I usually order a ton of stuff from a site called Homage. It has the softest t-shirts - and originally just sold shirts with Ohio teams, which is how I found them, of course. Since that beginning on High Street in Columbus, they have expanded. They have storefronts and shirts from pro and sports teams across the country. I check lots of folks off my list with this one stop each year. I went online on December 5 to order, and when I checked out, it said there was no guarantee of a delivery in time for Christmas. I couldn’t even pick a quicker shipping option and get it guaranteed. Ugh, I thought. Then I thought, wow - this is going to be a common problem, and people in Alexandria are just going to be stuck shopping with me!

In all seriousness, though, if you still have folks on your list whose present you have not yet bought, going local, not online, is the way to go. And Old Town has everything you need this holiday season - I think it is one of the few spots where local retailers have thrived during the pandemic. I know the big box stores seem to disappear daily, but when it comes to us local shopkeepers, we are here to stay! Thanks to some feisty store owners that wouldn’t quit and loyal customers like all the Stylebook readers, we have our shelves stocked for the holidays. Well, as stocked as we could get them.

So, if you are a last-minute shopper like me, we have plenty of great gifts for all different folks. I shared my family’s holiday picks earlier this month, but I thought I would share my go-to gifts this season. They really are the items that, when people come in and don’t know what to get, I feel confident recommending.

Your gift recipients are sure to love these as much as mine do!