A few weeks ago, I received a late-night text from a neighbor. She’s traveling to Italy later this month to visit family she hasn’t seen in 20 years, and was struggling to figure out what gift to take them.
“I can’t think of anything that is nicer or tastes better than anything they could find in Europe,” she wrote.
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When it comes to gift-giving, our first instinct is often to think too broadly — something generic that could come from anywhere. My neighbor fell into that rut. This trip was important to her and to her family, and she wanted something meaningful to bring from home but couldn’t land on anything specific. I suggested she think locally instead, and sent her a list of St. Louis shops specializing in work from homegrown artists and makers. The next day, I widened my own search. A few stops at some of the city’s best museum shops later, I typed out another text and hit send.
If your travel plans this season include a trip across the country or the globe, bring your host a gift rooted in where you’re from — they’ll appreciate the story behind it as much as the gift itself.
The Saint Louis Art Museum’s summer exhibit “Ancient Splendor: Roman Art in the Time of Trajan” inspired a collection of gifts available in the museum’s shops — perfect for hosts who couldn’t make the trip. Rings in the style of Ancient Roman jewelry, $90-$140; “Lemon” salt and pepper shakers. $20.
“Villa Medicis in Rome,” original art work by St. Louis artist Cora Trout. Small $128.75, Large $257.50. “5725 Lindell” offers a peek inside a St. Louis home. Available at Union Studio.
“1000 Piece Puzzle” featuring the Japanese Garden at Missouri Botanical Garden, $35. Or a flush of shimmering gold with every sip of coffee, $20. Available at Garden Gate Shop.
A gift box of 3 individually wrapped artisan soaps made locally using earthy ingredients. There’s even a trio of soaps–orange blossom, eucalyptus, cinnamon spice–named after St. Louis. Available at Sammy Soap.
“Meet me in Saint Louis” tee shirt from Freedom & the Moon, $36. Drinks’ coasters from Daisy Mae Designs, $7.95. Available at the Missouri History Museum shop, Sold on St. Louis.
