As you prepare your gift lists for the holidays, consider supporting your local community through charities and by buying from small, local businesses. Choices like this put your dollars right back into the place you live and help keep local economies thriving.
Texas is big in land and heart. We can’t wait to see how (and what!) you give this season!
Give Texas-Made Gifts
Treat your whole family to the super soft organic cotton t-shirts of Texas-grown SOS from Texas. Baby items are certified organic grown on a 100-year-old family farm, and prices start at $12.
Find a unique gift at Texas Crazy where the home decor, art, luggage, and food items all offer a sense of the Texas experience.
Or give a gift from any local gift shops, such as these in Austin, where they’re proud to keep it weird.
Give the Gift of Travel
Plan a year’s worth of hiking, camping, and exploring with a Texas State Park annual pass. Passes start at $70 for family/individual and include unlimited access to Texas’s 90 state parks as well as discounts on camping and merchandise.
Give Reading Recommendations
Gift a Texas Monthly subscription, which offers news, reviews, tips, and things to do in the Lone Star State for the person who likes to be in-the-know.
For families and caregivers, Texas Parenting is a go-to guide for all things “family” in Texas.
Looking for children’s or YA authors that feature and live in the Lonestar State? Here’s a great list to get you started reading local. A top favorite is Austin-based Bethany Hegudus, author of Alabama Spitfire: The Story of Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Give Back to Texas
As you wrap and stack your gifts this holiday season, it’s always rewarding to give back, as well. Look for ways you can support your local community through food drives, coats for kids, Blue or Brown Santa, programs through Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, or local faith-based organizations.
In the Austin area, review Austin Local for a comprehensive list of charities and drives.
In the Houston area, Mommy Poppins has put together a great list of events for families to volunteer together. From Kids Meals Houston to Books Between Kids, there’s plenty of places to get involved.