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Looking for Christmas Gifts with a Personal Touch? Check Out These Home-Grown Shops

Remember: all that glitters is not gold

Christmas traditions bring out the best in everyone. Take gift-giving, for instance; it’s a thoughtful way of showing your love and care for the important people in your life, like friends and family. The gesture becomes even more special when you shop for gifts that appeal to the receiver in a personal way.

Think of their hobbies, interests and wishes in order to come up with gifts that are fitting for them and them alone. Personalized items—not necessarily fancy and expensive ones—make some of the best gifts as they show how much thought you put into their present (as opposed to just going through the motions).

Plus, with more and more entrepreneurs promoting custom-made products, it’s easier to hunt for gifts with that unique touch.

Cork.ittt

Cork.ittt envisions a sustainable environment made more attractive with adorable artwork. Here, you can get your hands on hand-painted and decorative coasters, mousepads, placements and boards that use cork as their canvas. The base material is biodegradable, doesn’t require the cutting of trees and is Mother Earth-friendly.

La Bolsa

Translated as “The Bag” in English, La Bolsa is the proud creator of locally-made bags and travel accessories that come in all shapes and sizes. Everything—think passport holders, luggage tags, purses, wallets, vanity kits, planners, satchel bags—is available in this online shop. You can even have a name stamped on a particular purchase for that extra factor.

P.S. Crafts With Soul

P.S. Crafts With Soul has been around since 2013, offering handmade arts and crafts to liven up the home and office. Whether you’re shopping for a family member or friend (or yourself), you’ll definitely find something for that person who’s got an artsy soul or is a nationalist at heart.

This arts and crafts store uses wood, beads and other locally-available materials in its product lineup and is ready to take on custom-made orders.

The Leather Company

Indulge someone you know who loves the smell and feel of leather with something from The Leather Company—may it be a coaster, bag strap, passport, key holder, wallet or bag. What about a stainless flask with personalized leather sleeve for your drinking buddy? Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong with handmade, genuine leather goods.

There are a few things more heartwarming than a Christmas gift with a personal touch. Big or small, pricey or not—the most important thing is all the warm and kind thoughts that get wrapped into your gifts.