Gift Guide: Local and artisan-made treasures infuse meaning into your gift-giving

Things made by hand have soul. Crafted from imagination and born from hard work and passion, gifts purchased from our talented Southern California neighbors sustain a cycle of joy and creativity.

Check out our curated list of beautiful things for art lovers everywhere (but especially Southern California!), then scout for discoveries of your own at artisanal holiday events. Some to put on your calendars:

• Craft Contemporary Makers Market in Los Angeles (Dec. 5-7).
• The Green & Bisque Clayhouse Holiday Market in Pasadena (Nov. 29-30).
• The Patchwork Show (Long Beach, Nov. 29; Santa Ana, Dec. 6, Tustin, Dec. 7).
• The Winter Fantasy event at the Sawdust Art Festival in Laguna Beach from mid-November to December). 
• The Jackalope Winter Arts Festival in downtown Burbank (Dec. 13 - 14).

Double dipped mug ($90)

Striking and accessibly priced.

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Museum Associates

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LACMA

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Echo Park Pottery Double Dipped mugs at the LACMAStore.org are designed by fine art ceramicist and sculptor Peter Shire and made by artisan residents of the Echo Park neighborhood. Founded in 1972, the collection is crafted to be more accessibly priced than Shire’s gallery work and celebrates the place where he grew up.

Bad Bunny planter ($38)

Your giftee will definitely want to take mas fotos of this bad (Bunny) boy.

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Latinx With Plants

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Handmade in Los Angeles, the six-inch Bad Bunny Terracotta Pot with Saucer by LatinX With Plants hits all the right notes for music lovers, plant parents and Super Bowl fans alike. Game on!

Trio of candles ($58)

California-inspired scents that also support a nonprofit.

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Here And Always

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Hand poured in East Los Angeles by Here And Always in collaboration with Ely Valdivia of Earthy Corazon, The Discovery Set trio from the Purpose Candle Collection includes Chamomile Canyon, Juniper Jade and Mezcal Moon. Each of the three distinctive scents are inspired by the native landscape and canyons of Southern California. Profits from the set are donated to community partners including Make Good Inc., a Los Angeles nonprofit serving foster youth and vulnerable children.

Quatrefoil ring ($2,860)

A striking design.

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J. Hannah

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The four-clover motif known as a quatrefoil was a prominent feature of Gothic and Renaissance architecture and believed to symbolize good luck and fortune. The Quatrefoil Ring by J. Hannah in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art is inspired by the artwork and aesthetics of that period and features a ridged band of recycled gold (sourced from a network of antique dealers) and an ethically-sourced sapphire signet. As an alternative, the ring can also be made with a flat signet face for personalized engraving.

Limited edition nail polish ($22)

Los Angeles creative J.Hannah partnered with the Hammer Museum and Made in L.A. 2025 artist Kristy Luck to create a limited edition collection of nail polishes inspired by Luck’s work.

For that someone who wants to get artistic with their mani-pedi.

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J. Hannah for Hammer

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Halation, a shimmery, icy pink takes cues from Luck’s painting, Untitled, 2025.

Looking for extra credit in the gifting department? Take your friend and their fabulous fingernails to the Hammer Museum to see the painting that inspired the color in person. Admission is free, and spending time together is the best gift of all!

Made in L.A. 2025 (now through March 1) — which includes the painting, Untitled, 2025 by Luck — is a biennial exhibition at the Hammer designed to shine a light on artists working across the greater Los Angeles area.

Ceramic wall sculpture ($480)

Everyone loves handmade art.

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Carrie Lau From O-M Ceramics

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The colorful, creative work of artist Carrie Lau at O-M Ceramics is inspired by the interaction between materials, shapes and colors.

Wonder, a handmade ceramic wall sculpture made at her Los Angeles studio is a perfect example.

Tied up with a bow ($195)

An elegant vase and conversation starter.

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Carrie Lau From O-M Ceramics

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Pretty pearlescent vases adorned with hand sculpted bows are the handiwork of Los Angeles artist Carrie Lau at O-M Studio. Each conical Bow vase in opal glaze is one of a kind.

Lathe-turned wood bowls (from $50)

These elegant bowls are constructed from single pieces of wood.

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Courtesy of Craft Contemporary

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Architect-turned-artisan Ena Dubnoff creates each of her lathe-turned artworks from a single piece of wood. The Santa Monica-based woodworker allows the inherent characteristics of the natural color, grain and organic beauty to speak for themselves in modern heirlooms such as the Golden Carob Bowl ($216), Tiny Maple Cup ($50) and Small Diagonal Maple Bowl ($80) at Craft Contemporary.

Lapis bracelet ($169)

Handmade in Hollywood.

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Valerie Birkel

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Handmade in Hollywood with a lifetime guarantee, the men’s Heishi Wrap bracelet in blue Lapis with a stainless steel clasp was designed by artist Jannik Olander for Nialaya, the company he named after the Indian Shaman who inspired him to change his life.

Made of semiprecious stones designed to inspire spiritual healing, the bracelet is also purified with cleansing sage.

2026 local landmark calendar ($24)

Delight your giftees year-round with a calendar that reminds them of the unique side of L.A.

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Courtesy of Craft Contemporary

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IYKYK. For 2026, the 40th fabulous edition of Nib Geebles Unknown Landmark calendar will feature the small businesses and places that give the City of Angels its inimitable character.

Created by local artists Gordon Henderson and Abira Ali, this year’s 12-month calendar is available at Craft Contemporary and pays homage to everyday L.A. Look for the OK Chinese Restaurant in Highland Park, and Taco Azteca Original in Glendale among its pages.