It’s hard to believe that almost eight weeks have passed since Hurricane Helene unleashed her fury on Western North Carolina, leaving devastation in her wake. In that time, in true Southern fashion, the region’s communities banded together to rebuild and support one another. To pay that idea forward, consider adding these terrific gift ideas from the area’s makers and small businesses to your holiday wish lists.
Hot Chocolate
This trio of hot chocolates from Asheville’s Spicewalla includes founder Meherwan Irani’s chai-spiced version, a Mexican take with a cayenne kick, and a tried-and-true original made with sea salt, vanilla, and Guittard cocoa. A new cinnamon roll flavor rolls out November 27, too ($40 for set; spicewallabrand.com).
Tea Towel
The handprinted designs from the High Fiber in Asheville make for a thoughtful hostess gift or surcee, especially since many of them come emblazoned with organic motifs like flowers and vegetables ($17; thehighfiber.com).
This Endless Love Asheville risograph was designed by the artist Justin Rabuck and printed by Woolly Press as a tribute to their beloved home ($25; horse-hero.myshopify.com).
Knife
The Southern Smoke Foundation has worked tirelessly in the aftermath of the storm to provide relief to those in Western North Carolina’s food and beverage community. That includes partnering with some of their favorite makers to give back, including this collaboration with Chubo Knives, purveyors of gorgeous Japanese chef tools like this knife. Use the code SOUTHERNSMOKE when you make any purchase, and you will receive a 15 percent discount and Chubo will also donate 10 percent of the proceeds to SSF relief efforts ($175; chuboknives.com).
Candle Sampler
The East Fork team has circled the wagons around their community since Helene, and the company’s candle samplers (which you can use as cups when the candle finishes burning) are like two gifts in one ($58 for set of two; eastfork.com).
Bandanna
The mountainscape motif depicted on this Southern-milled cotton bandanna from Asheville’s There There was dreamed up exclusively for the store by the folks at Winston-Salem artisan brand Jenni Earle; the bottom corner reads “Take Good Care” ($38; therethereshop.co).
Fine Art
Blue Spiral 1 Fine Art + Craft curated an extensive online gallery of Southern fine artists affected by the storm, such as Weaverville’s Eleanor Annand, whose beautiful clay work Inflorescence No. 1, pictured below, ticks in at a statement-making ninety-inches wide ($9,000; bluespiral1.com).
Gin
If your cocktail of choice is a gin martini, this bottle of American Gin from Chemist Spirits makes for an ideal base spirit. The Asheville distillery uses local botanicals for a suitably subtle blend of lemon, orange, juniper, and grapefruit tasting notes ($38, chemistspirits.com).
Vase
Helene wiped out the Asheville ceramicist Akira Satake’s studio, but some of his pieces, such as this wonderful white slip vase with a celadon glazed interior, remain available to ship ($165; akira-satake-ceramics.myshopify.com).
Sparkling Apple Spritz
Asheville’s Devil’s Foot Beverage Company made this great non-alcoholic sipper, ideal for the cooler months ahead, in collaboration with their fellow local company Botanist & Barrel; fresh-pressed local apples, winter spices, and other all-natural ingredients fill each can ($47 for twenty-four; shop.devilsfootbrew.com).
A Biltmore Visit
Biltmore has poured more than two million dollars into area needs since the storm, all while working feverishly to reopen for holiday tours (From $95; biltmore.com).
Serving Set
Former Made in the South Awards runner-up Spoon + Hook is a one-woman show: Anneliesse Gormley carves each of her pieces by hand, including these ginkgo-inspired serving utensils made from sustainably sourced wood and finished with wax from nearby apiary Honey & the Hive ($98 for set; spoonandhook.com).
Snifter
The website Brands of WNC curates an ever-expanding list of businesses to support during the holidays, including Garden & Gun favorites Terrane Glass, who make this elegant snifter by hand in Spruce Pine ($55; brandsofwnc.com).
Belt
The history-rich patina on this leather belt from Asheville’s Billy Made for Friends comes from a layering process: First, it’s tanned a light brown, then sanded and dyed a dark brown, and then sanded again ($130; billymadeforfriends.com).
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