2024 Vermont Holiday Gift Guide (2024)

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You heartily endorse your new college grad's decision to delay getting a real-world job and spend a year working and exploring in New Zealand. A Happy Vermont T-shirt is sure to spark conversation and flush out fellow expats. Chances are everyone she meets will have heard of Ben & Jerry's, but they can learn more about the Green Mountain State by listening to the podcast that inspired the shirt, Erica Houskeeper's "Happy Vermont." $25 at happyvermont.com.

Book clubs are a great way to catch up with friends, share appetizers and, maybe, discuss a book! A smart, sturdy Red Wagon Plants canvas tote bag is ideal for carrying books and a bottle of wine. Wrap it up for your club's Yankee gift swap. To inspire some tasty apps for the next meeting, tuck in a collection of the nursery's salts and vinegars packed with Vermont-grown herbs. $24 and $60, respectively, at redwagonplants.com.

After everyone has kicked off their shoes and gotten cozy, your husband draws the short straw for the last dog walk of the night. He slips into Crocs — so basic! — and heads out into the cold. Keep him toasty and stylish with the Elmore Hi, the high-top laceless leather sneakers from Queen City Footwear. Founder Matt Renna wore his all winter last year. $240-260 at queencityfootwear.com and the factory store in Williston.

The high schooler in your life revels in new freedoms but struggles with organization. A bright leather phone pouch big enough to hold her student ID, new driver's license and debit card will be easy to spot in her backpack and double as a practical accessory when she's out with friends. Pick one or mix and match vibrant colors to design your own. Partial proceeds benefit Amirah, a nonprofit that helps women leave the commercial sex trade. $65 at Ma & Pembum in Hinesburg.

Your foreign exchange student will always be part of your family. Keep Vermont in his heart — and in his hand — with a key fob from Vermont Flannel. Easy to ship, its one-inch-wide flannel loop and brass hardware allow him to slip his keys over his wrist or clip them onto a backpack, adding a pop of plaid charm to his next adventure. $14.80 at Vermont Flannel in Burlington, East Barre, Ferrisburgh, Johnson, Manchester, Waterbury and Woodstock.

Your well-traveled aunt likely knows that scarabs were among the most popular amulets in ancient Egypt, and she'll love an exotic Siamese fighting beetle ring. To create it, Vermont artist Stacy Hopkins made a mold from an actual beetle, then used a lost wax process to cast it as an adornment imbued with the powers of transformation, renewal, vitality and protection. $275 at stacy-hopkins-design.com and Scavenger Gallery in White River Junction.

The best thank-you note one Seven Days staffer ever received came from her godchild: "Thank you for the hat. I look cute in it." If you've got the godchild, this is the hat: the Grand Isle Fair Isle from Vermont Knitting Company. $44 at VermontKnittingCo on Etsy (pick your own colors!) and Golden Hour in Winooski; $46 at Common Deer in Burlington.

Move over, Simone Biles: Your grandma is the real G.O.A.T., and she deserves an equally goat-y box of treats. Townshend's Big Picture Farm has won medals of its own for its sea salt-vanilla goat milk caramels, and the new golden milk flavor is just as sweet. The You Are the G.O.A.T. box — filled with 11 creamy caramels — is decorated with co-owner Louisa Conrad's illustrations of the farm's favorite faces. $13 at bigpicturefarm.com.

It may be a cliché, but you've borrowed more than a cup of sugar from your neighbors over the years. Pay them back with interest with a hand-painted bottle of honey from artist Carolina Ellenbogen's "Bloom Series." The local honey from Boorn Brook Farm was harvested in spring, inspiring Ellenbogen's delicate, whimsical flowers and honeybees. $15-50 at Ellenbogen Gallery + Shop in Manchester.

Your mom always says, "An apple pie without the cheese is like a hug without the squeeze." In Vermont, it's the law: Sec. 1. 1 V.S.A. § 512, to be exact, which requires a "good faith effort" to serve the official state pie with a slice of cheddar cheese (or a glass of milk or scoop of vanilla ice cream, if you prefer). Remind her that you always follow the rules with Cabot Creamery's Pie Law T-shirt — and maybe bring dessert, too. $23 at cabotcreamery.com.

Make holiday breakfast a no-brainer with a Burlington hot spot's most hyped menu item, now available in the comfort of your own home. The Café HOT.'s "no-kill" Chicken-Fried Egg Fingers are a "killer chicken experience without the chicken," as the package says — a new version of the classic "which came first" query to ponder with the fam, post-presents. $9.99 at City Market, Onion River Co-op and Always Full Asian Market in Burlington.

Your partner always keeps the Little Free Pantry on your street stocked. Support their efforts to feed those in need with a donation to Aunt Dot's Place in Essex, a community food shelf that's been working since 2017 to make sure everyone in Essex, Essex Junction, Jericho, Underhill and Westford has access to nutritious food — in a safe and welcoming space. Donate at auntdotsplace.com

Last year, your wife pointedly shared the viral "mom's empty stocking" video with you. Take the hint. Made in Morrisville, a jar of Wolfpeach's Mermaid Dust will anchor her full stocking, and it'll make snacks and cocktails fun for both of you. The pretty pink blend combines Egyptian rose petals, Zack Woods Herb Farm calendula, Smithereen Farm wild dulse, Atlantic seaweed and Celtic sea salt; it's sure to have her singing like the Little Mermaid. $16-30 at wolfpeachvt.com.

Last time you asked your brother about his sourdough starter, Frodough Baggins, he said, "That's so 2020." Give him 125 reasons to re-embrace his inner breadhead with the Big Book of Bread, a 464-page tome from the pros at King Arthur Baking. Recipes for focaccia, stollen, classic miche and more are geared toward novice and expert bakers alike; the temptation of a naturally leavened cinnamon swirl will end his sourdough slump. $45 at the Norwich Bookstore and other local booksellers.

Election season took a toll on many people, including your mom. Help her find a daily moment of zen with a deck of Nature Mandala Meditation Cards. Central Vermont artist Michelle Wallace arranges petals, twigs and leaves in soothing symmetrical patterns, then pairs them with words to channel contemplation. $19 at naturemandala.com; also available at local retailers such as Vermont's Own in Middlebury.

History class makes your middle-school niece snore; she's more likely to absorb facts about Prohibition by dancing the Charleston and waving her jazz hands. Take her to The Great Gatsby Ballet for a study session on the roaring twenties. The lavish sets and stunning costumes will make a memorable impression, no note-taking required. Tuesday, May 13, 7 p.m., at Lebanon Opera House in N.H., $45-95, lebanonoperahouse.org. Wednesday, May 14, 7 p.m., at the Flynn in Burlington, $42.25-101.25, flynnvt.org.

Your quirky, pink-haired bestie adores contemporary art but lives in a tiny apartment and doesn't have the budget to jet to a Biennale. This year's gift, an original painting by a local artist, proves that good things come in small packages. Sean Crossett of Behemoth Artworks paints 3-by-3-inch portraits of underappreciated Vermont wildlife: possums, turkey vultures, bats and, um, T. rexes. $35 at BehemothArtworks on Etsy.

Your mother-in-law has a great eye for color, loves nature and needs a new hobby. Her friends paint watercolors, so start her out with the Birds Watercolor Workbook, which offers clear instructions and simple sketches for painting 10 vibrant backyard birds. Purchase paints and brushes separately. $22 at Addison West in Middlebury and Waitsfield.

Whether it's her perfectly letterpressed birthday cards or coordinated desk accessories that add a pop of color to the office, your coworker oozes creativity. Show her that game recognizes game: Get her a gift card to Beenanza design studio in Burlington. She can use it for anything from private printing lessons to a block-printing kit for stamping her adorable mark on fabrics, cards or the office fridge. From $25 at beenanzadesign.com.

Always a tinkerer, your dad has a barn full of springs and screws. You're a little worried, though, about leaving him alone with his table saw. A membership to Spark, the coworking and makerspace at Rural Arts Collaborative in Greensboro, will allow him to play with laser cutters, 3D printers and a community of like-minded creatives. Bonus: Revenue supports local arts programs. $60 per month or for a five-visit punch pass at ruralartsvt.org.

Cards Against Humanity is getting old. Introduce your game-night pals to Gravitas, a stacking game inspired by trailside cairns. Each player receives six rocks and rolls a die to determine which one they must place without the pile collapsing. Equal parts strategy, dexterity and luck, the game is great for two to six players. Each set is made by hand in Vermont; no two are alike. $129 at gravitasrocks.com.

Drinking beer while walking is good for your heart — the walking part, anyway. This year for his Secret Santa gift, get your craft brew-loving coworker something he'll definitely tap: a copy of Beer Hiking New England by Carey Kish, which highlights 50 treks near breweriesand brewpubs. $24.99 at Crow Bookshop in Burlington and other local booksellers.

"Helmet head" might be a disparaging term for flattened hair, but in Vermont it means you're smart enough to protect your cranium from unexpected falls on the slopes. For the wise woman in your life who always dons her headgear but also wants to be warm and chic, get her an OG Faux Fur Mountain HoodE from Overeasy Apparel in Middlebury. She can shred in style with this helmet-compatible hood. $75 at overeasy.co.

Meadowscaping may be seem trendy, but it's a gift to beleaguered pollinators. Treat your eco-minded aunt and uncle to a supply of Northeast Pollinator Wildflower Seed Mix from American Meadows in Shelburne. Nectar-rich blooms support the diversity of bees, butterflies and hummingbirds vital to the ecosystem — and lend the yard a maintenance-free pop of color. $14.95 per quarter pound at americanmeadows.com.

Wearing droopy socks to ski or snowboard is like drinking tepid cocoa: What's the point? Your flatlander cousin may think gifting socks for the holidays is a Scrooge move, but he's never donned a pair of High Fives over-the-calf midweight ski and snowboard socks from Darn Tough in Northfield. He'll get unsurpassed cushioning on the slopes, plus 5 percent of all sales supports the High Fives Foundation to help disabled athletes and veterans get back to enjoying the activities they love. $29 at darntough.com.

It doesn't feel like winter until you lace up your skates and glide with your gal. Bring your sweetie to a Glow Skate Party at the Spruce Peak Ice Rink in Stowe. Disco down on January 18 for '70s Night or don your headband and leg warmers for '80s Night on February 15 or 22. The skating is free, weather permitting; skate rentals are $28 from Stowe Mountain Resort's Adventure Center.

Chopping wood warms you twice: once while you cut and stack it and again when you burn it. Still, no need for Gramps to start that process with cold hands — and no, you can't stop him from stocking his own woodpile. Get him a pair of goat leather Chopper's Mitts from Vermont Glove in Randolph, which has been hand-sewing leather gloves in the Green Mountains since 1920 — roughly the year he was born. $95-115 at vermontglove.com.

Your folks live and breathe Vermont's great outdoors. They got married at Kingsland Bay State Park, paddle to Burton Island every summer to camp, kiteboard off Sand Bar State Park and take their holiday photos atop Mount Philo. Give them something that commemorates their wild adventures and supports the natural places they love: a Vermont State Parks 100th Anniversary Passport and 100th Anniversary Patch. $4.72 and $4.99, respectively, at vtstateparks-visit.com.

Every New Year's Eve, your BFF and her partner throw the party of the year — an all-out, open-door, everybody's-welcome rager. This year, instead of adding yet another bottle of wine to the host gift pile, bring them a set of In Unison twisted tapers, handmade in Waterbury Center. After the cleanup is complete, they can enjoy a quiet candlelit moment to mark the turn of the year. $26 at goldenhillcandles.com.

You and your sister have spent such happy times at the rustic camp in the woods that's been in your family for generations. From mosquito-filled summer evenings to huddling around a fire on frosty winter nights, that little log house holds so many unforgettable memories. This Cabin in the Snow hooked wool pillow will remind her of how special the spot — and your bond — is to you, too. $35.99 at JK Adams in Dorset.

In April, you and your next-door neighbor shared a magic moment, witnessing the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse in your backyards, staring up at the sky wearing those nerd-chic glasses. Mark the celestial affair with an eclipse snow globe from CoolSnowGlobes in Windsor. It will remind him daily of the wonder of the world — and the everyday blessing of good neighbors. $60 at coolsnowglobes.com.

Ask any educator and they'll tell you they don't need any more pens, ornaments or coffee mugs — ever. The leader of your son's afterschool nature program will be charmed by a Little Tree Terrarium Kit from Green Mountain Moss in Pownal. The DIY set has everything she needs to create her own magical mini scene of environmental loveliness. $29.99 at greenmountainmoss.co.

As politics goes, your office is ... colorful. Yet you can all agree on loving the Green Mountain State. For this year's Yankee swap, pick up a wooden Vermont ornament by Waitsfield artist Katie Babic. With a pattern printed and cut from native hardwoods, it's a gift to bridge divides. Add a Vermont solidarity sticker to support the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund — another reminder that we're all in this together. $25-28 and $10, respectively, at katiebabicdesigns.com.

Your godmother is loving her third act. She plopped a sweet little shed in her backyard and spends hours filling it with artwork — her own watercolors and pottery, as well as the work of others. Add a geodesic lantern from Ripton artist Winslow Colwell. Made from painstakingly cut and folded paper, it emits a soft light that will inspire her every time she looks at it. $99 at WinslowColwell on Etsy.

Mom would like you to visit more often. Make good on your New Year's resolution to do so with a winter tulip subscription from Diddle & Zen in Vergennes. Hand-delivering a bouquet to her each week — and maybe staying for a brief chat? — will brighten her midwinter days. $100 for four weeks or $200 for eight weeks at diddleandzen.com.

Inspire hours of imaginative play with a gift membership to Wonderfeet Kids' Museum for your favorite Rutland County family. Young ones will love exploring the interactive recycling truck, 13-foot-tall robot and farmers market stand. Parents will appreciate that the recently expanded nonprofit provides so much creative stimulation — and that they don't have to pick up the toys. $125 for four family members at Wonderfeet Kids' Museum in Rutland.

Your city friend's kiddo can't stop talking about his visit to Vermont this summer, when he saw "an actual watermelon" growing on a vine at your CSA farm pickup. The Watermelon Story, written by former Vermont farmer Georgiana de Rham with charming illustrations by Carolyn Dreyer, will help him understand all it takes to coax such sweetness from the soil. $12.99 at the Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne and other local booksellers.

Her birthday party featured a hunt for buried treasure, and her Halloween costume boasted a stuffed parrot and an eye patch. Your granddaughter — aka Calypso Callie — will be as tickled as a sea tortoise by the catchy shanties on Everyone on Board, written and performed with verve by Vermont's own musical buccaneer, Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate. $9.95 at shop.smuggs.com.

For your tween niece, who knows every word of The Sound of Music and still treasures her stuffed animal collection, what could be more perfect than a plush singing goat that channels Julie Andrews with every yodel of "The Lonely Goatherd"? $29 at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe.

The Japanese art of paper folding dates back centuries; its enduring draw may be matched only by children's love of animals. Go old-school with a sweet, crafty origami animal kit, sure to be appreciated by your young neighbors. They'll revel in the origami papers, some preprinted and some with ample space for creative decoration with the included stickers. $6.99 from the Tinkering Turtle in Burlington.

Remember the awe of experiencing the path of totality in Vermont? Keep that eclipse magic going with a Dear Universe wooden play set for the kid who's since memorized all the planet names and knows that Pluto is actually a dwarf planet. $57 at Wild Kind Toys in Rutland.

Nothing ruins a snow day quicker than cold and wet seeping through your kid's snowsuit that's not as waterproof or wind-resistant as advertised. Hint to your in-laws that little Rosie could get a real jump on becoming the next Mikaela Shiffrin if they invest in the kids' Vista insulated snowsuit from Williston's Hootie Hoo. The woman-founded startup specializes in high-quality, sustainably sourced outdoor gear for kids. $220 from hootiehoo.com.

Always the activists, your leftie in-laws have had a nonstop year of door-knocking and rally-going — and the work doesn’t stop now that Election Day has passed. To help them keep up their spirits as they move toward change, gift them Mood Nectar, a cheering blend of aromatic herbs that can be added to a morning smoothie or glass of water. A key ingredient is local lemon balm, aka “the gladdening herb” — the nickname says it all. $25-42 at Alkame Co in Burlington.

After a hard-core day on the slopes, your ski-patrolling papa needs to both warm up and chill out. Sounds contradictory, but Zen CBD-infused bath salts make for a singularly relaxing soak. Crafted locally with organic Vermont hemp extract and calming essential oils — including clary sage, palo santo and frankincense — the blend is sure to take tub time up several notches. $12-32 at Three Buds Apothecary in Waitsfield.

Bath & Body Works’ pink grapefruit line was the scent of your 2000s teenagehood. But your ninth-grade niece deserves an upgrade to the irresistibly zesty aroma. Enter: Wiggly Goat Farm’s Pink Grapefruit Goat Milk Body Lotion. Made in a farmhouse kitchen in Panton, it boasts lively notes of sweet and tart citrus, not to mention the skin-soothing benefits of goat milk. Smells like teen spirit! $9-29 at wigglygoatfarm.com.

Your farmer husband knows everything that goes into working the land and raising animals. So, more than most people, he’ll appreciate the craft and intention in Dorset Daughters’ Almond Blossom Bar Soap, made with milk from grass-fed Mettowee Valley Jersey cows, spring water from Gilbert Brook, Vermont honey and oats. Plus, you’ll go appropriately nutty for the scent on him. $8 at dorsetdaughters.com.

Fresh off a big breakup, your best friend is fearlessly putting herself back out there. Celebrate her indomitable soul and boost her confidence with a Kiss Kit, handmade by Ripton’s Priya Narasimhan. The cheeky set includes a maple sugar lip scrub, herbal balm and ultra-minty breath freshener, all packed with local ingredients. Smoochin’ will never be sweeter. $42 at priyameanslove.com and Ripton Country Store.

For your roomie who starts every morning with sun salutations, there’s no better self-care than a yoga class at Sangha Studio. Sangha means “community” in Sanskrit, so it follows that the donation-based nonprofit — with locations in Burlington, Williston and Plattsburgh, N.Y. — works hard to make yoga accessible to all. Your support will help fund scholarships and specialized programs for groups such as LGBTQIA+ folks. Gift cards start at $30 at sanghastudio.org, or email [emailprotected].

Red light therapy is sweeping the nation, but even your trendy stepsister wouldn’t be caught dead in one of the freaky at-home masks. Here’s a better alternative: a relaxing red light therapy session at RENU Lounge in Manchester Center. Including access to a cold plunge and recovery lounge, it’s basically a spa day. And those red light benefits? Researchers count among them healthy, rejuvenated skin and better sleep. Ahh. $45 for a single visit at renulounge.com.

Is shopping for your family a Headache? Does one relative always have the Monopoly on the perfect gift, while you don't have a Clue and take a Risk on some Trivial Pursuit, only to end your gift-giving Boggle with a loud Sorry? If you've deciphered this Balderdash, put the Trouble behind you with a gift card for a family game night. Your crew can play more than 700 board games while snacking on gourmet PB&Js and freshly baked cookies. Gift cards start at $15 at the Boardroom Board Game Café in Burlington.

As you sew, so shall you reap. OK, that's not exactly how the proverb goes. Then again, your crafty fashionista daughter has always done things her way. Seamlessly make her holiday season by signing her up for a sewing class — like Learn to Sew With Confidence, where she can start her "Project Runway" journey. A stitch in time will also save you from fighting holiday crowds at the mall. Classes start at $109 at Notion Fabric & Craft in Montpelier.

The floor of your brother's Subaru is littered with fast-food wrappers, and the exterior looks like he followed a leaky manure spreader for 100 miles. He needs a gift card for car detailing at Detail Works in Williston. The business enterprise of Burlington nonprofit Spectrum Youth & Family Services helps young people struggling with a range of issues, including homelessness, build the skills they need to thrive in the workplace. It's a clean sweep for everyone involved. Services start at $45 at detailworksvt.com.

Your niece is seriously into dogs; you can't walk anywhere without her stopping to hug every pooch in sight. Since her parents would throttle you if you got her a puppy, give her the next best thing: a Golden Retriever Experience at Golden Dog Farm in Jeffersonville. She'll romp, run and play fetch with at least 10 goofy goldens, then come home with a supersoft golden retriever stuffie. Happiness is a cold, wet nose. $127.15 at goldendogfarm.com.

Your empty nester in-laws aren't the sitting-around types. In warm weather they hike, bike, swim and play tennis. But come winter, chilly Vermont winds drive them indoors. An on-trend group indoor pickleball lesson will keep their bodies healthy, active and social. A one-hour intro class provides an overview of the rules, scoring and flow of the sport, with practice games included. $30 per person, four-player max, at Catamount Pickleball in South Burlington.

Holiday celebrations are all about creating lasting memories, and there's no speedier way to trigger them than through the olfactory sense. Invite your sis to discover the art of botanical perfumery in a perfume-making class at Bloom Lab in Westford. She'll get to blend her own unique scents that reflect her individuality and leave with a 1.7-ounce bottle of custom-made eau de parfum. $100 gift cards for classes are available at bloomlabvt.com.

Every Thanksgiving, your aunt insists on bringing the rolls — but her repertoire hasn't changed since Ronald Reagan was in office. Her sourdough recipe will rise and shine with a baking class or workshop at Brot Bakehouse School and Kitchen in Fairfax. Heike Meyer, one of the first certified international bread sommeliers in the U.S., covers topics ranging from European cookies to gluten-free baking. Online classes start at $25; daylong workshops start at $175 at brotbakery.com.

There's a music lover in your life who will scream if — nay, when — they hear Mariah sing "All I Want for Christmas Is You" one more time. Freshen holiday traditions with one Vermonter's cheeky new album, Matt Hagen's Christmas Bath. Featuring some of the Green Mountains' best musicians, the LP includes instant classics such as "Cheap Santa Suit" and "I Forgot to Get My Wife a Gift." $28 on vinyl at Pure Pop Records in Burlington and streaming on all major platforms.

Your former college roommate loves getting in on the ground floor with underground bands and indie artists. They take pride in hearing about the Next Big Thing first, so get them Burlington singer-songwriter Lily Seabird's LP Alas. Initially released in 2023, the gorgeous folk album is finally getting the vinyl treatment it deserves, courtesy of Seabird's new label, Lame-O Records. $25 at Buch Spieler Records in Montpelier and lameorecords.com.

Here's what you know about your coworker Fabian, whose name you drew in the office gift swap: He regales the lunchroom with recaps of historical documentaries and once mentioned going to a Civil War reenactment. He'll love Jon Clinch's novel The General and Julia, a clever slice of historical fiction in which a dying Ulysses S. Grant reflects on his turbulent life and career. $17.99 at the Vermont Book Shop in Middlebury and other local booksellers.

An avid reader, your stepdaughter loves sci-fi and fantasy as well as more realistic fare and character studies. Pick her up a copy of The Midnight Club from Burlington author — and Seven Days consulting editor — Margot Harrison. The twisty tale follows college friends who experiment with a secret substance that restores memories in order to solve a mystery from the past. $28 at Phoenix Books in Essex, Burlington and Rutland and other local booksellers.

Because your honey always has his nose in a book, which you love about him, he sometimes forgets to stop and pick up dinner — or the kids. Suggest he start making lists with a retro-chic Library Card To-Do Notepad. It's the perfect stocking stuffer for your bookworm. $8.25 at Magpie & Tiger in Montpelier.

Your girlfriend is a serious vinyl collector. At record shops, she digs through the crates while you doomscroll, patiently waiting for her to walk out with an armful of albums.Get her a 1+1 Monthly Vinyl Subscription, and she'll get one brand-new and one used record from her genre of choice, mailed directly to her — and maybe you won't have to go into every record store she passes. $40 per month plus shipping at Autumn Records in Winooski.

You know exactly where you got your love of books: sitting on your grandmother's lap while she read you Goodnight Moon over and over again. Pay forward the magic of reading — and introduce a new generation to that great green room! — by donating in her name to the Book Angel project at Northshire Books in Manchester, which ensures that local kids always have new reads. Donations start at $10 at northshire.com.

When your roommate said she wanted a kitten, you weren't sold. But once that little ball of fluff came home, your heart melted, and now you're an all-in cat coparent. Show your roomie that three's company with a Cat Love gift package from Z Botanicals Apothecary in Hartland. The blend of CBD oil, whole-plant hemp extract and omega-3 fish oil will support her tabby's mobility, heart health and overall well-being. The pouch of farm-grown catnip is just for feline fun! $80 at zbotanicals.net.

The loss of your beloved boxer earlier this year has your whole family heartbroken. Memorialize that everlasting bond with a custom stained-glass pet portrait made by Phase 3 Glass Works in Lake Elmore. Seeing the sunshine through this unique rendering of everyone's best friend will bring smiles and salve hearts. Made to order, so allow some lead time. $385 at phase3glassworks.com or at Phase3GlassWorks on Etsy.

Your cousin's central Vermont home was mercifully spared in the historic flooding the past two years, but as someone with cats, dogs and chickens, his heart aches for those who lost pets. He'll appreciate a donation to the Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team in his name. When the worst happens, VDART mobilizes to shelter animals until they can be reunited with their people. It also advocates for pets to be included in all levels of emergency preparedness. Donate any amount at vermontdart.org.

Your daughter is crushing her first semester at the University of Vermont, but there's one thing from home she still misses every day: her cat, Tweetsy Cakes. Give her a one-month membership to Queen City Cat Lounge in Burlington so she can de-stress while cuddling adoptable kitties — the perfect exam-week distraction. $60 at queencitycatlounge.com.

He fools people with his gruff exterior, but your uncle has the softest heart for animals. Exhibit A: his backyard bird oasis, filled with feeders, houses and baths. Get him one avian accessory he doesn't have: a bird nesting ball from Monsalvat Farm in Barnard. Filled with freshly sheared alpaca fiber, it gives late-winter early nesters the material to make themselves right at home in his welcoming space. $16.99 at MonsalvatFarm on Etsy.

As a full-fledged member of the family, of course your dog gets his own stocking! Gift your best boy dog treats from Grand Isle's Good Dog! Cookies. The family-owned and -operated company makes its treats from hormone-free ingredients and human-grade chicken — the perfect present for a puppy that's never on the naughty list. $6-12 at gooddogcookies.com.

If he could talk, your golden retriever would tell you all he really wants for Christmas is more daylight hours to chase his beloved tennis balls. It's a ruff life after daylight saving time ends! Give him a color-changing Dog Discuit LED flying disc to extend his playtime on those short winter days — and to make it easier for you to find it when he's finally tired. $21.99 at Pet Food Warehouse in Burlington and South Burlington.

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