This holiday season, I’ve been drawn to gifts that invite engagement, slow down the pace, and connect us to something larger—whether that’s a creative tradition, a community of makers, or our own inner landscape. These aren’t passive gifts that get tucked away in a drawer. They’re invitations to make, to explore, learn, and to find meaning in the process.
Here are my picks for gifts that spark creativity and support the makers and communities behind them.
Fair Trade Musical Instruments from Ten Thousand Villages
There’s something magical about giving someone the gift of sound. Ten Thousand Villages’ collection of musical instruments includes handcrafted pieces from artisan groups around the world—singing bowls from Nepal, ocean drums from India, bamboo flutes from Bali, and panpipes from Peru.
These instruments aren’t just decorative objects. They’re tools for meditation, creative expression, and play. The Tibetan singing bowls, for example, are traditionally used for meditation and prayer—perfect for anyone building a mindfulness practice. And because Ten Thousand Villages operates on fair trade principles, each purchase directly supports artisans and their families while preserving traditional craftsmanship.
Great for: meditation, music therapists, teachers, or anyone who needs a little more sound and soul in their life.
Sashiko Stitching Kit for Visible Mending
This sashiko stitching kit from Etsy introduces the traditional Japanese technique of sashiko—a form of embroidery that was originally developed to mend and strengthen fabric. The kit includes sashiko needles, embroidery threads in classic indigo and white, reclaimed denim patches, tailor’s chalk, and an illustrated guidebook.
What I love about visible mending is its philosophy: rather than hiding repairs, you honor them. The stitches become decorative, turning tears and worn spots into something beautiful. It’s a practice rooted in mindfulness and sustainability—a way to slow down, work with our hands, and extend the life of clothing we love.
This particular kit is plastic-free and handmade in the UK with reclaimed and vintage materials, which feels aligned with the whole spirit of the craft.
Great for: fiber artists, anyone interested in slow fashion or sustainability, crafters who appreciate meditative handwork, or someone who wants to learn a new skill.
Mini Weird & Wild Animal Build Kit
For the kids in your life (or the kid at heart), the Mini Weird & Wild Animal Build Kit from Uncommon Goods is part puzzle, part craft. Each set includes two creatures to assemble layer by layer from precut cardboard pieces—and the animal options are delightfully unusual: dodo and capybara, narwhal and anglerfish, or chameleon and red panda.
At $20, it’s an affordable gift that provides about 20-30 minutes of focused building time per animal. The kits are made from recycled cardboard with eco-friendly ink and nontoxic glue, and each creature comes with fun facts to spark curiosity and conversation.
Great for: children ages 6 and up, stocking stuffers, screen-free activities, or anyone who appreciates unusual animals and hands-on projects.
Natural Earth Paint Watercolor Kit
The Natural Earth Paint Natural Watercolor Kit offers a way to create your own professional-grade watercolors from earth and mineral pigments. The kit includes seven pigment packets—Venetian Red, Orange Ochre, Yellow Ochre, Emerald Green, Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine Purple, and Burnt Sienna—plus gum arabic and honey binder, and complete mixing instructions.
There’s something deeply satisfying about mixing your own paints. You understand the materials at a different level, and you end up with archival-quality colors that are completely free of toxic preservatives, additives, and petroleum-based ingredients. The pigments are the same ones that have been used for thousands of years—there’s a connection to art history in every brushstroke.
Great for: watercolor enthusiast, art teachers, anyone interested in natural or non-toxic art supplies, or makers who want to understand their materials from the ground up.
Tree of Life Handpainted Journal
This handpainted eco-journal from Shamans Market features a Tree of Life design and is handmade in India by fair trade cottage industry partners. The pages are tree-free and eco-friendly, made from recycled cotton fabric remnants.
Journals like this are more than notebooks—they’re containers for reflection, intention-setting, and creative process. The Tree of Life symbol appears across many traditions as a representation of interconnectedness, growth, and enduring roots. With approximately 72 blank pages and an integral page marker, it’s a beautiful companion for writing, sketching, or morning pages.
Great for: writers, art journalers, anyone starting a new chapter or setting intentions.
Sustainable Yarn from Weave and Wander
Weave and Wander Yarn Shop in Seal Beach, California, focuses on recycled and sustainable products. They offer yarn, knitting and crochet supplies, patterns, and kits—everything you need to gift a fiber arts project to someone you love (or to yourself).
What I appreciate about shops like this is their commitment to sustainability without sacrificing quality or beauty. A skein of beautiful yarn or a complete project kit makes a thoughtful gift for knitters and crocheters—it’s an invitation to settle in, slow down, and enjoy using the hands to create.
Great for: knitters, crocheters, fiber artists, or anyone who wants to learn a yarn craft.
Seattle Art Museum Shop
The SAM Shop carries an excellent selection of art supplies, puzzles, books, jewelry by local artists, and items from around the world. All proceeds benefit the museum, and they prioritize buying directly from artists and artisans. It’s a wonderful place to find unique gifts while supporting both the arts and local makers.
Books from Bookshop.org
When gifting books, I turn to Bookshop.org, which supports more than 2,500 independent bookstores across the country. Our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide includes creativity-focused books for adults and kids, as well as some whimsical art supplies!
One of my favorite finds that is on our list is Art Oracles: 50 Artist Cards, Written by Katya Tylevich and illustrated by Mikkel Sommer Christensen, this deck features 50 oracle cards representing artists from Picasso to Pollock to Kahlo.
The concept is playful but surprisingly useful: when you’re facing creative block or a difficult decision, you select a card and receive advice based on what that artist would have done. Each card offers three messages—for life, work, or inspiration—plus a companion booklet with artist biographies. It’s a light-hearted way to tap into creative wisdom and shift your perspective.
Great for: artists, art lovers, anyone facing creative blocks, dinner party entertainment, or as a daily inspiration practice.
What makes Bookshop.org special is their mission: they give over 80% of their profit margin to independent bookstores. When you shop there, you’re not just buying a book—you’re helping keep local bookstores alive in your community. Plus, they offer a little something to non-profits like us, when you buy from our storefront. Thanks in advance!
Great for: readers of all kinds, and anyone who values supporting independent businesses.
What connects all of these gifts is the invitation they extend. They’re not about consumption but about engagement—with materials, with traditions, with our own creative impulses. They slow us down and connect us to communities of makers around the world.
This season, consider giving something that invites making, meaning, and mindfulness.
We wish you a Holiday Season filled with hope, love, and much peace.Â
