31 Unique Gift Ideas

Discover great made-in-the-West holiday presents for the special people in your life.

Cutting board
Cutting board
Fashioned out of gorgeously marbled maple, it also makes a handsome platter for cheese or charcuterie. $68; redonionwoodworks.etsy.com
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Hot chocolate on a stick
Hot chocolate on a stick
Genius. Just add the single-serving block of rich chocolate to steamed milk, and swirl. From $3.95; theticketkitchen.com
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DIY artisan cheesemaking guide
DIY artisan cheesemaking guide
Artisan Cheesemaking at Home (Ten Speed Press, 2011; $30) is easily the best cheesemaking book on the market-a master class by a seasoned teacher.
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Hanging planter
Hanging planter
Hemp twine adds a bohemian feel to a hand-sculpted hanging pot. $60; twpottery.etsy.com
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Back bacon
Back bacon
British-style back bacon combines the meaty loin and the belly in one savory, succulent, smoky strip that transcends regular bacon. Made by Baker's Bacon in Monterey, California, it's dry-cured, then slowly smoked over applewood. $12; bakersbacon.com
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Candlesticks and beeswax tapers
Candlesticks and beeswax tapers
Instant chic: cream-colored holders (from $25; notaryboutique.com) with beeswax tapers ($8.50/2; bigdipperwaxworks.com).
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Bud vase
Bud vase
A refreshingly modern birch vase comes in white laminate or walnut veneer. From $32; sjotime.com
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Travel journal
Travel journal
A travel notebook made out of reclaimed maps looks great in a stocking. By Contexture Design; $15; branchhome.com
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Papalote salsa
Papalote salsa
It's a roasted tomato salsa that might just be the world's greatest, hitting the trifecta of spicy, salty, and smooth. $6.99; papalotesalsa.com
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Twenty-Four Blackbirds chocolates
Twenty-Four Blackbirds chocolates
Twenty-Four Blackbirds makes slender, beautifully packaged little bars of single-origin chocolate, roasting the cacao beans by hand at their workshop in Santa Barbara, California. The flavor is deep, pure, and amazing. twentyfourblackbirds.wordpress.com
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Linen napkins
Linen napkins
Perfect for everyday use but polished enough for company. $60/set of 10; alderandcoshop.com
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Birdhouse planter
Birdhouse planter
An inspired hybrid of birdhouse and planter, handmade of rot-resistant Western red cedar. $40; kinsmangarden.com
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