Your Local Holiday Gift Guide 2024

This holiday season, shop for gifts Washingtonians actually want (no, we don’t want that ornament of the White House, thank you so much). All these gifts are locally made or designed and will please even the pickiest gift getters!

Capital Hill Books Grab Bag

Get a personalized book grab bag curated by Capitol Hill Books. Tell them the recipient's favorite genres and a budget, and they will handpick and ship a pile of books from their stacks. (Price Varies)

District Clay Center ‘One Shot’ Class

Have your crafty friends try their hand at wheel throwing for a few hours. Or bring a date and recreate the scene in “Ghost.” The class guides you through essential techniques and helps you make your first mug. ($80)

2025 DC PubPass

This little passport gets you a free beer at 25 bars and breweries around D.C., including Atlas Brewing, Oliver Brewing Co, DC Brau, and Denizens Brewing. At each stop, you get a stamp for your efforts. ($25)

Custom DMV Matchbook Art Print

Get a custom watercolor print of the matchbooks from the recipient's favorite D.C. eateries. ($70)

‘Bodega Bakes’ Cookbook by Paola Velez

Award-winning, D.C.-based pastry chef Paola Velez just released her first cookbook inspired by neighborhood bodegas and Caribbean flavors. It is every baker’s dream, with recipes like pineapple empanadillas and moringa soursop cookies. ($35)

Centrolina DIY Pasta Kits

Chef Amy Brandwein’s gourmet pasta kit includes six hand-rolled pastas like gnocchi and pistachio fettuccine alongside decadent sauces and a full 8 oz of parm. All you have to do is boil the pasta. ($175)

Black House Coffee Subscription

One of D.C.’s best locally-roasted coffee brands sells a subscription box where they send their best roast every month to your gift recipient's doorstep (or yours, who are we kidding). Lost Sock Coffee Roasters and Zeke’s also have one. ($16/per month)

Smartrip Bath Mat

Transit nerd or not, you can’t deny the appeal of this bath mat made to look like a Smartip card. The folks over at Metro’s pop-up merch store really know what they’re doing. ($39)

ETHICGOODS Morse Code Bracelets

These locally-made stone bracelets spell out words of affirmation using different colors in Morse code. Kind of like a secret message between you and the recipient. ($19)