13 New Orleans-themed gift ideas
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Piety and Desire Chocolate makes beautiful bonbons. Photo: Courtesy of Piety and Desire Chocolate
Christmas and Hanukkah are next week, and we've got ideas to help knock out your gift list with small businesses in New Orleans.
Why it matters: Small businesses are expected to have a tough season amid rising costs and reduced consumer spending, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce forecasts.
The big picture: Consumer spending is expected to be down 40% at small businesses compared with last year, according to a holiday shopping report from Intuit QuickBooks.
- Shoppers say they plan to spend less, partly to compensate for rising grocery prices.
- So make your money count this season at one of New Orleans' retailers. Here are some options to get started.
Consumables
Pralines: Loretta's and Southern Candymakers are solid choices for the city's iconic sweet treat.
Chocolate: Piety and Desire Chocolate makes bite-size pieces of art.
- Laura's Candies and Mr. Apple also have great candy.
Alcohol: Get a bottle of locally made St. Roch Vodka. (More alcohol ideas)
- Add jars of pickled okra, spicy string beans and Zing Zang, and you have a bloody mary gift basket.
- Or go with bitters from El Guapo for a cocktail-themed gift.
Sauces: Be like Beyoncé and have hot sauce in your bag. Crystal and Tabasco are our favorites and are easily found at grocery stores.
- Zatarain's Creole mustard also is a great gift.
Spices: Spice mixes are great gifts, especially if you are flying or want to ship a box. Our kitchen staples are Tony Chachere's and Slap Ya Mama.
Coffee: New Orleans is the country's busiest port for importing and exporting coffee.
- Our go-to local grinds are French Truck and Parish Coffee.
- Café Du Monde, Coast Roast and Congregation Coffee sell branded mugs you can combine with beans for a cheery gift basket.
Chips: Zapp's and CheeWees are our locally grown brands. Double down on New Orleans flair with Juvenile's CheeWees collab.
Other gifts
Folk art: Commission Dr. Bob to make a custom piece or buy one of his famous "Be Nice Or Leave" signs.
- We also love Tamar Taylor's mini shotgun homes and prints from Terrance Osborne and Bare Bones Studio.
T-shirts: Sure, you can buy a cheesy T-shirt in the French Quarter. Or, you could step up your game and get one that reps a beloved venue like Parkway Bakery, Central Grocery and Hansen's Sno-Bliz.
- Dirty Coast, Fleurty Girl and Defend New Orleans can get you fixed up.
Jewelry: Mignon Faget is the longtime favorite for upscale New Orleans jewelry.
- You also can gift a jewelry-making workshop at The Bead Shop.
Accessories: Get a head start on Mardi Gras with a glitter assortment from NOLA Craft Culture and headpieces from She Comes in Peace.
- Consider a fancy parasol from Bella Umbrella.
Home items: Snag a King Gator flag from Alexa Pulitzer or beautiful Mardi Gras flowers from Miette.
- The Good Shop has candles, tea towels and pottery.
Christmas ornaments: Merry Christmas & All That Jazz sells ornaments all year in the French Market.
- Home Malone and Dirty Coast have great seasonal selections of New Orleans-themed ornaments.
- Make your own Venetian glass ornament at New Orleans Glassworks.
Go deeper: Our favorite New Orleans gift shops