It’s been an emotionally charged year, but we made it to the holiday season. Normally, as soon as November rolls around, the holiday cheer kicks into full gear. This year doesn’t have to be any different. In fact, it’s the ideal opportunity to give a loved one something that they’d never get themselves but you know they’d enjoy (and need, for that matter).
We’ve compiled a list with all locally sourced products from around the Hudson Valley. Purchase your loved one a wonderful gift, whether it’s a puzzle to provide some needed distraction, special soap and lotion to stay clean or a fun new face mask — all while supporting local businesses this season.
Bundle and self-care packages
Cocoon in New Paltz has a number of self-care boxes that would make the perfect gift for anyone who is in need of a little relaxation. The sanity box – which is well named – includes a Denik journal to write down your thoughts, a sea salt soy candle, a New Yorker bicycle themed puzzle, on top of French hand soap and a beeswax lotion bar to help you stay safe (and moisturized!) as we get through this winter. It costs $98 for the bundle. For an even more personalized and Covid aware package, consider the first responder’s box. This one consists of two bath bombs, two bars of soap, the same lotion as the last box, liquid hand soap, sea salt body butter, a journal and a porcelain tag that reads, “everything is going to be ok.” This box is $128. If you’re looking for a bundle package that doesn’t remind the gift recipient of the pandemic, consider the Hudson Valley box. It’s $98 and included a Hudson Valley design on a stainless steel insulated water bottle, a book with 50 hikes right in the Valley, a camping themed New Paltz mug and a dish towel with locally inspired illustrations.
A new hobby or game
Being confined indoors has left some wondering how to pass the time. Kingston’s Exit Nineteen has a wide collection of interesting puzzles and games that can be ordered right from their site. Think trivia – we’re talking not just general knowledge trivia, but food and drink trivia, road trip trivia, TV show trivia and eighties pop culture trivia. Challenge a friend or family member and really test how much they remember about Super Mario, Madonna and Ghostbusters. Each pack is $15. Trivia aside, they have a chess and checkers set, poker set and a number of different puzzles. Order their 1,000-piece meta puzzle for someone in your life who wants to up their puzzle game. This one has uniquely designed pieces that will be sure to take up some time.
For those who need extra light – literally
Heady Teddy’s in New Paltz has a Himalayan salt night light that would be a great gift for anyone wanting to explore the benefits of this type of salt, which is said to cleanse and purify the air, alleviate coughing and symptoms of the common cold, raise energy levels and enhance the mood. Or, if you know someone who needs a simple night light, Maglyn’s Dream has a $36 porcelain garden colored night light. Choose a design of either dolphins, catch a falling star, secret path, still reflections, lotus, morning run or sweet nectar.
Some light, and a scent
When in doubt, a candle is always a great gift, and the Hudson Valley has several impressive candlemakers. Rosendale Waxworks has a number of handmade candles to bring warmth and comfort into our homes, especially when we all need it a bit more than usual. For $20 you can order a candle from Wilda’s “Hudson Valley Highs” collection. The collection consists of four scents: sweet meadow, campfire, misty garden and jasminder. Woodstock’s Candlestock is another one-stop-shop for any type of candle you can imagine. The $40 Pure Relaxation Candle Set has two all natural, long lasting and hand poured beeswax pillar candles and a six pack of beeswax and soy wax blended essential oil fragrance lavender tea light candles.
If you are interested in a candle subscription service, Beacon Mercantile might have just what you need. They have three different options that will all be sure to light up a loved one’s life.
In the kitchen
Woodstock’s Gilded Carriage is a Hudson Valley kitchen destination for the best appliances. Whether you’re shopping for someone who has called the kitchen their favorite room in the house their whole life, or started cooking back in March during quarantine, the Gilded Carriage has what you need. Consider ordering the Cuisinart smartnest stainless steel 11 piece set that comes with sauce pans, skillets and even a lid organizer rack. Or try Chemex’s pour over coffee maker that is able to make three cups at a time. Ordering a gift for a tea drinker? The Gilded Carriage carries Le Creuset’s classic whistling kettle in a variety of different colors that will be sure to match any kitchen.
Show the skin some love
It’s the winter – our skin is cold and cracking and could use some extra love. Lovefield Vintage in Kingston has an all natural Klei lavender and coconut body scrub that gently exfoliates the skin, leaving it soft and smooth. It is made with coconut oil and lavender, ho wood and cedarwood essential oils. They also carry Klei’s lavender and coconut foaming bath soak, which is made up of the same ingredients as the scrub, except you can soak and relax in a hot bubble bath. The bath soak is said to reduce inflammation, relax the muscles and soothe aches and pains. Consider adding their $34 clear quartz facial roller to the gift package. Facial rolling “massages the skin and encourages lymphatic drainage away from the face.”
For the guys, Hamilton & Adams in Kingston has an entire grooming and skin care collection to check out. They carry a number of brands that will be sure to up any men’s skin care routine. Order an exfoliating soap bar from Olivina or a peppermint body scrub from Malin + Goetz.
Cheers to the year coming to an end!
Zakka Joy in Beacon has a $20 Mini Bar, a collection of 100 recipes for cocktail enthusiasts. It comes with eight small notebooks, organized by base ingredients. It is the perfect bar cart accessory. Zakka Joy also carries a line of Herb & Lou’s infused cubes so that when it’s time to make a drink all you have to do is pop out a frozen cube and add your spirit of choice. If you’re looking for a special drink dispenser, Maglyn’s Dream has one made of stone. For $158, you can give someone a cobbled granite dispenser that comes with a stainless steel valve, which allows you to truly serve your drinks on the rocks.
Oils, incense and more
New Paltz’s Awareness Shop has a variety of essential oils that can serve a number of different purposes. Purchase the cedarwood essential oil for purification and balance, the clove essential oil for protection, banishing and justice, the eucalyptus essential oil for healing and wellness or the french lavender essential oil for relaxation and peaceful sleep. Some say they even use a drop or spritz of essential oil under their face masks. The Awareness Shop also sells incense wands, cones and burners. If you know someone who is ready to manifest something in their life, then the Manifesting Abundance Ritual Kit from Little Blueberryy in Saugerties is just what they need. The Kit comes with three manifesting affirmation cards, sage to cleanse and protect your environment, palo santo to create a positive vibe, and stones citrine, tigers eye, quartz, green aventurine and pyrite.
Bundle up and grab a book
Saugerties’ Light House (the store, not the historic Hudson River landmark) has an elegant, soft lambswool throw to keep your loved one warm and snuggled up on the couch this winter. It comes in both light beige or mocha and is $180. Stay even warmer with a fun pair of socks from Woodsock, located in Woodstock. Or, if you think slippers would be a better bet, head over to Phoenicia’s The Nest Egg to purchase a pair of Minnetonka moccasins. All that’s left is a good book to read. Clove and Creek, based out of Kingston, has a history of the Hudson Valley box set, written by Vernon Benjamin. Know someone who wants to know more about the Hudson Valley? This is for them.
Staying safe with protective masks
You can’t go wrong this year with giving someone a cute, stylish mask that is also effective and safe. At the same time, you can shop local and support local artists. The HVNY Marketplace has a number of handmade face masks. Melissa Liguori, from Dutchess County, is selling her 100 percent cotton masks that are machine washable. She has a number of different styles including Snoopy, polka dog and zig zag patterns. Liguori also makes a curved face mask in purple and paisley patterns. For kids, she has a variety of patterns as well including sharks, paw prints and unicorns. Woodsock also has a number of unique masks for both adults and kids. Want to add something else? Lovefield Vintage in Kingston has an all natural hand and surface sanitizer for $12. Throw in a hysterical “stay positive” or “wake me up when it’s over” magnet from Zakka Joy for the lighthearted coronavirus bundle.
For the candy lover in your family
Kingston Candy Bar has everything you need to send someone a package of the best sweet treats. Order cookies by the dozen and candy by the pound. Or, order a gift basket from Krause’s Chocolates, which has locations in both Kingston and New Paltz. The Krause’s Chocolates gift basket costs $50 for a ½ pound of mixed milk and dark hand dipped chocolates, homemade peanut brittle, almond bark and mint lentils, ¼ pound of yogurt pretzels, and a chocolate dipped oreo, s’more and pretzel. The final touch is a Krause’s Chocolates chocolate bar.
Shining silver or gold
Saugerties Meraki Boutik is the place to find a beautiful piece of jewelry. The Gorjana Labradorite Power Gemstone Necklace centers the labradorite gemstone, which is said to “bring forth a higher awareness of yourself and those around you, adding a magical sense of balance to your life.” The necklace is adjustable so it can be worn however the person wishes. Meraki Boutik has a number of other gemstone necklaces like the Gorjana Lapis Power Gemstone Necklace and the Gorjana Black Onyx Power Gemstone Necklace. Or, considering purchasing this “F Coronavirus” hand stamped bracelet, made by a nurse in the Hudson Valley. All proceeds from the bracelet are going back to support local nurses in the Hudson Valley.
Businesses mentioned in this article:
Cocoon, 67 Main Street, New Paltz, 845-255-6862, cocoonathome.com; Exit Nineteen, 309 Wall Street, Kingston, 845-514-2485, exitnineteen.com; Heady Teddy’s Outfitters, 57 Main Street, New Paltz, 845-430-6368, headyteddys.com; Maglyn’s Dream, 10 Main Street, Suite #307, New Paltz, 845-256-0522, maglynsdream.com; Rosendale Waxworks, 415 Main Street, Rosendale, 845-658-2448, rosendalewaxworks.com; Candlestock, 16 Mill Hill Rd, Woodstock, 845-679-8711, candlestock.com; Beacon Mercantile, 493 Main Street, Beacon, beaconmercantile.com; Gilded Carriage, 95 Tinker St, Woodstock, 845-679-2607, gildedcarriage.com; Lovefield Vintage, 37 North Front Street, Kingston, 845-514-2720, lovefieldvintage.com; Hamilton & Adams, 32 John Street, Kingston, 845-383-1039, hamiltonandadams.com; Zakka Joy, 177 Main Street Beacon, 845-632-3383, zakkajoy.com; The Awareness Shop, 180 Main Street New Paltz, awarenessshop.com; Little Blueberryy, 99 Partition Street, Saugerties, 845-532-4304, littleblueberryy.com; Light House, 102 Partition Street #1513, Saugerties, 845-246-1000, lighthousestyle.com; Woodsock, 97 Tinker Street, Woodstock, 845-684-5988, woodsockinc.com; The Nest Egg, 84 Main St, Phoenicia, 845-688-5851, nesteggshop.com; Clove & Creek, 73 Broadway, Kingston, cloveandcreek.com; HVNY Marketplace, hvny.info/marketplace; Kingston Candy Bar, 319 Wall Street #3819, Kingston, 845-901-3927, kingstoncandybar.com; Krause’s Chocolates (several locations), krauseschocolates.com; Meraki Boutik, 86 S Partition Street, Saugerties, 845-247-3048, merakiboutiqueshoponline.com.
To read more from this year’s Hudson Valley Holiday, pick up the November 25, 2020 edition of Hudson Valley One, or view the e-version.
Join the family! 
