Where the ‘225’ team is shopping for local, last-minute gifts this holiday season

In case you haven’t noticed, Christmas Day is rapidly approaching. That means there’s a limited number of days hours left to check off everything on your shopping list.

But don’t freak out just yet. Baton Rouge shops, boutiques and makers offer an array of giftable items that fit the bill.

From vintage-inspired board games to local art, here are a few last-minute gift ideas we’ve spotted around town—because the holiday season gets a whole lot merrier when all your to-dos have all been done.

“As a full-blown adult, I now realize the commitment required to curate a beautiful Christmas tree. It takes years of collecting ornaments (or a massive budget) to make your tree shine like my mom always made ours when I was growing up. That’s why I also now realize how great of a gift a nice, Christmas ornament can be. I spotted these handmade ceramic ornaments by Kai Drobish (find her at architecturalmemories.com) at The Foyer on Perkins Road last year and have purchased a few for friends and family this holiday season. I love how Drobish depicts iconic Baton Rouge locations in her work, like churches, restaurants, sorority houses and even bars. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re a great way to make your gift more personal. My grandmother loved Drobish’s depiction of Sacred Heart Church, where she’s been a patron for decades. And I can think of a few friends who’d appreciate Drobish’s ornaments depicting The Chimes, Tiger Stadium and even Fred’s in Tigerland.”

—Laura Furr Mericas, 225 managing editor

“I’m a big fan of giving showy earrings, and Local Leaf Gallery is a great place to find ones with neat designs and Louisiana themes. While you’re there, pick up tea towels, socks and journals—all great stocking stuffers. I also love to grab nice bath products as a last-minute gift for both men and women, and Bumble Lane stocks a big variety. Finally, a go-to for me is to pick up branded T-shirts from places I already love, like Cannatella Grocery, Elsie’s and City Roots. They’re soft and have great designs, and they go over great with both local and out-of-town friends and family.”

—Maggie Heyn Richardson, 225 features writer

“This might be considered a lazy gift, but my go-to, last-minute gift is a good bottle of wine. This year, I’m definitely making a stop at Bin Q to look through its collection to find gifts for friends, aunts and holiday hostesses in my life. You can’t go wrong with a red, white or even a sparkling. My current fave is the Carboniste Modern Sparkling Wine. The one with the fish on the bottle is what I usually go for. After choosing your bottle, pick up some fun glassware, a celebrity prayer candle or a stocking stuffer.”

—Olivia Deffes, 225 digital staff writer

“Can we take a moment to talk about stocking stuffers? I love to mix interesting candies with a few special trinkets, like the prettiest matchboxes from Gourmet Girls. This Home Alone-meets-Louisiana Home Malone tea towel from Local Supply would get so many laughs in my family.”

“For the friend who loves a Louisiana-themed gallery wall, I have such a crush on these Okra Bits pastel-hued Zapp’s prints at Local Supply. For the friend who is already thinking of Mardi Gras, I adore this Carnival collection by Hemline. Twilly scarves are having a moment—perhaps fueled by the current obsession with bows—so I’d go for this cutie. I think these handmade, blown glass tumblers from Red Onion would be so precious for the person you’re splurging on. The pink glass looks like it’s studded with little candies.”