Author: Lauren

It’s 2020 and I’d like to highlight some small businesses (and a few larger ones) that you can order from this holiday season.

I buy from some of these shops regularly and would love to see them get more business.

Check out these stores for great gift ideas.

Art Prints

Beverly Johnson sells soft sapphic prints, some of it inspired by popular TV shows like The Haunting of Bly Manor and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

GDBee Art creates gorgeous celestial prints featuring joyful Black women and the beauty of the cosmos.

Pande Sai put their own twist on Klimt’s The Kiss. I have a print hanging on my wall and it makes me smile every time I look at it.

Nekokonut sells beautiful prints of Avatar: The Last Airbender characters. Zuko looks like a model and I CAN’T HANDLE IT.

Lemonciel offers a TON of bookish fan art of characters from Shadowhunters, Carry On, The Raven Cycle, and more.

Becca Farrow sells fandom art (video game- and film-inspired), trope pins, and even hats! Do you like D&D and pride gear? What about D&D Pride gear?

Little Corvus Art is the perfect place for witchy zines, magical graphic novels, FinnPoe prints, and Schitt’s Creek fanart.

Yoshi Yoshitani designs clothes, tarot cards, enamel pins, and the most gorgeous folklore-inspired prints. I’m personally in love with this print of Avalokiteshvara.

Elise Schuenke published one zine about Daphne and Velma and one about her love for Princess Leia, both of which are available on Gumroad.

Soap/Skin Care

My friend Fox is obsessed with the soaps and lotions from local business WildElixirsShop. I bought a number of soaps for my family members and a body butter for myself. I had to stop myself from buying more. Lavender Oat + Cocoa? Coffee & Vanilla? I can’t handle it.

My friend Rhea owns The Persistent Pestle and sells magickal skin care remedies and yummy teas. She also offers different classes and sometimes does flash sales of clothes and books. She’s one of my favorite vendors – please check her out.

Candles

I bought a BriarWick candle for my friend Nikita and we COULD NOT figure out what the scent was. She later discovered it was absinthe and lime, inspired by Amanda Foody’s Ace of Shades. How genius is that???

In return, Nikita bought me a Bookshop Dweller candle from From the Page. The shop also sells an A Day With Mr. Darcy candle that smells like wild honeysuckle, meadow, and orange. You’re welcome.

I had Cornerfolds Candles make me a custom Reylo candle for my birthday last year. The rest of their bookish candles smell just as amazing.

Memento Mori Goods recently put out a Grunge candle. GUESS WHO LOVES NAG CHAMPA NOW? The tin even has the Space Needle on the lid!

Cantrip Candles has a line of D&D-inspired candles that smell SO GOOD. These candles sell out often but they’re well-worth a preorder. Also, the 16 oz candles have a 20-sided metal die in the bottom!

Books

If you purchase any books this season, opt for Bookshop over Amazon. Bookshop donates part of their proceeds to local bookstores.

An even better option: buy directly from your local bookstore. Book giant Powell’s could use your support.

Indie publisher Nyx Publishing released Unspeakable: A Queer Gothic Anthology and has a Dracula-inspired novel coming out next year.

British publishing house Monstrous Regiment is responsible for both volumes of The Bi-ble and added So Hormonal to its titles this year.

Subscription Boxes

I’m super stoked about Rainbow Crate, a brand-new LGBTQIA+ subscription book box. I will be buying myself a box for my birthday in January.

Jewelry

I’ve purchased approximately 89,000,000 pieces from The Peculiarity Shop and I love each and every one. The shop recently required some axe charms, so if you EVER NEED A PIECE OF JEWELRY COMMISSIONED, you know where to look.

Yarn

The Tenacious Unicorn Ranch is a trans haven in Colorado that sells very soft and wonderful yarn courtesy of its friendly alpacas! Buy some yarn, help out trans people – it’s a win-win.

Apparel

I bought some tank tops from Stuzo Clothing earlier this year and I love them. Stuzo is a Black woman-owned, gender-free clothing company in Los Angeles with the flyest button-downs and face masks.

The “Soft as Fuck” beanies from Astraea goods are sold out, but I couldn’t help bringing them up – I love them so much.

I started wearing MeUndies this year; the cute prints make me smile daily. The company occasionally sells limited-edition Star Wars-print boxers. Get them while you can.

Happy holidays! May your gift-shopping go well!

You can never have too much art or soap!