Thank you to our sponsors for making this holiday gift guide possible.
Here at Seacoast Moms Blog, we hope to inspire you to shop local this holiday season. This year, we chose these businesses based on our readers’ raves and our own team’s personal experiences. We’ve created a locally-curated and mom-approved gift guide specifically sourced for Seacoast-area families, featuring only ONE business from each category. These are truly the brands we love!
Ready for the best part? It’s time for our annual round of 12 Days of Giveaways! Starting December 1st on our Facebook page, you will have the chance to win these amazing items. Be sure to follow along and happy shopping! Hint :: check out our gift idea for each business to see what you can win on their giveaway day!
For the Art and Music Lover :: The Music Hall is a community-supported non-profit performing arts center featuring entertainment from around the corner to around the world. It was recently named Editors’ Choice “Best All-Around Entertainment” by Yankee Magazine. With two theaters in downtown Portsmouth, NH – one, the 1878 Victorian-era Historic Theater, the other the modern and intimate Music Hall Loft – it is an active and vital arts center, dedicated to the cultural life of the Seacoast community. There’s great lineup of shows coming this winter. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas goes through December 17, local comedian and Music Hall fan favorite Juston McKinney returns for two shows Dec 29 and 30, and author Jojo Moyes, the Hot Sardines, and Benjamin Clementine kick off the new year over at the Historic Theater.
Giveaway Day :: December 1st
For the Green Thumb :: Churchill’s is inspirational. Owners David and Diana Kirkpatrick are committed to creating a singular shopping experience with premium plants, outdoor living accents, and eclectic home decor. The friendly, professional staff of horticulturalists, designers and artists offer personal service and advice. With frequent events, demonstrations and seminars – including the popular Green Thumb Kids’ Club events – Churchill’s informs and entertains customers of all ages. Through December 15th, fresh cut trees will be arriving, fully stocked with ornaments and Christmas décor, as well as outdoor containers. Some special events this month include: Bow Making Demonstration – 11/25 at 1 p.m. & 12/2 at 1 p.m.; Gingerbread Cookie Decorating – 12/9 at 11 a.m. & 12/16 at 11 a.m.; and Visit With Santa – 12/10 at 11 a.m. & 12/17 at 11 a.m.
Giveaway Day :: December 2nd
For the Host/Hostess :: Celebrate the holidays with leading specialty food producer, Stonewall Kitchen. Whether you’re looking for themed gifts, stocking stuffers, festive Holiday gifts or you want to customize – we have it all for you. Visit us at PerfectMaineGifts.com for all your holiday shopping needs! Founded in 1991 by partners Jonathan King and Jim Stott, the two established themselves selling jams and jellies at local farmers’ markets, fairs and festivals with their flavorful line of distinctive and high quality food items. Over time, they expanded their product line to include sauces, condiments, mustards and baking mixes. Today, Stonewall Kitchen is known for its innovative product development, beautiful packaging, stunning retail spaces and exceptional customer service.
Giveaway Day :: December 3rd
For the Athlete :: Seacoast Sports Clubs is a full service family of health clubs with five locations on the Seacoast. Each location has a unique personality and feel. Amenities include salt water pools, steam rooms, dry saunas, indoor tennis courts and racquetball, on-site child care, unlimited group fitness classes including Barre, Yoga, Indoor Cycling, Body Pump, Body Combat, Pilates and so much more. The studios offer FREE small group personal training, as well as a variety of paid individual and small group training options. Seacoast Sports Clubs also provide toddler classes, as well as sports conditioning and fitness classes for children of all ages. There really is something for everyone at SSC!
Giveaway Day :: December 4th
For One in Need of Pampering :: Bare Waxing Boutique is THE place for all of your skincare and waxing needs. From lash extensions to Brazilian waxes, deep tissue massage to facials, owner Jillian covers all the bases for the ones in your life that deserve to be pampered. With over a decade in experience and as a mompreneur who loves to be pampered, you are sure to be thrilled with any service performed by Jillian. Not only are the services amazing at BARE, but there is also an upscale retail boutique full of high end candles, skincare and gifts. BARE will also be carrying one of “Oprah’s Favorite Things” this holiday season! Take advantage of the 24/7 online booking to book yourself or a loved one a service and purchase an online gift certificate, available immediately or scheduled to be received as you wish! 24/7 online booking and gift certificates are available directly from the website, Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Giveaway Day :: December 5th
For the Fashionista :: Lively Kids is a boutique for babies, kids and tweens! Owner Kim Lively has curated an incredible array of toys, clothing and shoes perfect for the any kid! From Tea Collection to Hatley to Bogs, you can find the most beautiful gifts for the fashionable little one. With locations in Portsmouth, Newburyport, MA and now Lynnfield, MA, it’s easy to shop local with Lively Kids.
Giveaway Day :: December 6th
For the Adventurer :: Exeter Cycles is a full-service local bike shop, owned and staffed by dedicated cyclists. Their goal is to offer quality products and provide the best service and “shop experience” possible so that customers and friends can have a great cycling experience! Exeter Cycles carries new bicycles from Cannondale and Specialized for all ages and any type of riding experience, such as road, mountain, gravel, touring, and commuting. They also carry a full line of parts, accessories, shoes, and clothing. Staff are happy to special order difficult to find items. The qualified technicians are available to service, repair, and upgrade bikes of all kinds.
Giveaway Day :: December 7th
For the Toy Lover :: As we look to celebrate our 40th anniversary in downtown Portsmouth, we’re introducing a new logo and a renewed commitment to showcasing the best in children’s literature, toys and other playthings! Our roots in the community are deep, having served more than 1 million customers in the last 39 years, as well as serving on local boards and donating countless dollars, toys, books and time to Seacoast non-profits. We still feel privileged to be here at 13 Market Street and to be able to keep our store and our hearts open 7 days a week. As we like to say, we’re “Family Run, Family Fun since 1978”!
Giveaway Day :: December 8th
For the Foodie :: Peace. Love. Burgers. It’s a simple story of boy meets girl, boy meets grill, boy and girl and grill team up to create a quaint little Joint where you can always rely on fresh ingredients and inventive takes on the classic American burger. At its roots on Islington Street in Portsmouth, NH, their idea took shape and took off. Followed, a few short years later, by Lexie’s Newburyport, the brand continued to grow. In 2016, a huge year of expansion for the company, Lexie’s Durham, Lexie’s Exeter, Lexie’s Landing and The Burger Bus entered the scene. Lexie’s continues to hone the recipe for success, along with the ones that got them started, as they continue to expand as a company and learn and adapt to the communities they love to service.
Giveaway Day :: December 9th
For the Inquiring Mind :: This is New Hampshire’s children’s museum, located on the banks of the Cochecho River in Dover. Their one-of-a-kind, hands-on exhibits have been created by the staff and NH artisans for kids and their families. The museum is open year round right in Henry Law Park. The Children’s Museum of NH offers two floors of unique, interactive exhibits for children ages 1-12 and their families. Explore world cultures, under-sea research, brain waves, dinosaurs, music, nature and much more. Expanded location in a waterfront park in Dover includes shop, snack area, outdoor playground and plenty of parking.
Giveaway Day :: December 10th
For the One Who Loves Trying New Things :: Get ready to put your detective skills to work at Portsmouth Escape Room – we’re dedicated to providing the best live adventure game in the area! We’ve created four rooms that each offer a unique scenario, from a missing antiques collector to an alien mystery in Roswell. No matter which one you choose, you’ll have to harness your sleuthing abilities to pick up clues and solve puzzles within an hour in order to escape. Whether you’re looking for a corporate team building event or just having fun with friends, our team is committed to making sure you have an unforgettable experience! The Portsmouth Escape Room is an interactive live adventure game in which players use their intellect and imagination to discover hidden clues and solve puzzles in order to solve a mystery and exit the room. Fun weekend activity for families and friends, or as team building experience with your coworkers during weekdays. Contact us about private events such as family reunions, birthdays or bachelorette parties! We are also a great activity as a corporate team building exercise. Conveniently located minutes from the Portsmouth Circle, we are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and during the week by request.
Giveaway Day :: December 11th
For the Fashion Forward Family :: Drawing on inspiration from around the world, Garnet Hill creates unique apparel and home furnishings that can be described in two words: Beautiful, Naturally.™ Beautiful design and natural fibers are hallmarks of the company, which was founded in 1976 as an importer of English flannel sheets. It has grown into a destination for discerning customers everywhere, and is a multichannel marketer, offering the merchandise it designs and curates for women, kids and home through catalogs and online at www.garnethill.com.
Giveaway Day :: December 12th
