5 Local Gift Ideas for Your Last Minute Christmas Shopping

You’re all done with your Christmas shopping, right? No? Well, lucky you – there’s an extra weekend of holiday shopping this year.

Still, there are many of us at a loss for what to give our co-worker, neighbor or mother. Have no fear – there are plenty of ideas from the Monadnock Region’s independently-owned businesses. And, of course, there’s the added benefit of NH tax-free shopping!

Here are 5 gift ideas to get you officially “done” with your shopping this weekend:

1. Bee Line Skin Care, by S Formulators, a small bath and body company based in Henniker, NH. This line includes natural beeswax or honey, which helps soften and re-hydrate dry skin (we all need that in the winter!) The line includes skin mists, glycerin soaps, lip balms and soy lotion candles. Beautiful spa-like scents in lovely packaging. Available in downtown Keene at Hannah Grimes Marketplace, a treasure trove of local products.
2. A Fine Art Painting by Kristina Wentzell. Don’t think you could afford to give an original work of art? You can with fine artist Kristina Wentzell’s special holiday “100 paintings for $100 (or less).” Wentzell creates colorful and whimsical oil paintings of landscapes, fruit, birds, landscapes and flowers. Paintings range in size from 8”x8” (for $75-$100) down to 4”x4” (for $30). Her home studio is walking distance to downtown Keene.
3. Hand-Knit Wool Socks at Crescendo Acres Farm, Surry, NH. Who doesn’t appreciate some warm socks in the winter, especially a pair lovingly hand-knit by a farmer’s wife? These comfy socks are sheep’s wool or alpaca blend.  Price range is $25-35 per pair. A trip to the store in Surry could also give you more gift ideas – the farmers carry many unique items made from the farm’s fiber including snowmen, angels, cat toys, hats, mittens (also a hot item), shawls; plus local farm products including preserves, eggs, meat, mustards, breads, pies, honey and more.
4. A Gift Certificate to Your Favorite Monadnock Region B&B or Inn. The Monadnock Region is filled with a bed and breakfast or inn to suit individuals or families. Peruse our listings to find the best one for your gift-recipient's needs -- many have gift certificates available.
5. A Mail Basket by Peterboro Basket Company, Peterborough. This is one of the most popular baskets produced by this local company. It is hand-woven “one-of-a-kind” design with a leather handle on the back for hanging – can be used for mail, toiletries, dog leashes and more. Available in honey, cherry or natural stain and comes with the famous Peterboro brass medallion and lifetime warranty. On sale for $34 (buy 2 for $31 each).

En Plein Air: Art in the Great Outdoors

“En plein air” is a French term that translates to “in the open air.” In the art world, the expression is used to describe artists who take their canvases, brushes, paints and create their art outside, in the natural light.

Much like creating art “en plein air” is an exceptional way to capture nature’s beauty on canvas, viewing art in the great outdoors – in the natural light -- is quite a different experience than viewing artwork in an indoor gallery.

In the Monadnock Region, the biggest outdoor art exhibit is “Art in the Park,” which takes place at the Ashuelot Park on West Street in Keene every Labor Day weekend. This year’s 54th Annual Art in the Park, which is run by the Monadnock Area Artists Association falls on September 1-2, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

More than 80 artists from around New England are represented and will exhibit and sell their work; there is also an area for students from the region’s two high schools to exhibit their artwork. There is also a raffle to fund art scholarships.

For more information visit Monadnock Area Artists for more information.

Once Art in the Park is over you can get your local artist fix in a few more weekends of art events this fall.

These two events are studio tours that take you right into an artists’ working environment:

September 15-16: The 7th Annual Hillsborough Open Studio Tour. This take you to artists’ studios within a 20 mile radius of downtown Hillsborough.

October 6-7 (Columbus Day Weekend):

17th Annual Monadnock Open Studio Art Tour: This tour travels through the towns surrounding Mt. Monadnock: Chesham, Dublin, Hancock, Harrisville, Jaffrey, Marlborough, Peterborough and Sharon.

Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour: Another wonderful tour that takes you through the Monadnock region including the towns of New Ipswich, Rindge, Swanzey, Spofford, Keene, Nelson, Stoddard and Antrim.

28th Annual NH Wool Arts Tour: The tour features fiber artists who work in wool from local sheep and alpacas, and farms that sell yarn and wool.  This event is fun for the whole family and is great for people who enjoy the fiber arts or would simply like to meet the animals, enjoy the fall colors and visit some farms.

November 3 & 4:

Keene Art Tour. A self-guided art studio tour featuring 19 artists in 13 studios in Keene, New Hampshire.  Featuring painting, pottery, furniture, jewelry, drawing, sculpture and more.  Free and open to the public. Pick up your brochure and map at our headquarters, Creative Encounters at 18 Main Street in Keene.