By Kelly Knickerbocker

Seattle is jam-packed with talented and ambitious creatives whose wares are prime for giving. Whether you’re buying for someone who’s practical and no-nonsense, or looking to pamper your pal, local artists, artisans, makers, and retailers have got you covered:

👋 For the Seattle newcomer

• Some good, strong beans and a travel mug (Caffe Vita, Victrola Coffee Roasters / Sub Pop Records)
• A sturdy tote for farmer’s market goodies (Hardmill)
• A raincoat for him or her because a deluge is imminent (Freeman, Feller, REI)
• A stainless-steel growler because Seattle is the most brewery-dense city in the U.S. (MiiR)
• Weed cookies, gummies, and other sweet treats (Goodship)

🌲 For the practical western Washingtonian

• A Discover Pass because we all need one to experience the state’s beautiful parks (Washington State Parks)
• Flannel because layers are key (Kavu, Filson)
• A wool blanket for cold evenings and movie nights at the park (8th Generation)
• A waterproof bag because a wet laptop = 😭 (Uphill Designs)
• A break adjustment or new pannier for your pal, the cyclist (Bike Works, Swift Industries)

🎨 For art aficionados

• Contemplative digital artworks about “learning to listen to the quiet voice within” (Yvonne Chan)
• Colorful illustrations and paintings that reflect science, travel, history, and queer culture (Levi Hastings)
• Prints, posters, buttons, and tees that demand social change, including works by Seattle-based illustrator and tattoo artist Raychelle Duazo (Amplifier)
• A one-of-a-kind stoneware teapot with etched lines, a beeswax finish, and a walnut handle to prevent hand burns (Saltstone Ceramics)
• Acrylic and oil works (stretched-canvas prints, too) depicting animals and other wildlife navigating a variety of landscapes (Jesse Link)

🍴 For the foodies

• A pie-making overnighter or one-day workshop because baking ain’t easy (Art of the Pie)
• Gourmet cooking and seasoning spices, like Creole and North African blends (Mesa de Vida)
• A few links of local, sustainable salami… (Salt Blade Meats)
• …sliced on a hand-crafted cutting board made from up to a dozen hardwoods (Ruby Pear)
• A decadent little bottle of whiskey caramel sauce because what wouldn’t it make taste better? (Hot Cakes)

📚 For voracious readers

• Take a deep dive into the nature of ‘place’ through visual storytelling, data, and more (Seattleness: A Cultural Atlas by Tera Hatfield, Jenny Kempson, and Natalie Ross)
• Explore the complexity of today’s racial landscape with the work of a prolific Seattle writer (So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo)
• Seattle is the largest city in the Americas named after a Native American, and we should know his story (Chief Seattle and the Town That Took His Name by David M. Buerge)
• A celebration of the Northwest coast and the food, activities, and wildlife it encompasses (By the Shore: Explore the Pacific Northwest Coast Like a Local by Nancy Blakey)
• A handy resource for impromptu foraging excursions (Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest (A Timber Press Field Guide) by Joe Ammirati and Steve Trudell)

Want to see ideas for homebodies who hygge, tots (and their parents), and — oh yes — dogs? Check out our complete guide with 40 total gift ideas at theevergrey.com plus top gift tips from local makers, and don’t forget to share it! Thanks to writer and Evergrey reader Kelly Knickerbocker for scouring the city to find such amazing local items. 🎁

‘Disorder has been restored!’ That’s how the Fremont Arts Council shared the news that the neighborhood’s famous “Center of the Universe” sign is back where it should be. To back up: The sign showed the distance to a bunch of faraway places from its spot on North 35th Street and Fremont Avenue North until “some loser” stole it last month (The Stranger’s words, and we agree with ‘em). Neighbors got together to build a new sign, and this week it came home. “No one,” goes the post on the art’s council’s Facebook page, “shall be lost again.” Thanks to reader Carla Vikingstad for the tip! (The Stranger, The Seattle Times, Facebook)

Shop the South End. Why just buy when you can also explore? This gift guide’s got weaves through neighborhoods in the South End while it works through your holiday shopping list. Among the highlights: Eclectic goodies at Andaluz, personalized pottery at Emerald City Fired Arts, and the “famous” black eyed pea hummus from That Brown Girl Cooks. 😋 (South Seattle Emerald)

Whoops. Everything was business as usual at Monday’s Seattle City Council meeting until our council members realized they’d unintentionally rejected $12 million in federal grant funding the city’s already been spending on a bunch of key programs. Why would they do such a thing? Because 1) one of the grants was a $90,000 police reimbursement from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 2) council members Lorena González and Lisa Herbold voted “no” on principle because they aren’t cool with how ICE has been going after immigrants lately, and 3) three council members were absent, so the four “yes” votes didn’t meet the five-vote minimum to pass the thing — which caught everyone off guard. Now council president Bruce Harrell’s gotta schedule another vote ASAP or all that money’s gonna go. 💸 (Crosscut)

How to fight the opioid crisis. More people die in our state from overdosing on opioids than any other cause of accidental death, and overdose deaths are up 69 percent this year. So as part of his $54 billion proposed state budget, Governor Jay Inslee wants to set aside $30 million to help. About $9 million of that would fund services to help people who are already addicted, and $10 million would cover chiropractic care for back pain — so people aren’t turning to the drug quite so quickly. (KUOW)

Flying out of town? Don’t forget the reindeer. Sea-Tac Airport and Sound Transit are bringing live Rudolphs to the airport light rail platform today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Actually, it’ll be Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen, according to the press release. You can pet ‘em, take selfies with ‘em, then be on your merry way. 🎅 (PortSeattle.org)

LISTEN TO THIS

‘Tis the season for “Best of 2018” lists, and Seattle Weekly is here for it. Want to discover great local music while you unwind on that drive, transit, or bike ride home? Check out music writer Seth Sommerfeld’s list of the best Seattle albums of 2018.

Hit play and enjoy, folks. — The Evergrey