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Breathing Space · Nov 14, 2025

2025 Yinzer Holiday Gift Guide

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Virginia Montanez · Breathing Space

Welcome to the 2025 Yinzer Holiday Gift Guide, now almost old enough to vote!

You know the drill, unless you’re new here. In which case … why has it taken you so long to find me? Nothing is an ad. No products are AI-generated (see note at end of post). I have not received any item on this list. I do not accept free goods or discounts. I have spent hours and hours finding local makers who should have stock or the ability to meet demand. If an item sells out, email the maker and see if they can help you. Make it worth their while. Also, this year I really tried to fill the list with plenty of affordable options in light of [gestures widely at everything everywhere all at once].

As I ask every year, don’t gate-keep the list! The point is to share it with as many people as possible so that our local shops can get lots of business. I’m saddened when I revisit great shops only to find they’re no longer in operation. So buy what you want and then send the list to others and encourage them to shop local.

And off we go as soon as we have a quick prayer circle for all of our credit cards. In MasterCard’s name, fa-la-la-la-men.

You know how they say last but not least? True. But in this case, this is literally a “first because, hell yeah!” situation. These locally made soaps are floating my rubber ducky*, you guys. I’m confused as to how I wasn’t aware of them until now, which speaks poorly of your job performance. The side business of husbands Tim and Joey, all of their soaps are works of art, and their Pittsburgh-themed versions are true stunners. Look at their cute little Goodnight PGH soap and the confluence! There is a lot of black and gold merch out in the world that looks like Steely McBeam designed it while on an LSD trip, but these are classy enough to put in the fanciest soap dishes. Their mini soaps and the $10 sample sets would be perfect stocking stuffers for campers or literally anyone who bathes. They also have gift cards, deodorant, shower steamers and more! Go nuts and shout, “Hell yeah!” (The swirly Champ Yinz soap is currently sold out, but I’m hopeful they’ll get a new batch up there soon!)

* not a euphemism

This is high on the list because if you want it, you’ve got to order it as ASAP as possible. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Just go straight to the link and hit “add to cart” because I don’t know how long they’ll be available and they are shipping very soon. Okay, that out of the way, let me say … HOLY WOW! This might be the prettiest and coolest chocolate advent calendar I’ve ever seen. Tabbara is new to me (again, you suck at your job) and they’re a woman-owned third-generation chocolatier with roots stretching back to Beirut, Lebanon. Look at the chocolates with their stamped winter phrases and their numbers and I’m so fully freaking out with warm and fuzzies right now that I’d literally cuddle a cactus just to have something to hug. As PittGirl used to say, “Squeeeeee!”*

* She was a bit much, was she not?

LISTEN. It is not unusual for me to purchase bottles of wines and spirits for gifts based solely on how much I like the label, and thus these are the bottles I would absolutely buy for the person in your life who loves the Burgh as much as they love a good locally distilled spirit. Included are:

Eeeeeeeeeeeee! I love earrings with an unusual thread; therefore, these understated baddies made the list. I do think these will sell out as it’s a small maker and literally anyone with holes in their head can wear these and make them look good. If they sell out, the rest of her shop has fantastic affordable alternatives from these understated silver Triangle Drops ($20.78) to these statement colorful clay earrings ($30.78) in a soothing ombre, or this paperclip floral toggle necklace I’m coveting ($40.78). I do love a good toggle piece. She also has a selection of faith-inspired items for the religious person in your life.

The way I cackled in Spanish. Created by local Luluz Design, who has appeared on the list in the past, this is a shirt that will only work if you wear it in Pittsburgh, but, man, would it be a hit at the casual holiday party with your pals. It’s on preorder right now, yet will for sure arrive before Navidad itself. Show up at the party bearing these Luluz yinzer-themed drinking coasters ($16) as a hostess or White Elephant gift:

Again, let me say this: Eeeeeeeeeee! How about we all get together and support a mother of four from Valencia who uses her free time to create zip shirts and onesies for children undergoing cancer and other life-saving treatments that require regular access to their chemo ports or medical lines? The wild part? She provides sick children with a zip-shirt or onesie FOR FREE. Wow. While we don’t all know someone who has a sick child, we do all know someone who would love a beautiful bracelet that supports such a worthy local effort. In comes the new Hopebound Recycled Bead Bracelet by Zip With Us. Available in three colors of African glass beads and handmade with knotted waxed linen, these make beautiful stacking bracelets, as seen in the photos. They’re only $20 and are available in two lengths or a custom length. Plus 100% of the proceeds go right to Zip With Us. Love this!

I believe I put some version of these collars on the list many moons ago, but they are worth a revisit! These adorable pet collars are locally made and come in a variety of fabrics and in various sizes with your choice of buckle type, including dainty little breakaway latches for the wee-est of kittens. I particularly love this holiday-themed collection, and I imagine there’s many a dog named Sid in the city that would look adorable sporting one of the Pittsburgh sports-themed collars. But don’t sleep on some of the more understated options, like her plant-themed collars. What’s very cool is you can add on a keychain fob, scrunchie key-fob wristlet, hair scrunchie or a leash that matches the fabric you choose for the collar! Poop-scooping, but make it fashion.

I like my chocolate to be made in a castle because I am very fancy in my fancy-pants*, and thus I’m a fan of anything that comes out of the Rosalind Candy Castle in New Brighton. Shop in their store, online (with wrapping options!), or check their product locator to find their candies around the region. For gift-giving, I have four options, all crafted in small batches, that are winners for the hostess or the chocolate-lover in your life: the Peanut Butter Christmas Novelties box ($19.95) is full of adorable seasonal figures like bells, Santas and wreaths; 10-piece Holiday Gift Box ($13.95) is affordable, less Christmas-specific, and you can also get it with the Pittsburgh skyline on the chocolate bar; five-piece Christmas Set ($9.95) would be ideal for children. Finally, for only $6.50, the most excellent wine gift accompaniment in the form of a bottle hanger featuring four of their truffles. Pair that one with a good bottle of wine and you’ve got a complete gift! Check out their whole winter holidays section!

* Purchased from Marshall’s for $14.99

I’ve seen John and Millie Muse’s locally made wood toys at various shows and stores over the years, but this is the first I’m seeing their wonderful toy incline! (Related: you’re fired.) How adorable and a fun way to instill funicular enthusiasm into the youngest of Burghers. (Stand by for an incoming stroke of branding brilliance: “They put the fun in funicular!” Now please stand by for an incoming band name: Funicular Enthusiasm. I’m a genius.) I’m using the word funicular because I’ve recently had a person from Ireland and a person from NYC refer to our inclines as such. Very fancy. I like to say it with a French accent while I nibble my chocolates that were made in a castle while wearing my $14.99 pants from Marshall’s. You can also find the toy at the University of Pittsburgh shop for $16.

Did you guys know that Revive & Revel is headquartered in Pittsburgh, because I sure didn’t and you are sure as heck still fired. Talk about the perfect gift for the runner, athlete or outdoorsman/woman in your life. What makes this company unique is their focus on creating products that are made for sport, sweat and stink, and it all grew out of their dissatisfaction with existing sport sunscreens. I especially love that their sweat wipes are biodegradable and their sunscreen complies with Hawaii’s reef-safe sunscreen guidelines. Their skin products are long-lasting even with sweat, and are quick-drying for easy reapplication. They also have waterproofing and odor-eliminating sprays to help with overall shoe and gear stink. These sprays would also be a good stocking stuffer for a hockey or lacrosse player because I’m told their gear is stinky enough to make Satan cry.

I am obsessed with every single one of Angelee Jewelry’s rings, especially her long bar and open versions, because WHAATTTTT! How unique and eye-catching! Angie, the maker and Sewickley native, studied under a master silversmith and has been honing her craft for 15 years now. Thus, her locally made jewelry creations are works of art and the ideal gift for the special person in your life for whom you go big each year. I can’t speak to the supply or the turnaround time on these because, again, this is art, so get your orders in ASAP if you choose to purchase any of her works.

I discovered woman-owned Black River Arts out of Derry while shopping in Ligonier this fall and I just had to put this handwritten recipe cutting board on the list because what a gorgeous way to pay tribute to a cherished family recipe! I’ve seen mass-market produced ceramic plates along these lines, but I really love the locally engraved take on the trend. Dig out your elder’s old handwritten recipe, or, if they’re living, ask them to write it down by hand. You then send that to Black River Arts and they’ll clean it up and laser-engrave it onto a cutting board that will be perfect for display or gifting. The first board will be $70 (was $80!), so this is one of the pricier items on the list; however, additional boards are only $30, so it could average out to a more affordable gift. Consider splitting the cost with your siblings and/or cousins. Or put your own cherished recipe on it and gift it to your children and say, “If you let this recipe die with me, I’ll haunt your cupboards forever.” I’m a good mom.

Wow! Look at those! Look at the design! Look at the structure! Look at all these exclamation points!!!!!!!!! Fiber artist Rachel Stine has a ton of awesome goodies in her shop of locally made bags, pouches and other textile goods, but her Boxy Pouches make a wonderful gift for use as toiletry or shaving bags for the traveler in your life. Loving that carrying handle! These three prints are my favorites, because it’s all about me, but check out the whole line to find the perfect bag for your person (or yourself). There are some simple geometric prints too for the minimalist look. Also check out the rest of her shop, especially her crossbody bag collection. I’ve got my eye on that bee bag.

Reader, meet Zuri and Nia (and their designer Dominique), the first dolls to accurately reflect Black bodies by incorporating lighter palms and soles … and it happened here in Pittsburgh! I had wanted to feature these a year or so ago (what is time?), but the next batch wouldn’t have been ready until after the holidays, so you can imagine how excited I was to see they are currently available for purchase! These dolls, soft Nia, for the 6 months and older infant set and, Zuri, for the 3 years and older set, are a labor of love from Pittsburgh sculptor Dominique Scaife, who set out to work with doll manufacturers to create a doll that “affirms and reinforces to children of color how beautiful they are.” Due to its small-batch nature, this is one that should be purchased the moment you know you want to buy it for the child in your life. And yes, you can purchase for that child their own shirt that matches their doll’s! Someone who can afford to do so, please donate several of these to this year’s Stuff-A-Bus.

I have loved Triple B Farms since my children were in grade school as it’s in regular rotation among local school field trips. Students go to have fun, take hayrides, learn how plants grow and see all the farm’s animals (including peacocks). I pick baskets of berries there in the summer and apples in the fall. My sister is a baking genius and she uses their fruits to create her marvelous pies, crumbles, crisps and scones. Their farm store is a treasure for grabbing the jams, spreads and other goods they make from scratch. They have a wide assortment of thematic gift boxes that would delight the jam, charcuterie, coffee, pumpkin, strawberry, blueberry, pickle or breakfast lover in your life. I’m a big fan of their Route 51 Traffic Jam because, well, it’s very my brand. That one is included in several of their gift sets, but I’d imagine you know someone who would especially love their Pittsburgh FAMOUS box ($44.99). Poke around all their boxes to find the perfect one, or if you’d like a more affordable gift, grab individual jars of any of their goods. They have a maple bacon jam ($6.99) that my son loves to put on his burgers. Also, you’ll note their Pittsburgh box features honey by local Bumbleberry Farms. They have been on the list before and you should definitely check out all of their honey-centric gift boxes too.

Barefoot Forge is new to me (so so fired) and I’m loving everything they make. They’re a collective blacksmithing group owned by Craig Cowan and their shop is in the North Hills. You can gift blacksmithing, steel making and welding classes (and date night classes!) to learn to make things like rings, knives, metal roses or coffee scoops. How fun! For an affordable gift that anyone can use, I love these bottle openers forged from railroad spikes. They’re forged in their shop and you can get a discount if you purchase five or more (great groomsmen gift idea). These really speak to my industrially appreciative heart. Man, Industrially Appreciative is a kickass band name that should definitely be the opening act for Funicular Enthusiasm. Check out the whole shop for their more pricey items, like these stack rings (from $50) that I’m in covet with. I would rock three of those so hard, my own face would melt off blast furnace style.

I have an autistic teen who loves Pittsburgh and whose hyper-fixations include Godzilla and the old B-movies out of Japan. God help you if you ever start talking to her about Godzilla; it’s like bringing up The Three-Body Problem books to me.* You better believe she’s getting lots of Yinzilla stuff this year. Yinzilla is the Pittsburgh Godzilla created by Matt Buchholz of the famed and local Alternate Histories shop. Matt has been expanding his product line for years and he’s one of the city’s most prolific and well-known makers and artists. Items I love, (but check out his whole shop):

* Incidentally, she once got me talking about that trilogy and when I finally came up for air, she gave me a wide-eyed look and then said snarkily, “Now I see where I get my autism from.” Girl, you know you got it from Tylenol.**
** This is a joke. Don’t email me.

I’m a fan of whimsy and I’m a fan of charcuterie and I absolutely do eat it as a girl dinner sometimes because nothing says, “I do what I want,” like feasting on adult Lunchables while watching Psych reruns. If you are looking for a way to turn a food, wine or book gift into something more substantial, look no further than the local wares of Tale of Silver, run by Cara Cunningham. She is a mom and a maker and she has a shop full of vintage/antique spoons, forks, and knives that she converts into gifts that would bring a spot of joy to a charcuterie board, or a wheel of brie, or a slab of butter, or a jar of jam or a pile of dainty pickles or a container of homemade soup. For the reader, check out her collection of cheeky spoon and fork bookmarks. I have an affinity for this kind of stuff because a long time ago my grandfather made me a ring from the end of an antique fork and I still have it though he died long ago. These kinds of gifts last forever. And speaking of bookmarks…

I love a book-loving brain as much as I love books, so it seems only fitting I round up some of the best local literary gifts to spread joy among the readers in your life.

If none of those suits your needs, can I interest you in … [dramatically whips open trench coat] any of these…

“Introverted but willing to discuss books” is also my brand, especially if you’re willing to discuss The Three Body Problem trilogy. Any of these witty glass jar literary candles from Cord + Iron would be a delightful gift for the book hoarder you tolerate. Also eye-catching for their unique aesthetic are their paint can candles which add an understated flair to candle-burning. All of their soy candles are hand-poured in Beaver using natural soy wax. As a note, I am deeply obsessed with their special edition 1996 candle, $34, featuring a cassette tape label, because, man, was that a good year in my life. Also check out their Showgirl candle, $19.99, for the Swifties on your list.

If you snagged the much-coveted Mister Rogers Aquarium car from Lionel on last year’s Yinzer Gift Guide, then you’re probably going to want to add a few additional boxcars because Lionel has been BUSY on the Fred Rogers front! Available for purchase right now are the new Neighborhood of Make Believe Character Boxcar featuring all of your favorite puppet friends, and the Speedy Delivery Boxcar. You can also preorder the Mister Rogers “Behind the Scenes” boxcar with “Won’t you be my neighbor?” painted on the top, but the way Lionel works, you don’t really know the date that one will ship, so it might not arrive before the holidays. The first two can be tough to find because they’re so new. Here’s a site that has some ready to ship (and I did see some on Amazon). As for the one that’s still on pre-order, you can go here for that one. Also, one of their earlier releases is a boxcar that plays iconic Mister Rogers sounds on a timed loop! Love that! Now I want an entire Lionel train set that is just the Mister Rogers boxcars and I want them to be traveling around a tiny Neighborhood of Make-Believe while being pulled by their engine, Trolley.

I don’t even like chocolate that much, but looking at the Lux website, a Pittsburgh-based chocolatier, I am ready to jump into my screen … clear eyes, face first, mouth open. Gorgeous gift for the chocolate-lover in your life, or as gifts for your employees. You could go quite affordable with a 12-piece set of their mini chocolate squares, $24, or a 6-pack of their stunning bonbons ($18), or go big with one of their customizable gift boxes that include various samples across their line. YOU CAN ALSO CREATE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE BAR BY PICKING THE INGREDIENTS YOU WANT. How cool is that? And yes, they’ve got the Dubai chocolate ($17.95) that everyone is addicted to these days. Me? I prefer inhaling salted caramels ($13.95) until my teeth hurt good and my belly hurt bad. Did I just write a rap?

My closet is mostly stripes and therefore I was immediately drawn to the pattens of these cutting boards. Based out of Amity in Washington County, JRG Kribel Woodworking has a wonderful Etsy shop of functional wood products like cutting boards, charcuterie platters, old fashioned toy peg games, jewelry boxes and more. I’m particularly liking their bread boards for the ability to choose your wood patterns and to include a bowl for olive oil dipping. Select from five wood color options and, if you choose the olive oil option, five bowl patterns. The striped paddle cutting boards (54.99+) come in an even wider variety of woods/stripes! This is the kind of gift you don’t even need to pair with anything to make a statement. Gorgeous and meaningful on their own, but you could always grab a bottle of good olive oil or make a loaf of sourdough (that you learned to make during the pandemic) to pair with these.

Whew. Just looking at that photo collage gives me a peaceful feeling, even if it makes my checking account’s spidey senses tingle all “Oh lawd it coming.” The local jewelry makers have been kicking all the ass this year. Look at these four gorgeous options, two of which are space-themed! These four pieces come from three local makers and any of them would make a lovely gift for your person.

  • Gold Ring Drops earrings by Jenna Vanden Brink, $56. Jenna, who has been on the list before, is a ceramic artist and thus these delicate drops of perfection are made from thin porcelain clay, painted with glossy glaze, and finished with gold luster which is fired onto the surface of the rings. These are a really classic look, so they’re suitable for just about anyone who loves a good hoop earring and who loves to be able to say “they’re locally made” when someone compliments their jewelry.

  • Small Sun and Moon two-sided pendant necklace, $68. This also comes from Jenna and it’s such an inventive idea to put the sun and moon on opposite sides of a necklace pendant, and in such a way that they are understated and classy. There’s a larger version for just $10 more. Go to the item descriptions to read how Jenna creates these tiny works of celestial art.

  • Leo and Lynn Star Double Hoop Illusion Post earrings, $25. These affordable locally made earrings are so whimsical and they give the illusion that the wearer has a double ear piercing even when they don’t. Love that! I would totally wear these. (And my checking account just said, “WE KNOW!”) Check out the rest of their store, which I’ve featured before, as they have very popular customizable hand-stamped necklaces.

  • Three Rivers Porcelain Necklaces by Amy Solomon, $55. Hell. Yes. Look at this minimalist interpretation of our city’s three rivers by local maker Amy Solomon. Each of these handmade necklaces are individually painted and thus will vary slightly from the photos. You can choose to have the rivers outlined with silver or without. I can’t decide which version I like better, but I think I’m leaning toward without. There’s a gold version too, $75.

I stumbled on the Lost Borough at last year’s Handmade Arcade and then immediately shared their shirts in this newsletter. I also told myself they needed to be on the gift guide this year. I particularly love the look of the Winter in Pittsburgh shirt and the historical Hell With the Lid Taken Off shirt. For the public transportation-lover in your life, check out all the tees that feature the old Pittsburgh Railways trolley line numbers that once serviced various local neighborhoods. The shirt descriptions include thoroughly researched info about the neighborhoods and their trolley lines, so be sure to print that out and share it with whomever you gift these baddies.

I love tea towels. I love giving and receiving them as gifts. I love how useful they are. How they are works of art. How they make me laugh and remember the person who gave them to me. The way they look hanging from my stove handle. The way they can be combined with other kitchen-themed gifts or homemade baked goodies. Thus, let me share a few of my new favorites for this year!

* I’m 90% sure the answer to, “But how can we get more cheese into it?” is Psych’s “Fries Quatro Quesos Dos Fritos.”

Figuring out what to put in a stocking has always been a challenge for me, but over the last several years, as my kids have grown (23 and 18! I am old! Exclamation points!!!!) to appreciate things other than candy, Slinkys and fidget spinners, I’ve begun focusing on locally made items for their stockings. Some good ones to grab:

Local leather studio Clark Morelia (on the list last year for their dog leashes and collars) has a whole line of useful, minimalist wallets, but their new full grain vegetable-tanned The Page notebook leather wallet is just a little drop of delight! Perfect for that person who eschews the Notes app in favor of jotting their thoughts, ideas, reminders, spotted birds and random doodles onto actual paper. The great part is that if they want to use the wallet without the notebook at times, it comes right out and they can use the slot for additional cards. It’s like two gifts in one! If you’d like a more affordable gift from this shop, check out their handmade Commuter leather wallet for $45 or their Essentials leather wallet that holds 5-8 cards and is only $35.

Like wines and spirits, sometimes I’m drawn to a coffee simply because I like the branding or the philosophy. Case in point, these locally roasted coffees that are not only very popular, but enjoyable to look at and/or are operating in service to a greater cause. For a bigger gift, pair a bag with the stunning 6-piece Coffeehouse Collection of bar truffles from local Copper Coast Confections because, goodness, are they something!

  • Redhawk Coffee Roasters’ City Drug blend, $21 and up, which is the locally roasted blend they use in their four shops. An added bonus to this local favorite is the King Kong-themed art featuring the Pittsburgh skyline.

  • Redstart Roasters bird-friendly coffees, $12 and up, are locally roasted and available in a variety of internationally sourced beans from places like Peru, Ethiopia, Columbia and more. Their focus is on eco-friendly coffee growers who are committed to protecting birds and their sanctuaries around the world. I love that! This is a great gift for the bird-watcher in your life as they sip their morning bird-friendly coffee while watching their bird feeders for new visitors. Shipping is free to Pittsburgh, but you can also visit their cafe in East Liberty.

  • Artisan Truffle 6-Piece Coffeehouse Collection, $25.95. The six coffee-flavored truffles are Irish Crème, Dark Espresso, Hazelnut, Café Latte, Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel, and Chai Tea. Ugh. I need all of these.

Wall calendars make great gifts for anyone from co-worker to employee to partner to college student. Eschew the boring mass-produced versions in favor of one of these local options:

If you’ve got a White Elephant gift exchange on the calendar for this year, I’ve rounded up a few great local options priced at $25 or less that would be a delightful infusion of humor and/or whimsy for all genders …

  • Blizzard of ‘93 candle by NYOB, $20. If your gift exchange is among those who are old enough to remember that epic life shutdown, then this is the one for you.

  • Pittsburgh Pothole Ornament by CJ7Designs, $15. LOL.

  • Pittsburgh felt magnets by HeartFeltbyJulia, $9 each, so grab two or three.

  • Hilarious prints by Paint by Dumbers, $15 each. Art is a great gift, especially any of the dozens of these laugh-out-loud prints by a local artist. Good luck choosing though; there are way too many awesome options.

  • French Macaron Soap Sampler by HipModernSoap, $25. They look good enough to eat. But don’t.

Last and definitely not least! As you know, I’ve been serving as an independent member of Allegheny Cleanways’ development committee for over a year now. Today is the last day of the preorder period to snag some awesome merch from Commonwealth Press with proceeds benefiting the work of this org that is on the ground and on the rivers regularly cleaning up litter and illegal dumping. As you can see from the shirt design, if all the 50,000-some illegally dumped tires ACW has ever removed from our local environment were to be stacked, they would be taller than freaking Mount Everest. That is sad, but that is also fantastic news because what a difference they’ve made for Pittsburgh. Grab a hat or shirt today for the person in your life who cares about nature, cares about the Earth, and cares that our city’s greenspaces be cleaned of litter. Again, today is the last day to preorder one of these, then you’re kind of screwed.

Telling you that you’re screwed seems like the perfect place to end this year’s gift guide. Before I go, let me hit you with links to a few other options! The tiny pots from LGG Creative Art, hand-turned wood pens and stitch removers from Horner’s Pens, Arnold Palmer umbrella-themed Corkcicle water bottles for the golfer in your life (currently on clearance so grab them now!), and the Studebaker Bessemer cuff, $78. If none of that works, grab a gift box of assorted and themed local gifts from the local Kinship company!

Happy shopping, loves!

Note: An additional challenge this year was excluding AI-generated art. I believe I succeeded; however, if you notice something amiss on the list, please reach out to me.

Read the original on breathingspace.substack.com ↗

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