While a generic gift card with some cash thrown on it may be the easiest way to shop for the holidays and, believe me, I’ve done it, I do think a well-thought-out present can really leave a lasting impression for years. Since I’m familiar with a whole lot of the great state of Texas, I thought I’d create some ideas you might want to consider as the gift-giving season arrives. Of course, you can also buy these items any time of the year so you might want to bookmark this blog post for the future.
COWBOY BOOTS
Texas flag bootsNocona Boots in Nocona M.L. Leddy Handmade Boots in San Angelo.Nothing says Texas like a pair of cowboy boots. You can certainly go with a less expensive pair for a gift, but if you want to make a big holiday WOW, a custom-made pair would impress just about anybody. Here’s just a small sampling of boot companies in Texas. Check out Lucchese in El Paso, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio; M.L. Leddy’s in Fort Worth and San Angelo; Nocona Boots in Nocona; J.L. Mercer & Son in San Angelo; and Rios of Mercedes in Mercedes.
Hand-Made Gifts
Chicken Farm Art CenterWimberley GlassworksChicken Farm Art CenterChicken Farm Art CenterChicken Farm Art CenterI love handmade gifts. With so many artists, makers, and crafts people out there, finding a beautiful painting, ceramic piece, a piece of hand-made jewelry, metalwork, blown glass, and other items is pretty easy. Choosing the perfect gift is where the hard work starts. A couple of my favorite places to shop for one-of-a-kind pieces is the Chicken Farm Art Center in San Angelo and Wimberley Glassworks in San Marcos.
KITCHEN ACCESSORIES
Texas cast iron skilletTexas dishesWaffle made with a Texas waffle ironTexas cutting boardWhen it comes to the kitchen, I’m doing pretty well in the Texas-shaped item department, which are great gift ideas. From cast iron skillets and waffle makers to cutting boards and baking dishes, if it’s shaped like Texas, you can find it in a lot of places including Texas grocery chain H-E-B and cleanest-bathrooms-in-Texas convenience stores Buc-ee’s. (Cornbread and waffles not included.) 🙂
UNIQUE AND HUMOROUS
Speaking of Buc-ee’s, I LOVE their histerical markers. You may be able to find them somewhere else but I’ve purchased two from them. I’m also not ashamed to say I’ve purchased many a last minute gift at Buc-ee’s and have no doubt that will happen again. We have this one on our shed.
COWBOY HAT
From young to old, loads of folks I know love a cowboy hat. Lots of hats can be ordered on line but I would highly recommend you go into the shop to size the person’s head you want to purchase a hat for, as you want to ensure it fits. A few options are Resistol Hats in Garland, Catalena Hatters in Bryan, JW Brooks Custom Hat Co. in Lipan, Cody’s Hats & Boots in San Angelo, and Texas Hatters in Lockhart. Just a caution to you once somebody is proudly wearing their Texas cowboy hat, their attitude changes a little. In the words of the great Texas singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett in his song Don’t Touch My Hat, “you can have my girl, but don’t touch my hat.”
WILDFLOWER SEEDS
If former FLOTUS Lady Bird Johnson was still alive, she’d definitely recommend you buy wildflower seeds to beautify the lives of your loved ones. Wildseed Farms near Fredericksburg is the best place I’ve found to purchase seeds. After all, they produce them.
T-SHIRTS
Victory or Death from the Alamo Gift Shop in San AntonioFound this beauty after I did exactly what the shirt said at Enchanted Rock near FredericksburgLove Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue in San AngeloI love a great T-shirt and these are a few of my favorites. You can find shirts on many Texas attraction sites or in stores or restaurants across the state.
BOOKS & MAGAZINES
I love books! I’ll read them in print and on my Kindle or even listen to them on audible.com. These are a few of my favorites. Here’s a shout-out to my favorite book store, the Cactus Book Shop in San Angelo. Felton is the store owner and he knows his stuff. If you like books about Texas history, he’s probably got it. Goodbye to a River by John Graves is one of my favorites, as is, Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson. I recently finished Willie and Bobbie Nelson’s Me and Little Sister. GREAT BOOK!
While you can’t buy a branded SUV from Texas Country Reporter, you can purchase items from their on-line store. Fans of TCR will really enjoy a little something to remind them of the adventures of Bob and Kelli Phillips.
TEXAS-MADE MOVIES AND GAMES
I love movies! I still play them on my DVD player in the house and in the RV. I also purchase them online. The photo above shows a few of my favorites. Lots of great movies have been filmed in the Lone Star State. Here’s a list from the Texas Film Commission. If you have gamers to buy for this year, you can also purchase video games made in Texas. Here’s a list of those. So many choices!
DOMINOES
A good set of dominoes is always a great gift idea, especially for a lot of Texans, who grew up playing moon, 42, double six dominoes, and train. I have my grandparent’s dominoes and they’re in great shape so if you buy a good quality set, they can last a lifetime. In this photo, you can see my domino hand when I was playing a game of moon in the lobby of the Holland Hotel in Alpine with my Aunt Ruth and Cousin Wanda. Pretty sure I lost every game.
DID YOU KNOW…
The domino game of 42 was invented in 1887 by Texan William Albert Thomas of Garner when he was 11 years old.
ATTRACTION TICKETS, GIFT CARDS, AND ANNUAL PASSES
Bass Performance Hall in Fort WorthFort Concho in San AngeloSpace Center HoustonFrontier Texas in AbileneLondon Museum in New LondonAmerican Windmill Museum in LubbockGeorge H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum in College StationQuinta Mazatlan World Birding Center in McAllenAmerican Freedom Museum in BullardCharles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site in ClaudeWar Eagle Museum in El PasoSugarland Skeeters Baseball in SugarlandMonahans Sandhills State Park in MonahansSeaWorld San Antonio Big Bend National ParkAmerican Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum in AmarilloMany small museums in Texas offer an annual pass for a relatively small amount of money. Why not purchase one from one of your favorite places and share it with your family and friends so they can enjoy it, too? You can also buy gift cards from State Parks and National Parks, which are great for families to use to purchase park passes and enjoy time together outdoors. Attraction passes, sports tickets, concerts, and theater performances are also nice stocking stuffers.
JEWELRY
While I’m not a big jewelry person, I love my concho pearl from Legend Jewelers in San Angelo. While concho pearls are pretty rare, you can still find them there but they also offer some other Texas-themed jewelry. Or get a special gift of spur clips from San Angelo’s Holland Jewelry, recently celebrating their 100th anniversary. Other great jewelry stores in Texas include James Avery Artisan Jewelry in Kerrville or Kendra Scott in Austin.
WEEKEND GETAWAYS
Renaissance Worthington in Fort WorthLajitas Golf ResortGage Hotel in MarathonSan Luis Resort & Spa in GalvestonHotel Settles in Big SpringHyatt Hill Country Resort near BastropSan Angelo Visitor Center on the Concho RiverwalkIf you know someone who likes to travel and stay in hotels, why not give them a gift certificate for a weekend’s stay somewhere? These are some of my favorite places. Of course, I would encourage you to come for a weekend in San Angelo, since that’s where we live. Who can resist the a walk along the award-winning Concho Riverwalk?
TEXAS MUSIC
Scott Joplin mural in TexarkanaBuddy Holly statue in LubbockBob Wills and the Texas Playboys bus in TurkeyJim Reeves bus in BradyBilly Bobs Texas in Fort WorthSherman Jazz Museum Selena Memorial in Corpus ChristiWillie Nelson bronze in AustinMusic…music…music…from Texas musicians. Of course, you can also buy songs about Texas, too. I support all music and the Lone Star State isn’t lacking in that category. Just check out the Texas Music Office directory of musicians. If you need some inspiration, listen to my Apple Music How Big is Texas playlist that I created for our perimeter tour of the state. Bronzes of Buddy Holly, J.P. “the Big Bopper” Richardson, and Ritchie ValensJanis Joplin car and brozeB.J. ThomasBlind Willie JohnsonTex RitterZZ TopIf I still haven’t convinced you that Texas music is incredible, check out the great musicians who came from southeast Texas at the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur. The Music Hall of Fame showcases history of more than 75 Gulf Coast artists. Once you’ve seen their list, I’m certain you’ll be buying music for family and friends, as well as yourself. The great Janis Joplin alone should inspire you! Of course, she might suggest a Mercedes Benz as a gift.
TEXAS-SHAPED ITEMS AND TEXAS FLAG STUFF
Alamo Business Card Holder and coastersTexas night lightTexas flag shirtsTexas Flag Shirt ornamentTexas mood ringTexas flag rugTexas Heritage SachelPretty much anything you can find with the Texas flag on it or in the shape of Texas will work for most Texans.
SHOP ACROSS TEXAS
Still looking for ideas? Maybe you can find some inspiration at ShopacrossTexas.com and see if that fantastic website might help you along. Photo credit: ShopAcrossTexas.com
MY WISH LIST
This RV is actually only a few inches tall. If I had my Christmas wishes come true, I’d have the real version of a vintage camper that I could use when traveling the great state of Texas to share my How Big is Texas story. For now, I’ll settle for this adorable tiny version.
Hope these gift ideas help you complete your holiday gift giving for your friends and family. If not, stay tuned in a few days for my Texas culinary gift guide!
I’ve worked in the travel industry for more than 25 years and I’ve been known to wander all my life. I’ve lived in more than 20 cities and towns and had the opportunity to experience a variety of people and places, introducing me to different cultures and allowing me to make friends along the way. I also majored in English in college. I don’t claim to be an excellent writer, proofreader, or grammar queen. I’m an amateur photographer and enjoy sharing the beauty of places I visit and and where I live.
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