, locally made items to choose from. In this guide, we’re sharing a curated list of some of our go-to Kansas City gifts.
Although all of our family lives out of town, us Kansas City locals love nothing more than gifting them with items from our local businesses and makers. And they love it too – receiving something that was intentionally and thoughtfully chosen and supports small businesses is a gift in itself.
So, whether you’re gifting for someone who loves Kansas City, or if you are a Kansas City local looking to support our small businesses this holiday season, this guide has something for you!
If you are wanting to gift something beyond a material item, we have suggestions for Kansas City experience gifts.
And if you’re looking to support small beyond the shops listed in our gift guide, we have an article that includes all the Kansas City holiday festivities, including the holiday markets around town.
1. Kansas City Puzzle Company
When the weather outside is oh so frightful, we will do anything to avoid going out into that frigid midwestern wind. What better way to spend time and make memories than to work on a puzzle together? And even better if the puzzle design is of our beloved hometown!
We love the Kansas City series from the Kansas City Puzzle Company. They are a local small business dedicated to creating beautiful, artist-designed puzzles with a focus on quality. Their puzzles are made in the USA from 100% recycled materials, using soy-based inks and biodegradable plastic packaging. This approach not only reflects their environmental consciousness but also ensures that their products are of the highest quality.
To shop the products and get more information, click on the images!
2. Kansas City Watercolor Painting
We adore these beautiful watercolor paintings by local Kansas City artist Steven Dragan. As both an architect and painter, he beautifully captures the essence of the city we love.
To shop the products and get more information, click on the images!
3. Charlie Hustle Holiday Apparel
Charlie Hustle is a dynamic and beloved brand embodying the spirit of the Midwest. Launched with a mission to revive favorite t-shirts from the past for the modern wardrobe, Charlie Hustle has a simple yet impactful purpose: to evoke happiness through their apparel.
Starting with just 16 shirt designs, Charlie Hustle has become known for its iconic ‘KC Heart’ design, which has become a symbol of the brand and its connection to Kansas City’s culture and community.
You too can evoke happiness by gifting their apparel this holiday season. We particularly love their Plaza Lights Collection!
To shop the products and get more information, click on the images!
4. Locally Handmade Pottery and Ceramics
We love gifting pieces that can be used and adored each day. Handmade ceramics and pottery can do just that – featuring unique character and authentic craftsmanship, they offer a warmth and charm that mass-produced items often lack.
We adore local Audrey Jean Ceramics’ neutral, classic designs! Audrey creates small batch ceramic tableware for functional and decorative use in your home.
To shop the products and get more information, click on the images!
5. SKiN KC Products
That midwest winter wind has started whipping around our city, which means the ideal gift for this frigid time of year is products to keep your skin feeling its best, and that’s exactly what locally made SKiN KC provides.
Emphasizing a commitment to chemical-free body care, SKiN KC stands out for its exclusive use of organic and natural ingredients, each carefully selected for their specific healing properties. They have a wide range of products, including gift sets, that your loved ones are sure to appreciate. You can purchase online or at their Brookside storefront.
To shop the products and get more information, click on the images!
6. Good Scents from Pigeon Candle Co.
This limited edition holiday scent from local Pigeon Candle Co. will put you in the middle of a forest where fresh cut pine and majestic evergreens surround you. The crisp green air is balanced with refreshing eucalyptus and a deep earthy patchouli.
All of their candles are made using 100% soy wax, cotton wicks, and phthalate-free fragrances. The candle is 10.2 ounces and burns for approximately 55 hours.
Essential Oils: fir needle, cedarwood, eucalyptus, and patchouli.
To shop the products and get more information, click on the image!
7. Honey from Local Messner Bee Farm
We love Messner Bee Farm! They are local beekeepers that use natural practices and produce honey that is raw, minimally filtered, sustainable and delicious with a dark, nutty, and complex flavor! Their products make great gifts for the recipient, and the gift giver can feel good about supporting such a wonderful local business.
To shop the products and get more information, click on the images!
8. Roasterie Holiday Blend Coffee
Each year, we gift our out of town loved ones with the holiday blend from Roasterie, and it’s something they tell us they always look forward to. This blend is released for a limited time during the holidays. With notes of cinnamon, hazelnut, and vanilla it’s the holiday season in a cup.
You can purchase the holiday blend from their factory store at 1204 W 27th St, Kansas City, MO 64108.
For more information on the products, click on the images!
9. J. Rieger & Co. Holiday Edition Whiskey
Each holiday season, J. Rieger & Co. crafts an edition of their whiskey that encapsulates a blend of festive spirit and fine craftsmanship. We love that each edition is unique with it’s own beautifully designed holiday label.
The 2023 edition continues the tradition as the seventh annual limited-edition release. This year’s label is a result of a collaboration with Charlie Hustle, designed to celebrate the holiday season’s spirit, encapsulating themes of good music, friends, and great whiskey.
This special edition combines straight bourbon whiskey, light corn whiskey, and straight rye whiskey, all aged a minimum of four years. What distinguishes this blend is the inclusion of a small amount of 15-year-old oloroso sherry, sourced from the renowned Williams & Humbert Bodega in Jerez, Spain.
This whiskey represents more than just a festive drink; it’s a symbol of Kansas City’s rich distilling heritage and the communal spirit of the holiday season. However, it’s important to note that its availability is limited to Missouri and Kansas, making it a unique and exclusive offering for those in the region.
The holiday edition can be found at a variety of retailers around Kansas City, but can for sure be purchased from J. Rieger Distillery in East Bottoms at 2700 Guinotte Ave Kansas City, MO.
To shop the product and get more information, click on the image!
10. Kansas City Chiefs Jewelry
Do you have a Kansas City Chiefs enthusiast in your life? They need arrowhead jewelry from local maker Jaycee Designs!
To shop the products or get more information, click on the images!
11. Christopher Elbow Holiday Chocolates
Christopher Elbow Chocolates, a confectionary delight founded in 2003, has been enchanting chocolate lovers with its exquisite hand-crafted chocolate bonbons and confections for nearly two decades. This Kansas City-based establishment is renowned for combining the finest ingredients with modern culinary artistry and a strong craftsman-like work ethic.
The chocolates crafted by Christopher Elbow are not only delectable – they are considered works of art. They stand out for their unique designs and intense colors, with decorations that are printed and then hand-brushed to give them a shiny, smooth finish.
We love their holiday chocolate collection, which includes chocolate bars, peppermint bark, bonbons, and other themed delicacies.
To shop the products or get more information, click on the images!
12. Locally Handcrafted Jewelry
We love gifting locally made jewelry – both shops listed below offer a range of products, from statement earrings to more simple designs.
Eb & Co.
EB and Co., founded in 2012, is a modern accessories brand and fashion boutique. The brand is rooted in the vision of making women feel stylish and confident through its curated collection of accessories. From their start designing handbags, the brand has expanded to include a diverse array of items such as jewelry, art prints, and hair accessories. They partner with like-minded designers and brands to ensure the best in quality, originality, and value.
They have a large selection in store at both their Brookside and Country Club Plaza locations.
To shop the products or get more information, click on the images!
Nickel & Suede
Nickel & Suede, established in 2014, is a fashion and accessory brand known for its lightweight statement jewelry, stylish apparel, and trendy accessories. The brand’s mission is to offer “just the right thing” for every look. This mission involves designing and curating high-quality fashion jewelry and accessories, ranging from timeless pieces to trending statements, ensuring there’s something for every occasion and style.
To shop the products or get more information, click on the images!
13. For Strange Women Perfumes
Located in Crossroads Arts District, this all-female indie perfume house crafts fragrances that evoke memories and atmospheres, rooted in nature and sustainable practices. Customers can expect a collection that’s artfully manufactured, and free from harmful additives. This ensures that the scents evolve intimately with the wearer’s skin over time.
For Strange Women is more than just a perfume shop; it’s a destination for those seeking to connect with the earthy, wild spirits of natural aromatics.
To shop the products or get more information, click on the images!
14. KC Skyline Bottle Trough
We love our Kansas City skyline, and what better way to show it off than engraved on a classy wooden trough to display for guests? Made of rustic fir wood, this trough has a five gallon capacity. It’s customizable, so you can add custom text and choose from two different skyline designs.
To shop the products or get more information, click on the image!
Happy Holidays!
Thank you for supporting local and purchasing Kansas City holiday gifts this season!
Need more gift ideas? Stop by one of these 8 Must-Visit Kansas City Gift Shops.
