Small Business Saturday is a national shopping event (between Black Friday & Cyber Monday) that encourages consumers to shop local. On Saturday, November 27, millions of Americans across the country will set out to shop for holiday gifts at local businesses. This year is especially important for the Louisiana economy, as so many of our businesses have been impacted not only by Covid but also Hurricane Ida. See below for the OffBeat roundup of gift suggestions that encourage you shop at your (and our!) favorite, independent local businesses.

Of course we have to suggest an item or two from our ye olde shoppe. Check out our cool new visors (perfect for blocking those strong Louisiana sun rays) or what is left of our Bunny Matthews t-shirts.

Artist Ally Burguieres is a French Quarter staple, especially when it comes to doing the holidays right. This year her sweet opossum print available on archival or glicée print is sure to delight the animal lover in your life. And if possums aren’t quite your friend’s thing, check out the various prints available in the shop which include raccoons and foxes. We’re especially partial to the foxes and apparently, so was Taylor Swift at one time. 

Not only does the hip MoseMaryandMe shop carry prayer candles of all our favorite Louisiana heroes and heroines such as Dr. John, Britney Spears, Drew Brees, Trent Reznor, and more, but they carry (in the store only) Truff Hot Sauce which found its way to Oprah’s list of Favorite Things This Year. Perhaps our true favorite candle this year is that of our badass weather woman Margaret Orr. We highly recommend stopping in the shop at 824 Chartres for the best shopping experience imaginable.

Mississippi Mud in dark chocolate from Laura’s Candies may or may not be one of New Orleans’s best kept secrets. This is a perfect confectionary treat for all of your out of town friends. Throw in a truffle or two and you’ll be a hit for the holiday season. Best of all, it’s super easy to order from their website and they do corporate gifts.

What can we say? No matter what locals say about the lines, people love Café du Monde. And people love Christmas ornaments. Cross off the Type A gal on your list with this nifty $10.95 ornament sold by Fleurty Girl.

For the spiritually curious friend in your life, turn to the pages of New Orleans astrologer Michelle Embree’s Daydream Tarot. Embree is known for her spot on readings but also her strong interpretive tarot skills. This gorgeous print of her work (which often appears in Antigravity) will delight all of your ethereal lovely friends. Of The Empress card she writes, “Creation is what matters to the Empress. We exist in the present as nothing more than a tension between what has been and what will be, eventually. If peace is to be had, it will come in the form of bringing our thoughts and visions to life or producing for that which we care.”

Speaking of books, your friends on Reddit may have heard rumblings about the “old baker moment” and the “Monk Runs.” If you have an OG New Orleans Reddit friend, just buy this book and get it over with and don’t ask questions. It was a cultural moment in 2021 only Redditors and Feck fans will understand. Natch, it’s only $5 and whilst sold via a corporate website, we assure you all profits mostly go to the artist.

We all have friends who cherish banana/palm leaves—either because of Golden Girls or because of where we live or both! What better way to accessorize them than with these darling leaf dangling earrings from Glitter Box. 

Some people will never understand how and why NOLA uses oysters to fill in potholes but hey, who cares when you have a tree as unusual and unique made of oysters to look at? Oyster trees are available via The Historic New Orleans Collection made up of shells collected in local Parishes.

Tulane University geographer Richard Campanella has more than a dozen books to his name, and he is proud of them all. But as he thumbs through the pages of Above New Orleans: Roofscapes of the Crescent City (LSU Press), the newly published book he collaborated on with drone photographer Marco Rasi, he is sure there isn’t one more breathtaking. This is sure to delight locals and out-of-towners alike. The first full-length book of drone photography of the Crescent City, Above New Orleans offers readers perspectives never before captured by a camera. Overhead scenes cover the entire metropolis, from the French Quarter to Uptown, from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain, from Westwego to New Orleans East, and from Gentilly to Gretna. A detailed description accompanies each image, providing insight into the history, geography, and architecture of this dazzling municipality.

Who says diamonds have to be a girl’s best friend? Moonstones are just as magical in their own way. Send a loved one some good vibes and some holiday sparkle from NOLA Rock Co with their raw moonstone necklace.

The Grammys just announced this year’s nominees but we’d be lying if we said we didn’t think she’d make their list next year for her perfect album Americana. Treat yourself (or someone you love) to a CD and/or digital download of this important release here. 

For more ideas on how to shop locally, visit StayLocal.org.