Chattanooga Is Home

The other day our postman delivered our first gift of the season. It is a present for my son and it is now hidden away where his little hands can’t rip off the plastic wrapping. He’s only two, so he has no real concept of Christmas right now anyway. He just loves the lights on the tree in the living room.

We still have plenty of other presents to get or make for this season and I am hoping that some of the gifts can be from local merchants here in Chattanooga. The idea of promoting the city I love via gifts made and sold here gives me a bit more of the holiday cheer than is probably legal. 

Fortunately, The Pulse, Chattanooga’s Alt Weekly, had a shopping guide a few weeks ago that I have bookmarked and am ready to consult when the shopping mood hits. It is organized by Chattanooga region, which will help make any shopping easier.

Here are a few ideas I’ve gleaned from my recent shopping expeditions:

For the family that is in need of a good time: A membership to the Tennessee Aquarium or Creative Discovery Museum.

For the office “dirty santa” gift exchange: A tee-shirt from The Noog or a gift basket of coffee and tea from Greyfriar’s.

For the gal pal who will always be your best friend: Something fun from Blue Skies, which stocks fun everyday. I recently gave a necklace from Blue Skies as a birthday gift and I had serious thoughts about keeping it for myself.

Guys like gifts too, and if your guy enjoys all the outdoor activites Chattanooga has to offer, why not head over to Chattanooga’s own Rock Creek Outfitters for new backpack or Nalgene bottle?

If you have a history buff or cookie lover (or both!) on your shopping list, then maybe the book MoonPie: Biography of an Out-of-This-World Snack by David Magee would be appropriate.

The opportunities to gift your friends and family with love from Chattanooga are boundless. And this list is just a small jumping off point.

[tags] Chattanooga, shopping, holiday gift guide, Christmas, gifts, Greyfriar’s coffee, Rock Creek Outfitters [/tags]