There’s no shortage of thoughtful gifts at Morgan Hill retail stores.
The iconic Andy’s Orchard is a fun place to buy local when you’re shopping for holiday gifts. Photo courtesy Visit Morgan Hill
By Krista Rupp
Krista Rupp
Morgan Hill is full of quality shopping experiences for gift giving this season. Locals and out-of-town guests alike can enjoy the holiday vibe with a local excursion to find gifts that are authentically Morgan Hill.
In addition to that warm fuzzy holiday feel, you’ll gain a deeper connection with your community by supporting the entrepreneurs, makers, providers, and staff that help make our local economy thrive.
When you purchase from a Morgan Hill business, up to 78 percent of your spend returns to the local economy, compared to less than 1 percent when you shop out of town or online.
Small businesses are the largest employer in Morgan Hill, so shopping small provides local jobs for local people and more support for community organizations.
If that’s not enough to convince you to “Buy Local” this holiday season, we’ve rounded up ideas for 95037-based shopping outings at places you already love or might experience for the first time.
We’re fortunate that our agricultural offerings run strong through the winter — and what’s more authentically Morgan Hill than gifting something straight from the farm? At South Valley Mushroom Farm’s farm stand you’ll find more than just mushrooms. A limited selection of fine, local honey is available from their on-site apiary.
Andy’s Orchard — a local favorite — has even more treats such as fresh persimmons and a mouthwatering array of confections like chocolate covered dried apricots, peaches and more.
For a festive farm jaunt, visit the Battaglia Ranch Christmas Tree Farm to peruse the conifers and gift shop with a cup of hot cocoa or apple cider. You might get lucky and even bump into the jolly fellow known as Santa Claus!
Gift someone special the bounty of the Santa Clara Valley Wine region with a Trail Pass, good for tastings at more than 30 wineries over the course of a year.
Passes can be picked up at several local wineries, so this is a great reason to venture out for tastings and bottles to gift from Lightpost Winery, P&V Winery, J Winston Winery, and Guglielmo Winery — which also has an impressive holiday shop and gift baskets. At Kelly Brewing Company, you’ll find colorful cans of Morgan Hill brew and cozy beanies for the beer-lover in your family. Fill a growler of hard cider at TenFiveOne Cider Co. to save for your holiday table.
There’s no shortage of thoughtful gifts at Morgan Hill retail stores. Downtown, The Secret Door has an incredible selection of museum-quality stone and mineral specimens, and Colibri Gallery features fine art from Bay Area artists and beyond.
The FillerUp Shop, an eco-friendly refill station for bath and home care products, has sustainable goody bundles at their new storefront.
Unique and educational books and toys can be found at BookSmart and Thinker Toys at the Vineyard Town Center.
Don’t miss the final Sidewalk Saturdays of the season on Dec. 18. Adjacent to the downtown Farmers Market, this makes a one-stop-shop for curated apparel, accessories, home-wares, and specialty food items from local purveyors in an open-air setting. Stick around for the Jingle Ride that night, starting at Bike Therapy on Depot Street in downtown.
Gift cards to local salons, spas, restaurants, and shops make it easy to give Morgan Hill experiences to those who’d appreciate receiving hair and body care treatments, a delicious local meal, or choosing their own gift.
We’re certain you’ll find memorable moments and meaningful gifts to make your holiday season sparkle, right here in Morgan Hill.
Find more info at www.visitmorganhill.org in our “Buy Local for the Holidays” blog post and check out the local Event Calendar and Things To Do pages. Be sure to share this resource with your out-of-town friends.
Also, find the “Shop 95037 Business Directory” and specials at www.buylocalmorganhill.com.
Krista Rupp is the executive director of Visit Morgan Hill.
