Boston Area's Best Places For Handmade Gifts

Don't let the holiday shopping frenzy get you down. Yes, you're busy, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to find something one-of-a-kind and thoughtful to give everyone on your list. The Boston area is full of great places to get handmade gifts from local artists and artisans. There's no need to worry that you're giving something that your recipient already has five of when you shop handmade.

SoWa Holiday Market
Ben Franklin Institute
41 Berkeley St.
Boston, MA 02116
www.SowaHolidayMarket.com

The SoWa Holiday Market is everything you love about the popular summer shopping market but rolled into one wild weekend for the holidays. The market features crafters and artisan food goods from people all over New England. The holiday market is a longstanding Boston tradition for everyone who loves handmade and unique goods from local designers. This year, the market will take place on December 14^th and 15^th at the Benjamin Franklin Institute. This year promises to be the biggest, and busiest year yet for the SoWa Holiday Market so come early and be prepared to spend the entire day looking over all of the great goods for sale.

Magpie
416 Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 623-3330
www.Magpie-Store.com

Magpie is one part art gallery and one part gift shop. It has a variety of goods ranging from quirky to handmade. Whether it's fashion-forward jewelry, funky t-shirts or handmade do-dads that you never knew existed but just have to have once you see them, they can be found at Magpie. While some of the items you find come at a premium price (hey, it's handmade!), you'll find plenty of affordable items as well. As far as selection and price range go, Magpie is a winner.

Western Avenue Studios
122 Western Ave.
Lowell, MA 01851
(978) 349-8069
www.WesternAvenueStudios.com

Western Avenue Studios in Lowell is a former mill building chock full of everything creative and handmade. The building features over 200 artists and crafters in a variety of mediums and styles. You'll find that several of CBS Boston's best artists to buy from have studios in this building, along with fine artists, fiber artists, soap makers, photographers, jewelry makers and glass blowers. Western Ave Studios is truly the one place where you can find something for absolutely everyone on your list. And just in time for the holidays Western Avenue Studios has a series of shopping events planned. On the first two weekends of December (the 7^th and 8^th, and the 14^th and 15^th), the building is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. And if weekends don't work with your schedule, there's also a Holiday Gift Night on December 19^th from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The building is also home to The Loading Dock Gallery, open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., which features works from many of the Western Avenue artists.

Related: Boston's Best Artists to Shop From This Holiday Season

Tis Tik
54 Church St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 661-0900
www.ShopTisTik.com

Jewelry is usually on most lists. But who wants whatever the mall stores are pushing this season? Rather than ending up with another pendant that everyone else has, head on over to Tis Tik. This amazing little shop features handmade artisan jewelry that ranges from fun to funky to classic to trendy. Also wide ranging is the prices. You'll be amazed at some of the deals.

Related: Best Boston Based Fashion Designers

Black Ink
101 Charles St.
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 723-3883
www.blackinkboston.squarespace.com

It's hard to say just what you might find in Black Ink because the store carries, it seems, a little bit of everything. If it's fun, knick-knacky, gifty and unique, it's probably here. While not every item in the store is handmade, you'll find a fine selection of goods from local and national makers. The handmade items the shop carries are great quality and can't found elsewhere in Boston. Overall, this is a great place for stocking stuffers and lovely little gems that will have your recipient exclaiming, "Where on Earth did you find this?!"