Island Realty's Charleston Gift Guide

The holiday season is quickly approaching, can you believe it? No matter what holiday you're celebrating this season, it's the time of gift-giving. With all of the usual questions of what to get for your family and friends, you also have to start thinking early this year to make sure your gifts arrive in time! Don't panic, we're here to help give you some inspiration! Here are some of our favorite things from the Holy City that make perfect gifts and don't worry--we'll let you steal some of our ideas.

• Gift an Experience
  • Barrier Island Eco Tours
    • Explore the barrier island waters and Capers Island with one of their multiple scheduled trips, or with a private charter!
  • Coastal Expeditions
    • Kayak & paddleboard rentals and tours, out of Isle of Palms or Shem Creek!
  • Nature Adventures
    • Kayak & paddleboard rentals and tours, out of Shem Creek!
• Gift Togetherness
  • AR Workshop
    • Virtual Party Kits
      • Don't miss the fun of crafting together, just because the holidays look a little different this year. AR Workshop in Mount P. offers virtual party kits, perfect for gifting together!
  • South Carolina Aquarium Membership
    • If you're gifting to a family, this is the perfect gift! This way, they can visit the sea turtles and other local wildlife as many times as their hearts desire!
• Gift Charleston's Cuisine
  • Callie's Biscuits
    • Where to find it: Can be bought online, or if you're in a rush, they're also at local Charleston area grocery stores and their brick-and-mortar locations
  • Marsh Hen Mill Grits (formerly Geechie Boy Grits)
    • Breakfast Sampler Gift Box
  • Craft Beer and Spirits
    • Rusty Bull Brewing Co.
      • Where to find it: Harris Teeter, The Co-Op (Sullivan's Island), Publix, Bottles
    • Holy City Brewing
      • Where to find it: Harris Teeter, Publix, Local area gas stations
    • Firefly Distillery
      • Where to find it: Isle of Palms Liquors, Market Spirits, Bottles, Mill Creek Spirits, Total Wine + More
    • Edmunds Oast Brewing
      • Where to find it: Total Wine + More, Edmund's Oast Exchange
  • Locally roasted coffee
    • Charleston Coffee Roasters
      • Where to find it: Charleston Coffee Roasters, Costco, Burbage's Grocery, Publix, Harris Teeter
    • Second State Coffee
      • Where to find it: Online, Second State Coffee (Downtown CHS)
    • Springbok Coffee Roasters
      • Where to find it: Online, Springbok Coffee (Downtown CHS), Butcher & Bee, The Daily, Kudu
• Gift Local

Locally-made gifts are a staple! These are places we love to grab gifts inspired and/or made in the Lowcountry. 

• Local Love CHS
  • What you'll find here: Locally-made and sustainable gifts, and build-your-own gift boxes!
• Out of Hand
  • What you'll find here: Clothing & accessories, home decor, beauty items (hair, makeup, skincare)
• Old Whaling Company
  • What you'll find here: Handmade bar soaps, bath bombs, body butters, candles, and more!
• Candlefish
  • What you'll find here: Specialty candles, gifts, and accessories, as well as candle-making classes (another great option for gifting an experience as well!)
• Goldbug
  • Jewelry and accessories designed and handmade in the Lowcountry
• Sweetgrass Baskets!
  • Always a classic, and not too hard to find! If you drive along Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant, you're sure to find stands set up alongside the road where you can purchase one! If you're in Downtown Charleston, you'll most easily find them along the City Market.

If you're more of a one-stop-shop kind of person and you're in the Charleston area, holiday markets are perfect for you! Here's markets that are happening this month, so you can conveniently shop from multiple local spots in one go.

• Charleston Holiday Market in Marion Square
  • When: Saturdays and Sundays, December 5-20
  • Where: Marion Square (Downtown CHS)
• Mount Pleasant Holiday Market & Craft Show
  • When: Saturday, December 11
  • Where: Farmers Market Pavilion on Coleman Blvd. (Mount P.)
• Stay tuned for more holiday shopping experiences!

 

• Gift Back to the Community

For the person that has everything, why not give a gift to a local organization in their name? Here are some that we'd recommend:

• SC Aquarium
  • Supports turtle rescue efforts, educational outreach programs, and daily enrichment sessions
• MUSC Children's Hospital
  • Supports the children's hospital with resources needed to fund priority initiatives
• Ronald McDonald House Charleston
  • Supports children and families in time of need during their time at MUSC
• Preservation Society of Charleston
  • Supports preservation programs, outreach efforts, and educational opportunities
• Isle of Palms Connector Run
  • Supports the healing and prevention of child abuse in Charleston, SC

 

• One of the Best Yet: Gift an Island Getaway

 When you give the gift of an Island Realty vacation, you're actually giving all of the gifts we've mentioned! There are so many experiences to have while you're here, and what could be better than sharing those experiences with friends and family? We're also a short distance away from all of the world-renowned Charleston restaurants, so the local cuisine is right at your fingertips! Shopping small and local is something that we're passionate about as a family-owned and operated business. Supporting local business is possible even when planning your vacation! We have a friendly and knowledgeable team of vacation planners right here in our office on Isle of Palms 7 days a week, so when you're ready to start planning, we're ready for you!

 

Now that you have some ideas, it's time to get shopping!

Download our Christmas list template and write in what you'll be gifting this year!