Find thoughtful holiday gifts under $25 from Nevada makers and small businesses, from desert-rain candles to handmade truffles.
No matter who’s on your holiday shopping list, a Nevada store has the perfect gift.
Big-box stores and chains may offer a wider inventory and cheaper options, but shopping for gifts at a Nevada-owned small business gives back to the economy and community.
“You should buy from artists and makers and other micro-businesses because it’s like buying a present for someone on your list and supporting a neighbor—at the same time,” says Downtown Las Vegas-based artist and professional poker player Rachel Hoyt, who sells hand-painted art, jewelry, and other ephemera made with Las Vegas playing cards, poker chips, and dice at TheAWEsomeStuffShop. “It’s what the season is all about—giving.”
From handcrafted chocolate made with a secret Nevada family recipe to a candle that smells like Mojave Desert rain, the 8+ gift ideas on this only-in-Nevada list are Battle Born and priced at $25 or less (not including shipping costs).
1. For the mom who needs a little me-time
Bubble Butter Bath Bomb – $18
Effervesce. It’s Just Bubbles, Las Vegas
Overworked moms feel like princesses with this Royal Rose Bubble Butter Bath Bomb. Handmade in small batches and naturally scented with ingredients like cocoa and shea butter, this 3-ounce bath enhancement hydrates and softens skin. It also comes in a calming Rosemary Lavender scent.
Effervesce. It’s Just Bubbles, 3401 Sirius Ave., Ste. 5, Las Vegas, handcrafts thoughtful products for skin, hair, and body using natural ingredients and planet-friendly packaging. They even have a wellness collection for dogs in need of a spa day. You can find bath bombs, body creams, and soaps online, at local farmer’s markets, or in the store, located one block from Area 15 in Las Vegas.
2. For the chocoholic
Truffle Gift Box – $22
Chocolate Shoppe, Gardnerville
Pick from nearly two dozen flavors for the Truffles Gift Box, a sweet assortment of four two-inch dark chocolate truffles. The Gardnerville-based Chocolate Shoppe handcrafts confections on-site in small batches using a decades-old family recipe free of hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, and colors. The boozy, Nevada-made truffles come in colorful foils and are beautifully packaged.
The woman-owned shop opened in 2012, but its owners have been creating confections professionally in the Silver State since 1994. The confection selection is expansive, including turtles, caramels, clusters, bark, toffee, brittle, fudge, bars, and seasonal items. Stop in to buy a gift, and you may get a free treat.
3. For friends who know how to pronounce Nevada
Mystery Nevada sticker pack – $15
Home Means Nevada Co., Reno and Henderson
There’s no easier way for Nevada enthusiasts to spread their love for the Silver State than with stickers from this mystery bundle five-pack, available from Home Means Nevada Co. You don’t know which stickers will come in the Mystery Nevada 5-Pack, but in a state known for desert lore, classified government secrets, and flummoxing phenomena, the mystery is part of the fun.
Now celebrating 21 years, Home Means Nevada Co. has grown from a tent at the 2005 Reno River Festival to three retail locations in two major Nevada cities: 135 N. Sierra Street and 15 Foothill Road, Ste. 3, in Reno and 2235 Village Walk Drive, Ste. 161, in Henderson. The store sells apparel, hats, home decor, and gifts inspired by the state, such as a Space Cowboy mug, Battle Born socks, and a Made in Nevada onesie. Many items, including some from the Reno eNVy and Mt. Rose lines, are made in Nevada.
4. For the Vegas baby
“I’m new in the (702)” Onesie – $20
Store702, Las Vegas
Give a little local baby a little Vegas, baby, with a onesie that lets them represent fresh out of the womb. The phrase “I’m new in the (702)” appears across the front of the black onesie in gold letters. It comes in newborn, 6-month, 12-month, 18-month, and 24-month sizes, so this born-in-Vegas baby can grow with the city’s original area code.
Store702, a local minority- and family-owned small business, sells original fan gear and accessories for Las Vegas and Nevada, including shirts for men, women, and kids. The merchandise, available online, reflects the owners’ love of local sports teams and everything (702).
5. For the aspiring chef
7-Blend Spice Sampler – $25
Distilled Spices, Las Vegas
Give your favorite foodie a culinary assist with this brag-worthy assortment of seven spices, created by Las Vegas Chef Alicia Shevetone for her woman-owned company, Distilled Spices. A pop-up chef, television personality, and author of “Food With Spirit: Alcohol-Infused Recipes,” Shevetone whipped up spirit-paired sweet-and-savory spice blends, including tequila-kissed al pastor, rum-flavored chai, and vegan Mojito flavors.
Available online, the 7-Blend Spice Sampler adds a kick to everything from pudding and popcorn to pork and ground burgers. Find recipes and more from Shevetone at Dink Cuisine or at America’s first cookbook lending library, Nice Nice Bite.
6. For the homesick desert dweller
Desert Rain Candle – $8
Creatures of Habit, Henderson
Ask any Nevadan, and they’ll tell you nothing beats the smell of rain in the desert. The Desert Rain Candle from Henderson-based Creatures of Habit recreates that earthy, musty, fresh, and sweet scent with key notes of petrichor, creosote bush, sandalwood, and green leaves. Candles are hand-poured with soy wax in two-ounce and 8.5-ounce sizes, offering a clean, long-lasting burn that transports you to a rainy day in the Mojave Desert.
Creatures of Habit crafts all its candles and body care items mindfully, using high-quality, sustainable materials. Products are vegan and usually forgo plastic packaging, using recycled or recyclable materials instead. You can buy the candle online, but you may also find it at local shops and cafes, including Home Means Nevada in Henderson, Market in the Alley at Downtown Summerlin, and Mojave Bloom Desert Nursery & Decor in Las Vegas. A portion of proceeds from every purchase supports mental health advocacy.
7. For the soul in need of spiritual enlightenment
Tiny Art Tarot Cards – $10
TheAWEsomeStuffShop, Las Vegas
Give the gift of a Las Vegas-style tiny art tarot reading from TheAWEsomeStuffShop on Etsy. Hand-painted by artist Rachel Hoyt on professional playing cards—many of which were used for play at casinos on the Las Vegas Strip—each fortune-telling tiny art playing card features words of wisdom, based on the card’s centuries-old tarot meaning. A clear coat protects the acrylic paint, giving the product a long life whether kept in a wallet, used as a bookmark, or framed. Tiny Art Tarot Cards come in black and gold or a variety of colors.
In addition to upcycling playing cards, poker chips, and dice into jewelry, bookmarks, and keychains, Hoyt creates mahjong-tile car air fresheners and other lucky merchandise in her Las Vegas Arts District studio. Her products spread good vibes, celebrate the King and/or Queen within, and support her independent research project on tarot, intuition, and other awe-inspiring things.
8. For the champion of free expression
Banned Book Tote Bag – $22
Analog Dope, Downtown Las Vegas
This gift makes a statement without saying a word. Available from the Black-, women-, and LGBTQ-owned Analog Dope Store in the Las Vegas Arts District, the 100% cotton canvas Banned Book Tote Bag is both practical and progressive, with the titles of 50 banned books scrawled across the front. It’s a subtle way to fight against censorship.
Analog Dope carries a curated collection of books centered on Black culture, the African Diaspora, and people of color, plus a vinyl section spanning jazz, soul, classic rock, hip hop, R&B, and reggae. You can buy the flat tote, made in the US by Out of Print Clothing, on the website, and in-store merchandise may vary, but all purchases support the store.
More Nevada-made gifts under $25
- Meticulously handcrafted from beach glass from the majestic Lake Tahoe, the Lake Tahoe Wine Glass Charm Set ($20) from Joie de V, by Lisa Huffman, doubles as four one-of-a-kind necklace charms. The artist responsibly collected the glass from the lake, painted and glazed it, then wire-wrapped it with silver-plated wire. Proceeds help support more than 50 charities close to the Carson City artist’s heart.
- A lavender-and-vanilla Cuddly Scented Soft Koala from woman- and minority-owned Creamy When Wet includes a koala doll, heart locket, koala sticker, and two scented small-batch bath bombs ($20). Other festive scents include pumpkin spice, toasted marshmallow, coconut cream, and apple spice. Sales support koala conservation.
- Perfect for the busy holidays and New Year resolutions, Olara Naturals’ Deep Focus Aromatherapy Candle is hand-poured in small batches with natural ingredients that help promote wellness, clear mental fog, and enhance focus ($19).
- Plant the seed for an organized garden with a colorful 127-page, 8”x10” Garden Journal, notebook, and plant logbook, featuring original watercolor paintings and botanical illustrations from Fallon-based Rugosa and Pine ($11.95).
- The Anatomical Heart Poster ($15) from Tahoe Nevada Love is a topographical love letter to the Lake Tahoe area.
- Wrangle up the hand-painted, black-and-white Cowboy Boot Stud Earrings ($20) from Wuve Handmade for your favorite cowpoke. The shop carries an eclectic collection of holographic, monochromatic, glittery, and disco-ball-inspired earrings and charms.
Still not sure where to shop? Make it a spree.
Nevada’s entrepreneurial spirit is as strong as our Battle Born pride. Small businesses are everywhere, and many carry locally made merchandise.
- Find original gifts from Nevada makers, artisans, and artists at Wandering Wyld in Reno and Akin Cooperative in Downtown Las Vegas.
- Housed in a historic 1932 brick Art Deco building, The Basement in Reno is a local hub with nine independently owned shops and restaurants, including music, book, and art stores.
- Shop for quirky wall decor, candles, barware, accent furniture, and plants at Latina- and woman-owned Spilled Milk in Downtown Las Vegas. A portion of the profits supports bipolar awareness foundations.
- Rosestead sells soothing soaps and lotions handmade on a farm in Pahrump with natural ingredients.
- Explore the gift shops at the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas, or the Nevada State Museum in Carson City, for everything from Old West memorabilia to fine jewelry.
- Battle Born Las Vegas carries pins, stickers, and accessories made by a Las Vegas native and inspired by vintage neon signs and architecture—some long gone, but not forgotten.
- Las Vegans Cheryl and Richard Sheffield create exotic spice and tea blends at Sheffield Spices. The store also carries olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and other gourmet foods.
- Based in Elko’s buckaroo country, J.M. Capriola Co. sells all things cowboy-related online and from a two-story shop with a red horse on the roof.
