Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Holiday Gift Ideas

I have decided to try to do a better job of SHOPPING LOCAL for Christmas this year. Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky have so much to offer, why look anywhere else?!?!  I've put together a list of ideas for local gifts to help encourage my readers to consider the small business owners, such as myself, this holiday season.  I think I have a little bit of everything on this list, but I'd love for you to leave comments if you can think of another great local gift idea! 

 Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Holiday Gift Ideas :: 

LOCAL Restaurants ::  Gift Certificates are quite popular during the gift-giving season,

especially those to restaurants because they are perfect for pleasing everyone.  This year, instead of purchasing gift certificates for chain restaurants owned by big corporations, consider shopping local...buy gift certificates for restaurants owned by those that live in this area.  Introduce your friends to new and interesting restaurants as a holiday gift!  Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky offer so many different options to choose from.

The ABC's of Cincinnati Print :: When I first saw this print at Summerfair at Coney Island I fell in love with it.  The ABC's of Cincy has a certain charm about it that draws you in. You can find these prints made by Dawna Boehmer on Etsy for $18.  They are also available at Art on the Levee in Newport and Art on Symmes or on Donna's Website.

Bourbon :: Nothing says Kentucky like a good bottle of bourbon!  There are so many

options to choose from, and the folks at Valley Wine and Spirits in Fort Wright and Edgewood are knowledgeable and can help you find the perfect bottle.  Valley Wine & Spirits also offers an engraving service for bottles, FREE of charge with the purchase of Woodford, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniels Single Barrel, Herradurra Tequila or Woodford Double Oaked.  The bottles are very classy looking when engraved, and would make a very unique gift for the bourbon fan on your list.

Local Art :: There are countless places to purchase local art around town.  Cincinnati and

Northern Kentucky are bursting at the seams with artists, you can find galleries all over town where you can purchase artwork and support local artists.  I'm going to shine the spotlight on one of my favorite local artists, Jeff Johns.  He is a fantastic painter and photographer.  You can find his artwork hanging on the walls at Valley Wine and Spirits and online at: jeffjohnsgallery.com.  His masterpieces are priced high for some budgets, but when purchasing a Jeff Johns painting, you are purchasing an heirloom.  I'd love to have one of his paintings some day to hang in my home and then pass down to our kids.  It's on my bucket list to own an original JJ painting!  

Covington's Holiday Pop Up Market on Madison Avenue is a great place to find gifts for everyone on your list.  Find artwork, clothing, jewelry, handmade creations that were made in KY, and much more!  From now until December 21st.  Visit their Facebook Page for all the details!

Personalize It :: Consider something PERSONALIZED for folks on your list!  MK's Totebags & Monogramming in the Main Strasse Village has something for everyone, from babies to ladies to brides to families to the gents of the family.  Order soon, because they get busy close to the holidays!   Check out MK's on Facebook.
 
For All Things OHIO :: MiCA 12/v is a family owned business in Over the Rhine at 1201 Vine Street.  It is one of my favorite boutiques because it is so very unique.  It's a special place to find a gift.  They have the most interesting collection of local arts and products.  You can find items such as t-shirts promoting Cincinnati pride, cutting boards shaped like the state of Ohio, hand made items, fine jewelry made by independent designers, and much much more!  Check out their Facebook page for hours.

Artistic Experiences :: Give the gift of artistic experiences by purchasing tuition for an art class for someone at a local arts organization such as Baker Hunt, The Carnegie,  Brazee Studios, or another local arts organization.  Or if you know someone who likes to sew, a class at Sewn Studio or a gift certificate would make a good gift!  


For the Foodie :: Consider a gift basket comprised of items from Findlay Market, or perhaps a gift certificate for Findlay Market.  My sister has done this for me as a gift, and I LOVED it!  Findlay has so much to offer for the cooks on your list.  I can find whatever I need at this market, especially the most unusual of ingredients.  

Local Beer :: I've already mentioned Bourbon, which made me think of BEER.  There are

so many great breweries around Cincinnati, that a collection of different local brews would make a fun gift for a beer lover.  You can pick up many great local and craft beers at Valley Wine and Spirits that I mentioned earlier, or Cork 'n Bottle in Covington or the Party Source in Bellevue.  Those are my three favorite beer shopping locations.  
Or perhaps a gift set from a local brewery?  Some local breweries sell items such as t-shirts or pint glasses, which when paired with beer would make a perfect gift.  I was going to name a few local breweries, but there really are so many that I'd find it hard to list just a couple.   


Sight-See in Town :: How about a BB Riverboat Cruise as a gift?!  I know it's something I would love!  We attended a dinner cruise this summer, and it was a blast.  Read all about our Beer & BBQ Dinner Cruise in this post.  It's a great local gift...dinner on a boat while you hear live music and learn more about the area from the captain?  They offer a variety of cruises to choose from.  Check out the BB Riverboats website for more details.  

For the Munchkins ::  I'm not going to re-invent the wheel, Family Friendly Cincinnati has a terrific post about local toy shops in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area.  Check that out and SHOP LOCAL for the munchkins!


American Legacy Tours :: Do you have someone on your holiday shopping list who loves

local history, or wants to learn more about the area they live in?  A tour from American Legacy is a GREAT gift idea for them!  We've taken a few of their tours and loved them.  They offer so many different options, from Gangster Tours to Brewery Tours.  Check out their website for all the options and prices. 

For the Out of Towners :: Consider shipping some Cincinnati Favorites such as Glier's Goetta, Skyline Chili, Montgomery Inn or Larosa's Pizza to Cincy fans in other states.  CincinnatiFavorites.com is Santa's Little Helper when it comes to shipping these local favorites to your friends and family out of town!

For the Traveller :: Plan a weekend away exploring one of the great state parks in Ohio or Kentucky, or another city in one of these states that you've been wanting to visit.  Two years ago I gave Michael the gift of a weekend away from the kids.  We went on the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky with his brother and sister-in-law and then stayed overnight at the Jailer's Inn in Bardstown.  It was the perfect gift for a guy with four kids...time away from the munchkins + bourbon.  You can read more about our trip in this post I wrote for Family Friendly Cincinnati.

Cards by Katie :: Last but not least, consider hand made note cards for the snail-mail lovers on your list.  I have an Etsy shop full of cards I make for every occasion.  The prices are reasonable, and I take custom orders as well.  If note cards aren't your thing, spend some time browsing Etsy for other fabulous hand-crafted items.  I strongly urge you to support crafters!

What am I missing on this LOCAL GIFT IDEA LIST??  Comment below and share your ideas!