The 2018 Holiday Gift Guide: Artisan Gifts from Makers + Product Designers

Lela Barker

We were coming off the heels of a big election cycle in America as I sat down to design our 2018 Holiday Gift Guide. After a year that saw an tremendous divide come to light in this country, many months of side-eye as increasingly acrimonious political ads blared across our screens, and wave after wave of hurricanes and wildfires seemed to wash over us… I was ready to submerge myself in a happy bubble by curating some of my favorite products from among the Lucky Break client community.

 

GiftGuide

 

This project became cathartic in some sense, and as I started pulling together beautiful collections of design-centric products made with heart by some of the best small businesses I know, I was once again reminded of how incredibly grateful I am for artisans. For small businesses. For communities. And for courage. The Lucky Break roster of clients has all of that in spades. It drips from our pores and its’s what drives us when we’re on our eleventh work hour of the day.

 

As I dug deeper, this project evolved from the Holiday Gift Guide to the Holiday Gift Encyclopedia Britannica. What began as an idea to recommend 48 gifts ballooned into 55 page catalog featuring 230+ suggestions. Forgive me… for I have a hard time editing myself when it comes to singing my clients’ praises.  I was again reminded of the magic we make together and I’m incredibly inspired by how many of these brands have moved the ball forward this year in big, big ways. You peeps have been busy!

 

Open the 2018 Holiday Gift Guide to discover hundreds of unique offerings from some of the amazing small businesses I have the privilege of working alongside. Whether I’ve helped them nail down their pricing strategy, or get their work into more shops, or dig deeper into their brand to better communicate the value they deliver, I’m honored to help amplify their voices.

 

The Holiday Gift Guide for Makers + Product Designers

 

 

There are more than 230 suggestions from Lucky Break clients across 27 product categories, including:

  • Gifts for Furry + Feathered Friends
  • Gifts for the Home
  • Make your Holiday Merry + Bright
  • Our Favorite Stocking Stuffers
  • Our Favorite Personalized Gifts
  • Gifts for the Gourmand
  • Gifts for Coffee + Tea Lovers
  • Gifts for Crafty Chicks
  • Gifts for Cocktail Aficionados
  • Gifts for your Favorite Men
  • Gifts for your Significant Other
  • Gifts that Celebrate Natural Living
  • Gifts for Adventurous Souls
  • Gifts for Color Lovers
  • Gifts that Celebrate Creative Play
  • Gifts for Magical Creatures
  • Gifts for Growing Kids
  • Gifts for Sweet Babies
  • Gifts that Keep on Giving
  • Gifts that Tickle the Senses
  • Gifts for Plant Lovers
  • Gifts for Lady Bosses
  • Gifts for Strong Women
  • Gifts that Sparkle & Shine
  • Favorite Indie Beauty Indulgences
  • Gifts that Welcome the Woo
  • Gifts that Give Back

 

I hope you’ll find a small business or two to support this season. Not sure why shopping with independent businesses is so important? Earlier this week, I shared six reasons why shopping small makes a big difference. From jewelers to ceramicists, stationery designers, soap makers, chandlers, and apparel designers, there’s a lot of indie love bursting forth from these pages.

 

No matter how you choose to celebrate, the Lucky Break Team is wishing you the happiest of holiday seasons! Thanks for being a part of our 2018. <3

 

 

About the Author

Lela Barker

Lela Barker hails from the deep-and-dirty south (ATL, represent!), where she spends her days helping makers and product designers navigate the pitfalls of product pricing, brand development, and wholesale strategy. She launched her apothecary brand in 2003 and bootstrapped the hell out of that little business to cultivate a portfolio of 1500+ stockists worldwide, generating $12million in revenue and establishing successful distributorships in the Middle East, EU, Scandinavia, and South Korea. Lela is the keeper of a well-worn passport and the maker of the finest lemon meringue pie you’ve ever put in your mouth.

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