Jenna’s Local Christmas Gift Guide 2021
Welcome to Jenna’s Local Christmas Gift Guide 2021!
If you’re new here, I do a gift guide every year focusing on local businesses! You can check out last year’s gift guide here. In addition to the gift guide, I also run a massive giveaway! This year, we are giving away more than $1000 of product. Read to the end of the post to check out the details!
Before we begin, what is shopping “local” anyway?
To shop local essentially means to buy from independent owned business, small retailers and service providers, and local farms. We encourage to shop local because it supports local families, keeps your $$ in the community, it’s more eco-friendly, and creates jobs for your friends and family.
Other ways to support small businesses are:
-following them on social media
-telling your friends and family
-writing a testimonial or review
-engaging with their posts
-signing up for their newsletter
Now let’s get shopping! Some of the businesses below you might recognize from my Instagram that I already own. They are true and tried products that I know you will love! Others are on my wish list that I can’t wait to get my hands on.
Check out this year’s picks! They are all women owned, family owned, and BIPOC owned companies 🙂
First on the gift guide, we have Grace and Flow, a wellness brand run by Caitlin Pickett + Jessica Nobrega! These two boss babes have been running successful events in the Okanagan as well as outdoor yoga retreats since 2017. They now recently also offer a line of yoga wear which I will be showing you over on my stories this week!
What I love so much about this company is that they really promote community and empowering women. They have created a brand that educates, inspires, and prioritizes community over competition. Their events cover important topics such as health and wellness, fitness, female entrepreneurship, and more!
If you’re looking for a positive, uplifting way to show your love to the women in your life this Christmas, check out Grace and Flow’s website! Treat your mom, sister, cousin, or best friend to one of Grace and Flow’s yoga retreats, events, or by purchasing their yoga wear! Give the gift of self-care.
I discovered Jools and Joplin just recently when I went to a local business event where I was gifted one of their beautiful rings! I loved it so much that I wanted to share with all of you.
Jools and Joplin is an online store and women owned business that is “designed and curated for the woman who embraces the passion of self-expression through fashion”. Since 2016, Kristy the owner, has been creating everything from rings, bracelets, necklaces, and other accessories. You might recognize her jewellery as Jools and Joplin have been at all kinds of markets and festivals. What makes the jewellery so unique is the beautiful stones and gems that Kristy uses. Mine for example, is this beautiful deep purple stone.
Check Jools and Joplin out if you’re wanting to gift a beautiful piece of jewellery for your best friend, sister, mother, or whoever!
Looking to buy a gift for the foodies in your life? I got the perfect gift for you!
Another company I discovered recently was Okanagan Pasta Company. They are owned by a husband and wife team here in Kelowna that make 100% Organic Canadian artisan pasta. They use 100% Organic Canadian flour and semolina which are farmed in Southern Alberta, milled by Flourist Inc. in Vancouver, BC and shaped into pasta noodles here in Kelowna. The quality of the pasta is top notch and hello, it’s organic. For their tri color pasta, they use fresh beet juice, fresh spinach and tomato juice. I was so impressed with the quality when I tried it for the first time!
You can impress a loved one this Christmas by gifting one of their amazing gift boxes! Right now, they have a Bells and Crackers’ holiday gift box – with each holiday gift box sale, Okanagan Pasta Company will donate one bag of 350 gram Durum Pasta to Karma Market at Mamas for Mamas.
Not only are you supporting a local company, but you are giving back to families in need! Check out Okanagan Pasta Company.
The ladies at Box it Okanagan changed my life this year! What I love about their business idea is that they make a product I didn’t even know I needed!!
Jen and Lia are two Kelowna moms that create customized boxes to help organize your life. This is great if you’re a business trying to stay organized, if you want to keep your personal documents on hand, or for your kids for school. It’s the perfect practical gift!
Ocean Resin Charcuterie Boards
Ocean Resin’s charcuterie boards have been on my wish list for a long time. They handcraft their products right here in Kelowna and offer custom made pieces.
There are tons of charcuterie boards you can buy from the store that are imported, but I’m always on the hunt to find boards made LOCALLY here in Kelowna and this is just that. Another great idea for the foodie in your life!
Candles always make a great gift and a company I also was recently introduced to was Maple and Meadow Co out of Langley, BC.
Maple and Meadow Co was founded just recently in 2020. Their products are handcrafted and are made out of 100% soy wax and essential oils. Check them out!
Clay earrings have become very popular in the last couple years so I thought this would make a great gift idea!
Julia, the owner of Lily and Foxglove is based in Port Moody, BC. She creates handmade polymer clay earrings that she cuts, bakes, sands, and assembles all herself. Check them out!
If you’ve been following me for a while, you would’ve seen I worked with The Local Gift Card earlier this year. If you’re not completely sure what your loved one would like for Christmas, why not gift them a Local Gift Card?!
The Local Gift Card is a single gift card that can be used at a variety of businesses – it’s the gift of local! This way, your loved one can choose where they want to spend.
You can’t go wrong with clothes! Build Your Brave Boutique is an online store based out of Vernon, BC!
Susie, the owner decided she wanted to create a boutique that carries sizes for EVERYBODY with sizes up to 3X! She carries everything from dresses, rompers, shoes, and accessories. Check out this local small shop!
And there we have it! If you can afford to shop small this year, WONDERFUL! If not…
I wanted to give you the chance to win some of these products or to gift to somebody else this Christmas! There are also a few bonus companies that will be on the giveaway as well. One lucky winner will win over $1000 of product!!
The giveaway will be posted TOMORROW, November 30th on my Instagram for all my subscribers! (If you are not a subscriber, you can sign up here). The giveaway is featuring products from six different local companies eeekk! Can’t wait.
Happy shopping! And please, make sure to share this gift guide to your community. Let’s support local!
-Jenna xoxo