Small Business Shopping Guide - Your Sister

In the weeks leading up to Christmas we'll be sharing gift guides focusing on small businesses and organizations that we feel good about supporting.  We only recommend gifts and products that we would actually consider ourselves and hope that you find inspiration.  Please feel free to add other ideas in the comments section - there are so many great businesses out there and we would love to know about your favorites!

You know her better than anyone because you share the same crazy family.  She's allowed to call at any hour and you always trust her insightful advice.  She's seen you at your best and your worst and she still loves you anyway.  Here are some gift ideas for your sister.

Cute crocheted slippers from White Noise Maker travel well, get worn all the time and keep those winter feet toasty.  ($19)

The products and service at LuSa Organics are everything you'd exepect from a small, family owned business.  This Delight Gift Collection is just right for giving.  She'll get to sample some of LuSa's best sellers and you'll feel good about these little chemical free luxuries. ($24.75)

Jewelry is always a safe bet with my sisters.  These brass zulu shield earrings are fair trade and distributed by the good folks at serrv.org.  ($15)

Poppy towel by Madder Root ($18)

I remember joking with my sisters about how lame we thought my mom was for giving tea towels and house plants as gifts (they seemed so boring).  Now that we're all in homes of our own, we totally get it. 

Holiday succulent centerpiece by The Little Succulent Shoppe.  Wouldn't this be a great gift to send ahead of time to a sister who can't be with you for the holiday? ($25)

Tina Fey's new(ish) release is hysterical and unless your sister is obsessed with her (like me) she probably hasn't read it yet.  Shop here and support an independent bookstore.  ($15.99 for paperback)

A very new release that also guarantees laughs.  This one is so new that I haven't gotten my hands on it yet *wink, wink*.  You can find it at the same independent book shop. ($25)

Some other ideas to consider...

• Planning girls' day out at her favorite small crafty supply shop
• Buying a gift certificate at her local hair salon
• Giving her a night out by arranging for a babysitter and sending her on a date with her husband
• Giving her a night in with a basket full of home meade movie snacks and a DVD she's been meaning to check out
• Pulling a classic family photo out of the archives and sizing and framing it for her wall
Or, if all else fails, do what my sister did for me last year.  Give her a beautiful card with some money inside and tell her that it's an Etsy gift card, to be used for her alone.  Sometimes this is the BEST gift ever. 
I'd love to hear of any other suggestions that you might have...




p.s.  The photo of my sisters and I was taken about 10 years ago on my parents' front porch.  My mom took the photo on our header in the exact same spot.