FEATURES

Holiday Gift Ideas for Friends and Co-workers

By Cathy Shouse

Giving is as joyful as receiving this holiday season. This year, we encourage you to shop local, so we went off the beaten path and tracked down some unique local gift ideas.

Angie Harrison owns the Bakerson Pie Company and is also the CPC (Chief Pie Creator). Her company provides pies to individuals, businesses for wholesale and businesses wanting to gift clients, and she supplies special events, too. In these unusual times, Bakerson has a way to share pie, even if you are together only in spirit.

“I know we’re not having a lot of parties, but people are celebrating in other ways,” Harrison said. “Each month, we feature four pie flavors, although in November because of Thanksgiving, we offered seven flavors. Every pie we make is made from scratch.”

Some favorites are bourbon pecan and Toll House pies. The 9-inch pies sell for $20 to $27 and people with large orders may call and discuss other arrangements. Instead of typical baked goods to friends, co-workers and teachers, Bakerson’s offers a 4-pack of assorted mini pies, and there are always gift certificates and the pie-of-the-month subscriptions for the true pie-lovers on your list.

The Wabash County Historical Museum Gift Shop has an in-person gift shop as well as items available online, according to Bailey Hobbs, director of guest experience.

“We get new products in so often that it’s hard to maintain everything online,” she said. “We have a lot of toys that we only offer in the store because they sell out so quickly. We have a pretty big kids’ section.” Beautiful jewelry at Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s Paradigm Gallery

Online you can buy coasters for $10 that have a Wabash insignia and mugs, too. And if you really want the darling plush elephants in the toy store, not listed online, call the museum and they’ll mail it to you.

Over at One of a Kind and More, co-owners Dawn Sweet and Rudy Benson have locally-made, Steel Moon soy candles with five new Christmas scents and many others.

“Our store carries refurbished and pre-owned furniture items along with home décor and antique-collectible items,” said Sweet, who offers gift certificates. “With more people working from home, we are seeing a trend of more unique small furniture items selling…customers are looking for positive motivation during these trying times.”

For art-lovers, the Paradigm Gallery inside the Fort Wayne Museum of Art sells items made by more than 65 artists.

“We’re getting a ton of new artwork for the holidays,” said Abby Leon, director of the gallery. “We cover a good variety of mediums—stained glass, blown glass, textiles, ceramics, paintings and woodwork—and have beautiful items for under $30.”

There’s yet another way to invest in the community: give a gift donation in someone’s name to one of many deserving local charities.

Need more ideas? Check out The Holiday Gift Guide, Shopping Guide and Glo Local in this issue. a

Resources: Bakerson Pie Company, Fort Wayne, 260.206.9188 bakersonpies.com One of a Kind and More, Fort Wayne, 260.399.5672 Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, 260.422.6467 fwmoa.org Wabash County Historical Museum, Wabash, 260.563.9070 wabashmuseum.org