Mural Credit: Ricky Loves Painting - Do you already know this mural? You’ll find it on 6th Ave near a certain cat-friendly coffee shop.
This list of ways to give in Tacoma is organized into Buy Local and Local Love sections, but in most cases they’re one and the same. Local businesses are supported by your purchase while offering opportunities to give right at the same time. A choir made of refugees and USA-born residents of our city offers a free concert to celebrate peace. You’ll find winter supply drives, ways to care for the environment, and holiday markets featuring local makers, fresh wreaths, and BIPOC Santa photos. This list isn’t about shopping sprees; it’s about being out in the community face-to-face with the people working hard in their small, local, and family-owned businesses. And it’s about giving that is beyond shopping and carefully wrapped packages, giving that cares for our unknown neighbors. We’ve said it before, “Bah-humbug to bootstraps!” We all need someone else—people known and unknown—watching out for us, someone to share a coat or a meal, a community to rally around us and keep us warm. So take a look at the list; see if you can find a way to give that supports our local community, local economy, and local relationships.
If you’re not shopping this season, or don’t celebrate with gift-giving in December, tuck some of these ideas away for a time when you’re seeking to celebrate someone in your life, or need an outlet for showing your love to community.
Image from Rain Or Shine Community Market
1. Buy Local - Visit Holiday Markets
If you’re interested in buying vintage, snapping a photo with Santa, donating toys, finding locally made arts and crafts, and tasting small-batch local treats get out to a holiday market this December! Follow these links to learn more:
Rain or Shine Holiday Market at L’Arche Farm & Gardens - Sat-Sun, 12/4 & 5: 10 am-3 pm
Tacoma Sunday Market Holiday Edition - Sun, 12/5: 11 am - 4 pm
Caribbean Queens Holiday Treats Pop-up at Komadre Kombucha - Sat, 12/10: 12-5 pm
Tacoma Night Market & Sunday Drag Brunch at Foss Waterway Seaport- Sat, 12/17: 5-10 pm, Sun, 12/18: 11 am-4 pm
Image from YWCA Pierce County
2. Local Love - YWCA Holiday Giving - Empower Families to Shop for The Holidays
The YWCA Pierce County is reaching out for Holiday Giving support for their clients. The best way to give to the people seeking safety and next steps at the YWCA this season is by giving a gift cards from these shops:
Visa gift card
Walmart
Amazon
Target
Fred Meyer
Safeway
As the YWCA says, “For survivors of domestic violence, one of the most empowering feelings often comes from being able to make decisions on their own.” With these gift cards, people can have the fun and fulfillment of shopping for their loved ones this season. Send (or drop-off) physical gift cards to the YWCA by Friday, December 16th and they’ll distribute to clients. Find the details for the Holiday Gift Program here.
A glimpse of the books awaiting discovery at Teaching Toys.
3. Buy Local - Give the Gift of Reading & Support a Local Book Shop
Pull up a stump in the Curious Bear reading corner.
Giving a book is giving an adventure in the mind. If it’s a book you’ve read and loved it can also be a gift of future conversation, or shared experience, an invitation into who you are and what you love. Giving a book from a local book shop supports a small business, helps local employees and shop owners check-off the items on their grocery list and ensures those bookstores will still be there when you’re ready to browse. We recommend:
King’s Books - both new and used books in stock, plus order any book for delivery or pick-up
Teaching Toys & Books (Tacoma & Gig Harbor) - for babies, children, and young readers
Parable - both new and used books in stock along with lots of gifts from local entrepreneurs, plus order any book for delivery or pick-up
Curious Bear Toy & Book Shop - for babies, children, and young readers
If you visit Teaching Toys or Curious Bear you’re almost guaranteed to find some other toys, puzzles, games, or art supplies for young ones in your life along with some good reading.
Image from La Paloma Tacoma
4. Local Love - Give Unhoused Neighbors the Gift of Warmth - Winter Gear drive
Drop by La Paloma for gifts for friends and family, or to give the gift of winter warmth. Add winter warmth gear to the donation box or give it to anyone who’s working and they’ll get it to the right place.
Collecting new:
coats & jackets
beanie hats
gloves & socks
hand/feet warmers
blankets & sleeping bags
tarps
The People’s Assembly will distribute winter gear donations to unhoused neighbors in Tacoma.
Image from the Blue Mouse Theatre
5. Buy Local - Give Festive Friend & Family Time at the Blue Mouse Theatre
Give the gift of a few hours enjoying silly, classic, and goofy Christmas movies. It’s a Christmas Movie Marathon at the Blue Mouse Theatre! Catch a different Christmas film each day of the marathon: December 6, 7, 8, and 16.
The Blue Mouse is hosting a Toys for Tots drive too, so share the love and bring a new unwrapped toy when you come for the movie.
Images from Windermere Abode Lakewood
6. Local Love - Give For Good Drive - Basic Needs Items for Military Families and Senior Veterans
Give the gift of support to local military families at JBLM and to senior veterans experiencing homelessness in the Lakewood area. It may surprise some to know military families sometimes qualify for state food assistance, so certainly hygiene and childcare items can also be tough to afford! Read more about this issue and the details of this drive on the Abode Blog.
Most Needed Items:
diapers (NB - sz 4)
flushable baby wipes
baby formula
baby foods and cereals
baby soap & baby lotion
dye free laundry soap
adult shampoo, conditioner, body wash & bar soap
tooth paste
denture care creams & cleaners
deodorant
disposable razors, male & female shave creams
Drop donations off at Windermere Abode Lakewood (10304 Gravelly Lake Dr SW) by December 14th, call/text Owner/Designated Broker Jasymn Jefferson at 253-297-2637 to schedule a pick-up from your home, or donate funds via Venmo @Jasmyn-Jefferson and Abode brokers will do the shopping.
Image from Manifesto Coffee
7. Buy Local - Give Beans & Leaves, the Gift of good Morning Brews
Image from Mimi’s Teas
Tacoma is home to a growing group of coffee roasters and cafes. A couple of independent tea shops are excellent choices for tea enthusiasts too. These cafes are scattered all across the city, so go on a treasure hunt fueled by the sampling you’re encouraged to do along the way. Support local roasters and tea shops by buying a bag of beans, some loose leaf tea blends, or a gift card.
Manifesto Coffee Roasters - Hilltop
Valhalla Coffee - 6th Ave
Bluebeard Coffee Roasters - 6th Ave
Olympia Coffee - Proctor
Lander Coffee - Three Bridges
LUX Coffee - McKinley Hill
The Method Skateboards & Coffee - Downtown
Campfire Coffee - Downtown
Civic Roasters - online at at pop-up events
Mad Hat Tea - new Dome District shop opening soon, online until then
Mimi’s Teas - Fircrest
Image from Tahoma Audubon Society
8. Local Love - Give Conservation & Creature Care - Tahoma Audubon Society
Maybe you love birds. Maybe you love someone who loves birds, or creeks, or meadows, or natural habitats for our neighbor creatures. In that case, it could be really sweet to give the gift of a membership to the Tahoma Audubon Society. Memberships start at $20/year. As the Tahoma Audubon Society says, “Your membership with Tahoma Audubon connects people throughout Pierce County with birds, other wildlife and their habitats through education, conservation and recreation. Thank you!” What a gift! See all the membership levels and what membership in the society includes on their membership page.
Image from Lauda
9. Buy Local - Support Tacoma’s Small Businesses
Image from Cocobolo
There are a lot of places to spend money. They’re all over our phones and computers, they fill malls and shopping centers, they’re endless. Nobody needs more ways to spend money! But, if you’re giving gifts now or throughout the year, consider supporting a small business, one run by just a handful of dedicated people, one where you might even be conversing with the shop owner while you choose a gift. We aren’t really here to advocate more spending, but rather to recommend a few small, local businesses, some of which are women-owned and BIPOC-owned. The other day I stopped at a flower shop to choose flowers to give a client, and at a restaurant to pick-up a gift card. When I entered each of those businesses, I was greeted by name. It changed my whole day, and the whole experience of spending time and money to give a gift. It’s not about me feeling important, it’s about belonging. I think shopping where we live, from people rather than corporations, helps build belonging. I invite you to experience that.
This is not a comprehensive list by any means, but just a selection of some Tacoma small businesses run by people we know, or people we like to support.
Image from La Paloma Tacoma
Image from Evolve Home
Image from Adorned Abode
Lauda - Downtown - Newly opened in 2022, this is the first holiday season for a thoughtfully stocked shop where every purchase goes a long way in supporting this small business. Go in search of greeting cards, the perfect pen (and delightful pouches for storing those pens), an array of day planners, journals, attractive desktop tools, beautiful paints, even some home goods like woven blankets and cozy candles. Take a look at Lauda’s Holiday Gift Guides for the dreamer, homebody, artist, and adventurer.
Cocobolo - St Helens District - Sister-owned, carefully curated apparel, supporting small, environmentally conscious brands and vintage, with their own house line designed and sewn in Tacoma. Along with apparel you’ll find beautifully packaged soaps, perfume, jewelry, and incense.
La Paloma Tacoma *BIPOC owned & The Soap Refillery - North End/Three Bridges District - This is a beautiful 2 for 1 stop. Enjoy the plants, pottery, small press publications, vintage goods, and unexpected treasure of La Paloma and browse the Soap Refillery at the same time. Way beyond soap, this shop is focused on waste reduction through refillable/reusable home staples with gift items like eucalyptus shower steamers, face cream, candles, dishcloths, and paperless towels.
Evolve Home + Apparel - North End/Three Bridges District - Step right over from La Paloma, or take a coffee break at Lander across the street, then head into Evolve where contemporary women’s apparel, refurbished vintage radios, home goods, textiles, rugs, and plants are carefully selected by business owners with a passion for design.
Adorned Abode *BIPOC owned - Freighthouse Square - Cozy, thoughtful gifts for the home and beyond, stocking stuffers, and lots of edible treats like caramels, tea, smoked salmon, and popcorn, with online, curbside, or in-person-by-appointment shopping with a special Gift Box Concierge Service (ask Benita!).
Paper Luxe - Fircrest - A wide array of stationary, greeting cards, and writing implements give this shop its name, but it’s much more than paper. Stocked with jewelry, travel mugs, candles, journals, home goods, holiday decor, ornaments, and party supplies, think of this as a “general store” full of appealing gifts. Head next door to their sister shop: The Curious Bear Toy & Book Shop for games, books, stuffed animals, art supplies, coloring books, baby gear, and lots of toys.
Image from Tacoma Refugee Choir
10. Local Love - Celebrate Community, Belonging, Music & Peace with Tacoma Refugee Choir
Tacoma Refugee Choir invites you to their 2nd annual Let There Be Peace On Earth concert on Tuesday, December 6th. Come early for tamales at 6:30 pm, and make sure to take a seat for the concert by 7 pm. The event is free, but seating and tamales are limited, so register here and give a donation if you’d like to and are able.
Latinx Unidos of the South Sound - LUSS provides the tamales to celebrate the tradition of Las Posadas. And the Tacoma Refugee Choir provides the music along with special guests Paula Madrigal singing traditional Mexican songs and ZJE Music's youth ensemble and their Mongolian music.
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