This year, for the holidays, we’re making a list of places to buy our gifts, and checking it twice. Because businesses like Amazon, Walmart, and Target have been more naughty than nice.
Target and Walmart quickly rolled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the beginning of the year, jumping ship after President Donald Trump’s hasty “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing” executive order. Amazon was one of 37 companies to donate to Trump’s White House ballroom project; its CEO, Jeff Bezos, has been wreaking some havoc at his newspaper.
And Sephora is on thin ice for its ad with Mariah Carey, which sparked backlash to perceived flippancy over elf-worker protections.
So, instead of putting more money in billionaires’ pockets, we’re shifting our patronage to our fellow Texans’ small businesses.
For the Fashionistas
We all have that Texan in our lives who walks into a room and turns everyone’s head. If you’re having trouble finding them a gift, let us point you to Ozzirys Boutique in Houston’s Eastwood neighborhood. The shop is owned by 22-year-old Margery Ozzirys Benitez, a Latina chingona. Her store has the cutest clothes, perfect for the upcoming holidays, and “cositas bonitas” to liven up your desk and work bag situation.
Ozzirys’ inventory is available online, so if you can’t get to H-Town, you can still get this cow-print dress (I mean, how much more Texas can we get?!) for the Texan in your life who is in need of a fit for rodeo season.
If you’re shopping for an accessories girlie, try their adorable Brigitte espresso-colored woven microsized vegan leather bag.
Oh, and if you like Benitez’s vibe, check out her second business — a pop-up bakery that sells tres leches cakes, croissants, cookies, and other sweets.
Moving right along to gifts for the theys and thems in our lives. We know Texas can be a hellscape for our queer friends, but the LGBTQIA+ community is big and bright, you can’t dim their shine.
The Little Gay Shop in Austin is a must-shop for those needing more sparkle in their lives. It’s owned by married couple Justin Galicz and Kirt Reynolds, and they’ve made it a point to dedicate their business to queer culture and artists. The shop started in a shipping container and expanded to a larger store on 12th Street in 2023.
The couple shared their previous life in New York surrounded by queer culture, and “were a bit surprised at the lack of dedicated queer space outside of the nightlife scene,” Galicz and Reynolds told The Barbed Wire.
This shirt from The Little Gay Shop is great for your queer bestie, or anyone looking to show their support for the community in a Texan-esque fashion.
For the plant parents in your life, look no further than this chic, two-tone oatmeal brown corduroy hat embroidered with “WYP.”
Water Your Plants, owned by married couple Tamuka and Jazmine Simango, is aimed at making intentional spaces for people to connect and build community.
“We started off making shirts that said ‘Water Your Plants’ to serve as a reminder that the relationship you have with yourself and others is similar to plants,” Tamuka told The Barbed Wire. “When you nurture, cultivate, and water your plants they flourish — and we want that for people.”
The couple both still work in the tech industry and work on Water Your Plants outside of their 9-to-5. Applying the business skills picked up from their corporate roles, they wanted to “put that into something more personally meaningful and connected to a larger community.”
They host plenty of community events in downtown Austin and have a select few in Houston to bring people together for meaningful, genuine connections.
HBCU grads stand up!
DC Apparel by Donecia’s Crafts is owned by Tuskegee and Prairie View A&M University Alum Donecia Abate. Abate always had a passion for the arts and fashion, which led her to making game-day shirts.
The wife, mom, and CEO was working out of a little room in her house, and as she got licenses to legally produce apparel for seven HBCUs. There are 107 HBCUs in the U.S., and Abate now has licenses for 15 of them, including Houston Tillotson in Austin, Texas Southern in Houston, Prairie View A&M in Prairie View, and some Louisiana schools, like Southern in Baton Rouge and Xavier University in New Orleans, and of course, Abate’s alma mater, Tuskegee University in Alabama.
Abate’s brick-and-mortar location opened outside of Houston in July. She said on Instagram, “it’s more than a store. It’s a love letter to HBCUs. A tribute to legacy. A celebration of BLACK CULTURE. And a reminder that we really can do anything.”
For the Booklovers
Kris Owens opened the Feisty Collective in 2024 in Houston to bring the LGBTQ+ community together to share and sell their art.
Owens told ABC, “That’s important to us as a community to try and help one another out but also create a space where queer artists and makers can thrive.”
The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish, written by Lil Miss Hot Mess and sold at the Feisty Collective, encourages audiences, young or old, to be themselves, loud and proud.
Shopping for a Beyoncé stan who can’t put down a good book?.
RodeoDivaDio, a self-described Trans TexMex artist based in Texas, has an online shop selling discography-themed placeholders.
The Renaissance bookmark is technicolor and encapsulates the ballroom vibe Beyoncé paid homage to with her 2022 Renaissance album. Queen B is front and center, in all her silver glory. For extra flair, there’s a dangling disco ball.
The Cowboy Carter bookmark depicts Beyoncé’s Southern American roots, showing off her rodeo fashion.
Not a Beyoncé super fan? No worries, we don’t judge. RodeoDivaDio has prints, keychains, and stickers with political commentary to support trans Texans.
For the Homebody
This candle is a dream come true for anyone who wants to lie in a field of our beautiful blue state flower, the Texas Bluebonnet. The best part? You can smell the flowers, and you won’t get eaten by bugs.
Clay House Candles is based in Austin, where they make small batches of handmade candles. All of their products are entirely vegan, according to the company’s website. The owner, Tai Clay, started Clay House Candles after losing her pastry chef job during the pandemic. She moved to Texas and began candle-making as a temporary project, but it eventually became her full-time business.
Texas Bluebonnet Container Candle from Clay House Candles
Are you traveling for the holiday season? Or maybe just sitting somewhere in Texas traffic? Let’s take a deep breath together, and let us introduce you to the car diffusers from Peace of You Aromatics.
The car diffusers are tiny and aesthetically pleasing scent boosters that can hang from your rearview mirror. Pumpkin spice is a holiday-limited edition scent and essential for those who can’t wait for the temperature to finally drop. Other scents are Cranberry Radiance, Safe Space, The Awakening, Vanilla Dream, and Beach House. If you can’t tell, the common theme is peace and serenity, which we can all use as we drive these Texas roads.
Peace of You Aromatics was founded by Brittany Young in 2023. Young describes her business as a “sensory journey” while also “fostering wellness and mindfulness.” Young has a degree in health care management and has worked as a purpose and wellness life coach. After starting candle making as a hobby, she noticed the positive impact her candles had on her mental health and wanted to help do the same for others.
Let’s be honest, after these past few years, anyone living in Texas needs some whimsical aromatic magic in their morning commute.
Car Diffusers from Peace of You Aromatics
Matcha lovers, this one is for you! This Deep Sea Matcha Bowl from We Are 1976 is what’s missing from your life.
This matcha bowl is painted in the calmest blue and seafoam green, which the artist said is meant to mimic the colors of the ocean, hence the name. Handcrafted by Iguchi Kiln in Kyoto, using traditional Kyo (Kiyomizu) techniques, this pick not only supports a small Texas business but also the authentic practices of Japanese pottery.
We Are 1976 is a family-owned Asian-American gallery boutique founded by Vynsie, Jully, and Derek Law in 2009. Vynsie and Derek are brother and sister, and Jully is formerly married to Derek. This boutique is a one-stop shop for cards of all occasions, stationery, home decor, jewelry, and other trinkets.
We Are 1976 is also a creative hub in the heart of Dallas’s historic Bishop Arts District, “dedicated to showcasing and supporting independent artists, designers, and exceptional craftsmanship,” according to the company’s website. Luckily, for non-Dallas natives, their shop is available online.
Deep Sea Matcha Bowl | Iguchi Kiln (Kyo/Kiyomizu Ware, Japan) from We Are 1976
If you’re like us and your eyes aren’t fully open until that first sip of caffeine, you need this gorgeous mug. Hot or iced, caffeinated or not, these 1978 Vandor heart handle mugs from Very Cherry Vintage are the perfect whimsical touch to your morning routine. And if the temperature drops, this is even the perfect vessel for hot chocolate and mini marshmallows.
These vintage porcelain heart handle coffee mugs are in excellent condition, but for dishwasher users, don’t stick on the top rack; these are hand-wash only. With a red rim on the cup and a cherry-red heart handle, these transport you back to the vibrant 70s. Even if you weren’t born yet, you can enjoy the 70s glamour with these mugs.
Founded in 2022, this Austin-based vintage shop is funky, maximalist, meets vintage. Ashley Martin is the creative designer and vintage curator of the secondhand shop “for lovers of the weird and whimsical,” Martin wrote on Instagram. Very Cherry Vintage is curated with love and an eye for pieces to sparkle up your home. When scrolling through their website, it’s apparent. If you’re on a budget, we recommend clicking the link directly, or you may find your cart full of more items than the vintage mugs.
You can shop from Very Cherry Vintage online or in person at the Lady Collective or Potluck Vintage on South Lamar.
1978 Vandor Heart Handle Mugs from Very Cherry Vintage
We hope these gifts resonated with all Texans in one way or another. Cheers to shopping small!
