Looking for a holiday gift you can’t find anywhere else? This year, wrap up a present that has a story to tell. From locally made craft beverages to jewelry and art plus Alexandria-themed merchandise, buy from independent Alexandria, VA businesses this holiday season. Keep reading for just some of the many items you can only find in Alexandria, and check out more ideas on MadeinALX.com.
Look for more ideas for shopping small with the Guide to Alexandria Holiday Shopping.
Local Libations
View this post on Instagram
Toast to the end of 2020 with a gift from one of Alexandria’s craft breweries. Grab a growler or send a six pack from the oldest craft brewery in the D.C. region, Port City Brewing Company. For experimental brews that come in cans that are works of art, check out Aslin Beer Co. Plus, with curbside pickup and delivery available at both, sending holiday cheer couldn’t be easier.
There’s plenty beyond beer, too. For dry ciders made from 100% fresh Shenandoah apples, check out Lost Boy Cider, which offers contactless pickup and shipping to 38 states. Whiskey lovers will be wowed by some of the country’s most historic distilled spirits. From rye whiskey to peach brandy to rum, each bottle sold at George Washington’s Mount Vernon is produced using 18th-century distilling methods and techniques. Plus, you can purchase in person or online and ship to anywhere in Virginia.
Send a gift that lets your loved one sip in style with vintage-inspired glasses and barware from The Modern Home Bar, designed by Victoria Vergason, owner of The Hour.
View this post on Instagram
Give something that shimmers this holiday season with a necklace or ring from Gold Works, a fine jewelry store in Old Town with more than 50 years of custom design experience. For hand-crafted jewelry that are works of art, visit Wear Ever Jewelry where you’ll find bold brooches, geometric necklaces and more. If you’re shopping for someone who likes to make a statement, head to Queen Bee Designs in Old Town, where owner Allison Priebe’s eye-catching necklaces have been worn by first ladies, congresswomen and news anchors alike.
Alexandria Art
View this post on Instagram
Options abound at the iconic Torpedo Factory Art Center where you can browse artist websites or wander three floors of artists’ studios. For even more local art, step inside The Art League’s gallery, located on the first floor of the Torpedo Factory.
The art doesn’t end at the waterfront. Explore elsewhere in Alexandria for paintings, sculptures, ceramics and more. At Kyo Gallery, you’ll find work from 40 local artists alongside art from around the world. Del Ray Artisans invites you to discover work by new and emerging area artists. The Port City becomes the main subject in Patricia Palermino’s folk art, sold at the Alexandria Visitor Center and the Old Town Farmers’ Market. Shop more regional artists’ work in this year’s virtual version of Del Ray’s beloved Art on the Avenue festival, spanning the holiday season. Find more Alexandria artists in the City of Alexandria’s Artful Gift Guide, live through January 9, 2021.
Show Your Alexandria Pride
View this post on Instagram
Home Goods
Shopping for a fellow Alexandrian or Alexandrian at heart? Red Barn Mercantile is the perfect place to start. From glasses and throw pillows that point to local landmarks to prints of Old Town’s historic streetscapes, Alexandria-branded home goods abound. Another great spot for city-branded swag is the Alexandria Visitor Center where you can create a goodie bag with fleece blankets, pint glasses, coffee mugs and more. Or, get crafty at AR Workshop and add an Alexandria touch to a plank wood project or custom canvas pillow to give to a friend. No time to DIY? Shop their store for wrap-ready gifts.
Fashion Statements
Help a friend make a statement with an Alexandria-branded clothing item. Shop the Alexandria Visitor Center for baseball caps, T-shirts, face masks, onesies for babies and more. Nearby, find gifts galore at The Old Town Shop. From sweatshirts to T-shirts, shop their signature OTX, Old Town Alexandria, merchandise.
Holiday Mementos
Need a small yet beautiful gift that will be marveled at year after year? Start—or add to—a loved one’s collection with the Office of Historic Alexandria’s 2020 ornament, which depicts a historic hose reel from Friendship Firehouse Museum and is available at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum. George Washington’s Mount Vernon is a great place to get holiday gifts, from Mount Vernon-themed snow globes to Washington collectible carolers to their 2020 annual ornament, which can also be purchased at the Alexandria Visitor Center.
Pet-Friendly
It’s no secret that in Alexandria we’re crazy about dogs. So of course there should be some gifts under the tree for your four-legged friend. Shop The Dog Park in Old Town for Alexandria-branded collars, leashes and harnesses, plus more merch from brand-new Barkhaus. The Alexandria Visitor Center also has Alexandria-branded pet bandanas to send your dog around town in style.
While we may be known nationally for how dog-friendly we are, we also have room on our cobblestone streets for cats, too. Mount Purrnon, Alexandria’s Colonial-inspired cat cafe and wine bar, is proof. Stop for a drink and some kitten cuddles and leave with a hoodie or T-shirt adorned with their adorable cat in a tricorn hat logo to give to a cat-loving friend.
Need more gift ideas? Get inspired with our Guide to Alexandria Holiday Shopping.
Header Image Credits, left to right: Queen Bee Designs; Red Barn Mercantile; Aslin Beer Co.
