A Very Merry, Locally Charged Gift Guide

Ignoring Your Wife’s Amazon Gift List Has Never Been More Rewarding

By Abby Baker

It’s happened again. The holidays are upon us. The Gabber’s compiled a list of local products and services to make shopping for everyone – even Aunt Charlotte’s Chihuahua - a no brainer. Supporting small businesses is more important than ever in the shadow of COVID-19, and the St. Petersburg area has no shortage of fun, funky places to spend your holiday fund.

For the Pets

Snag a rainbow leash from Paw Paw’s Boutique in Gulfport.

Nothing screams “I have a dog” like a rainbow pet collar from Paw Paw’s Boutique in Gulfport. Gulfport’s spot for pets and their owners is known to sell fun-loving pooch wear alongside colorful colors and harnesses. As for the cats, they may have already knocked down their stockings, but Paw Paw’s carries an array of cat toys and cute collars. facebook.com/PawPawsPetBoutique

For the Friends

A Gulfport Historical Society (GHS) membership is a gift for a friend who will crown you as “King Thoughtful.” A yearly membership grants free access to Gulfport walking tours, free drinks at porch parties, 10% off GHS merchandise in the museum, and members-only events. There’s more, and much of it involves event incentives that are a shareable way to enjoy the year together. It’s a gift that reads as “I want to go on free Gulfport walking tours with you” and a drop of support for the GHS. gulfporthistoricalsociety.org

Central Avenue’s Tubular Tokes has a wild Florida craft beer collection for friends who insist on pushing IPA culture.

Tubular Tokes

Central Avenue’s strangest convenience store, Tubular Tokes is a neon ‘80s-themed shop stocked with quirky snacks, glowing wall art and pocket-sized tobacco pipes. Stocking Stuffer Alert: hand dipped incense and CBD gummies. It’s the kind of place where one can find a memento that means nothing and everything at the same time. 2428 Central Ave., St. Petersburg

For the Kids

For the creative child, a set of paintbrushes and canvases are a chance for youthful expression. Luckily, Creative Clay — a St. Petersburg nonprofit that brings art to people with disabilities — offers Creative Thrift, a repurposed store full of arts and craft supplies. Purchases from the store benefit Creative Clay, and can be a way less expensive way to give your child the gift of art without risking canvas abandonment halfway through the year. creativeclay.org/creative-thrift

For the left-brained spawn, books are always welcome. Tombolo Books is an independent bookstore in St. Petersburg with a decent selection of children books and young adult finds. Whether it’s a coloring book or a series of YA fiction, a book is a roll-your-eyes sweet gesture that avoids the cliche trope of plastic toys to be thrown out next year. tombolobooks.com

For the Lovers

Rose quartz is the romantic one, right? A warm and cozy spiritual house on Gulfport’s Beach Boulevard, Qi Crystal Energy is a crystal shop full of local art and delicately wound finds. A hefty amethyst or even a tiny slab of opal is a thoughtfully earthy gift that’s nearly impossible to wrap. facebook.com/QiCrystalEnergy

Gulfport’s crystal shop sells giftable stones and natural jewels.

If your partner’s more of a handson type, a two-person pottery class may be the way to go. The Hive St. Pete offers Friday date-night classes with a “bring your own beer policy” each week. The $89 package leaves couples with a messy, artsy experience and a few pieces of homemade pottery. Is it too soon to regift said pottery? thehivestpete. com

For the Family

Kat Silver if still accepting holiday painting commissions.

The St. Petersburg area has no shortage of artists. Support art town culture by gifting a personal commissioned painting to your particularly “hard-to-buy-for” family members. Gulfport painter Kat Silver is accepting commissions for the holiday season. The Florida transplant is known for her dreamy animal paintings and sweetly gothic tones. A relative’s sweater-wearing pooch or a mythical-like rendition of Grandma is a personalized way to give. artistkatsilver. com

For the spicier family members – we’re looking at you, in-laws – Red Hot Tiki sells shelves upon shelves of hot sauces and spices. Whether you go with a traditional Red Hot Tiki Cayenne Pepper slipped into a stocking or a wrapped bag of Mikey V’s BBQ Fried Garlic Gator Toes, it’s the thought that counts. redhottiki.com