The holidays are upon us — and so is gift shopping stress.
It's all too easy to throw up your hands and hit up a major online retailer that has everything in a warehouse somewhere. We're here to help you keep your dollars local and your gifts unique.
Whether you're shopping for your pickiest family member, a friend who just moved to town or someone who's totally happy with a gift card, we've got you covered.
Wear the city
Locally made, sustainable jewelry
This vendor was a discovery for me at the Horseshoe Market (the city's best spot for holiday shopping, in my opinion). Cha Cha's colorful necklaces and earrings are made from repurposed beads and give an elevated art teacher energy. The owner is super knowledgeable about the origins of all the beads, allowing me to put together a meaningful gift for a friend. (Alejandra, you better not be reading this!) I also left with one of the "fancy macaroni" necklaces ($48) for myself, as one does at a holiday market.
Beaded necklaces range from $28-$55 and earrings cost $38. — Alex Scoville
Rep Colfax twice over
Colfax businesses have struggled this year as BRT construction took over a sizeable portion of the longest contiguous street. Support a local business and celebrate the wickedest street with merch from Lawrence And Larimer. I'm particularly fond of this Colfax Athletics shirt ($40), which honors the basketball court of yesteryear. Shop online or visit in person at 3225 E. Colfax Ave. — Alex Scoville
A hoodie to please you
My wife got me this hoodie from the legendary Butcher Block Cafe for Christmas last year, and I must say it’s very thick and cozy. But wait, there’s more! The merch from this Brighton Boulevard institution is also hilariously inappropriate for the workplace. The back reads, “WE ARE PLEASED TO MEET YOU AND WE HAVE THE MEATS TO PLEASE YOU.” Instant classic. Buy for $32 at the restaurant at 1701 38th St. — Kevin Beaty
Hey, that's our shirt!
Look, we had to include one plug. Denverite has lots of good merch, but this collab shirt with Lurk Designs featuring everyone's favorite demon horse is hard to beat. $35 plus shipping. (Fair warning: Might not arrive in time for the holidays, but who doesn't love a January surprise?) — Alex Scoville
Stocking stuffers that pack a punch
A Big Blue Bear, but tiny
Shrunk from 40 feet to mere inches, this miniature Big Blue Bear could peer into a pint of beer or a makeup mirror. Available at 5 inches for $19 and 8 inches for $27. Buy online here or at a number of institutions and stores around town. — Alex Scoville
The best chocolate (and masa) treats
Some of the best chocolate I've had is made right here in Denver. Cultura is a Mexican American-owned business based right out of Westwood with luxurious flavors and packaging. The mixes for drinking chocolates and atoles (a traditional masa-based beverage) are also delicious. Perfect as stocking stuffers, or paired with a cute mug and other cozy accessories for a nice gift package.
Drinking chocolate and atole mixes are available online and cost $5.50 for a 1.5-oz bag and $14 for a 6-oz bag. Visit the brick-and-mortar at 3742 Morrison Road for chocolate bars and other delights. — Alex Scoville
A print of your loved one’s favorite Denver place
Don’t let the name fool you — Emily Burrowes' "Big Ass Maps" makes more than just big-ass maps.
Her art depicts buildings across Colorado, but most of her stuff is from Denver. In my home, I have a print of the Ogden Theatre, the venue for my first-ever Denver concert. I’ve given prints of PS Lounge and Dive Inn as goodbye gifts.
There’s a print for nearly every interesting building in Denver — a great gift to remind your loved ones of good memories you’ve made across town. All prints are available on Etsy and generally cost $18. — Paolo Zialcita
Gift cards for dining out
Help someone eat at Denver’s best restaurants
Denver’s burgeoning fine dining scene is awesome. What isn’t awesome, a lot of the time, is the bill.
While there are certainly bargains worth my time and money (I’m looking at you Alma Fonda Fina!), trying all of Denver’s Michelin Star winners and hopefuls is an expensive outing for me. I can maybe justify going once or twice a year.
In the past, my wife and I have gotten gift cards that put a decent dent into the final bill, which took the guilt out of getting that extra appetizer or drink. And luckily for your loved ones, I went digging around and most of Denver’s priciest (and most delicious) restaurants sell gift cards — including BRUTO and Sap Sua.
And if all else fails, a nice envelope containing a wad of cash that says “For your culinary adventures” does the trick as well. — Paolo Zialcita
Give your loved ones (and Kiara DeMare) the gift of pizza
Something I personally would love to receive is a gift card to Blue Pan Pizza. The Denver restaurant serves its pies Detroit-style, and they're so good I’m genuinely obsessed. There are three locations throughout the city — and three more in Empower Field at Mile High — and all will accept the gift card. — Kiara DeMare
Support the arts and nature around us
A state parks pass for the dogs
You should check to see if your gift-ee purchased one with their vehicle registration. If they haven’t, a single-vehicle pass for Colorado's state parks is $80 on the state’s website.
But you should be prepared to pay $105 in total, because this recommendation is actually, really, for dog owners. Chatfield and Cherry Creek State Parks have some of the world’s best off-leash parks, natural areas with prairie grass and water features. If the pooch-lover in your life hasn’t already become obsessed, perhaps you can push them in the right direction. The additional dog park pass is $25. — Kevin Beaty
'Adopt' Marshmallow the albino wallaby
While the zoo's newest stars may be the quartet of baby lions, we must not forget another diva: Marshmallow the albino wallaby. She arrived with the opening of the Down Under Habitat last spring. You can support Marshmallow's care (and that of all the animals) with an "adoption bundle."
The bundle costs $40 and includes a personalized certificate, a photo of Marshmallow and other goodies. For an additional $24, your friend or family member can also squeeze a plush of the snow-white wallaby.
Adoption packages and plush are available online for a number of animals. Unsurprisingly, the stuffed animal for the baby lions is sold out. — Alex Scoville
For the Ms. Frizzles in your life, at any age
Give the gift of dinosaurs, space and the ever-winding gem hall with a membership to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. There are varying tiers available, starting at $70 for an individual and $135 for a family. Purchase online here. — Kiara DeMare
Talk with an artist
The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver often hosts talks with the artists it exhibits, and I've always found them to be incredibly illuminating for a very small price. Case in point: For just $6.55, your gift-ee can attend the next chat with Deborah Jack on Jan. 29. Her work is on display at the museum through Feb. 15, so there's plenty of time for them to put their new behind-the-scenes knowledge to work. — Alex Scoville
Radical living
Ride RTD and Colfax (on a skateboard)
A lot of people have been griping about Bus Rapid Transit and how it’s affecting local businesses. But when I recently stopped into 303 Boards at 1338 E. Colfax Ave., the workers told me business is basically as good as ever.
Perhaps this is because the Colfax skate shop has one of the friendliest crews of workers in the city and some of the coolest gear. They’re not pretentious — whether you’re seven or 47 or older than 77 (all three generations of my family that have been). They put up with banter. And they’re frank with customers about what they need — and maybe just what they want.
Celebrate the shop and give a 303 Colfax-themed skateboard deck. They have two RTD-themed decks, one for buses and another for the light rail. One board even has Garfield on Colfax. Kiara and Paolo tell me that’s cool, which is hard for me to understand, but maybe check that one out, too. (Ed. note: It's also, sadly, sold out, which I think supports their take. — AS)
Decks range in cost, but many are currently on sale for $43.03. Buy online or in person. — Kyle Harris
Amuse thyselves
Some summer in the future, Elitch Gardens may be gone from Denver if River Mile construction ever begins. In the meantime, Elitch Gardens’ summer pass is an incredibly good deal – especially with one of the meal passes (which theoretically means you could eat a free meal or two every day the park is open, depending on how ambitious you are). So buy some passes for the families in your life: Waterslides, roller coasters, spinning things that make you puke, and a Meow Wolf ride to boot. Passes start at $74.99 and can be purchased online. — Kyle Harris
Get kids shredding
Teaching kids to ski and snowboard is hard. It's cold and frustrating for them, and expensive and time-consuming for you. Shredder Ski School solves at least one of those problems and helps with the others. The company has training gyms for kids in Central Park, Lafayette, Littleton and Wheat Ridge. The gyms feature ramps of varying sizes and speeds. The idea is to teach the basics in a controlled environment.
Prices vary, but you'll be paying between $30 and $40 for a small group lesson at the Wheat Ridge location. It beats $200-plus for a half-day lesson at the resort! The staff are great — and learning here means they'll have an easier time on the mountain. Get a gift certificate or a lesson pack for the kid in your life. — Andy Kenney
For the Mile High bookworms
Go on a bookstore spree
Get your loved ones the gift of literacy! Denver is home to a ton of used book shops that have unique tomes and local zines at a really affordable price. Here are my personal top three stores:
- Broadway Book Mall (316 S. Broadway)
- Capitol Hill Books (300 E. Colfax Ave.)
- Lingering Tales Gallery & Used Bookstore (910 Santa Fe Dr.)
— Kiara DeMare
A queer take on exorcism from a local author
You may have seen my neighbor Lindsay King-Miller when she did a reading at the inaugural Denverfright event a few years back. She’s written a few books now: "Ask a Queer Chick" and "The Z World." But her latest, “This Is My Body,” is a queer take on the exorcism genre, all about anxious parenting and family, religious trauma. It kept me up at night and made me wildly nervous. If someone in your life loves horror, this book is for you! Priced at $17.99 and available at various online retailers. — Kyle Harris
