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The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in one way or another, and many local businesses have been struggling to stay afloat.

If you want to support a small business in the Okanagan and put your money back into the community, skip the corporations and check out this Christmas gift guide.

Beauty, fashion and accessories 

Kelowna

Frock & fellow is a vintage consignment boutique for men and women located on Bernard Avenue. To view some of their items, visit their Facebook page here.

Everything Under the Sun is a Lake Country based business that sells custom clothing and accessories. They also customize reusable Starbucks cups and travel mugs. To see their products or place an order visit their Facebook page. They also have a booth at the Vernon Farmer's Market. 

Okanagan Lifestyle Apparel is a Okanagan-proud clothing company that sells branded sweaters, t-shirts, hats and more. Shop their products here.

Oak Handmade Jewelry sells rings, necklaces, bracelets and necklaces. Shop their products on Facebook here. 

Valley Mystic Soap Co. sells face and body products, essential oils, perfume and more. To shop their collection, click here.

Sakoré Skincare sells locally made organic skin care like soaps, bath salts, exfoliators and more. To shop their products, click here.

Josefina + Co. makes a variety of cloth scrunchies and hair accessories which you can find in the Orchard Park Mall at Honest, or in their online store here.

Flora and Forest Jewellery creates handmade jewellery, crafted using real Okanagan flowers or other pieces of nature from around British Columbia. Flowers are locally grown, stem dyed and hand-pressed before being encased in resin. To shop visit their online store here.

Oh! The Post makes jewellery using old postage stamps. Each stamp is chosen for its colour, history and imagery, and set behind glass to preserve it. Shop their collection here. 

Vernon

Bags and Bling sells handmade vinyl purses, pouches and wallets. Order through their Facebook page here.

The Halina Gift & Craft Shop sells products that are made by members of the Halina Crafters to raise funds for running of the Halina 55+ Activity Centre. They sell knitted clothing, cloth masks, bags, aprons, baby items and more. Their shop is at 3310-37 Avenue. To see their products, visit their Facebook page here.

Pink Spotted Goat is a gift shop that sells all locally-made items, from soaps and skin products to sweaters and jewellery. The shop is at 3100A 29 Avenue. To see their products, visit their website here.

Jewels by Jasper sells handmade brooches, shawl pins, and handmade geode decor. To order online, click here.

Bits of Threads sells handmade items like decor, keychains, masks, and kitchen towels. Order through their Facebook page here. 

Marshmallow Darling sells pins, earrings, stickers and art. View their collection on Facebook here. To purchase products, click here.

Scenic Route Jewellery creates mountain and outdoors themed jewellery. To purchase, click here. 

Penticton

Sage+Quartz is a small batch, artisan bath/body and skincare line. Shop their products at De Novo Market in Summerland. 

Carla O'Bee sells simple, minimalist jewelry including earrings, rings and necklaces. To shop the collection, visit the online store here.

Something Pretty Boutique is a little shop with lots of local and B.C. made products. They have bath and body items, men's and women's clothing and accessories. Browse their collection online here, or visit their retail location at 10 Front Street.

For the home

Kelowna

Pen and Paper Co. sells ink sketch prints, and printed sketches on pillow covers, stickers, and magnets. To shop for their products, click here.

Hammers & Heels Kelowna sells custom signs and wooden creations. To order their products, visit their Facebook page.

Funktional carries tons of decor from a variety of local artists. They also sell jewellery and accessories. To purchase their products, visit them on Bernard Avenue. Browse their collection here.

Okanagan Urban Jungle sells a variety of tropical houseplants and plant care products. To shop their products, click here.

Olive + Bramble Co. is a digital calligraphy and design collection inspired by Canadian adventure. Shop for vinyl stickers, apparel, home art and more here.

Threadforfilth Embroidery stitches custom art by request, also specializing in pet portraits, houses and landscapes. Shop their products here.

Vernon 

A Touch of Magick carries resin decor items, handmade tarot card pouches, crystals, smudging items and more. To shop their products, contact them on Facebook here.

It's a Wrap Beeswax Wraps creates reusable food wraps using beeswax. To shop their products, contact them through their Facebook page.

The Rusty Rooster Homespun Decor is based in Coldstream and specializes in local, handmade home decor. They have wooden signs, Christmas decorations, shelving and more. To order, contact them through Facebook here.

Absolutely Knot Co. creates fiber art decor, macrame hangings, plant hangers and jewellery. Shop their locally sourced products here.

Penticton

Hidden Treasures Home Decor is a one-stop gift shop for any occasion. They carry locally made home decor year round, many of which is made by the owners and their family. Visit their retail location at 2018 Main Street.

Rustic and Refined is a home decor shop located in Summerland selling handcrafted products from local artisans and makers. Shop their online store here, or visit their retail location at 10109 Main Street. 

Okanagan Candle Co. is an online shop selling candles hand-made in the Okanagan. You can browse their collection and place an order here.   

Artisans of the Okanagan is a shop in Summerland featuring all locally-made art, decor and home items. They carry paintings, Christmas decorations, pottery, plants and more. Find their retail location at 13211A North Victoria Road.

Food and drink

Kelowna

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery has locations in Kelowna and Vernon. They carry spirits and liqueurs made on-site at their distilleries. For the holidays they're offering gift packs and cocktail kits. To order products, click here, or visit their retail locations.

MotherLove Kombucha makes organic kombucha and water kefir that is high in probiotics, and supports digestion. To shop in their online store, click here. You ca also find them at these retailers. 

The Cake Mama offers custom cookies, DIY Cookie Kits, cakes, cupcakes and decorating supplies. To shop their products or place an order, click here. 

Taste of the Okanagan sells artisan sauces, jellies, chutneys, dressings and more. Their products include locally-sourced ingredients like Okanagan wine, spirits and produce. Find their online shop here.

Summerhill Pyramid Winery offers a variety of wine gift baskets you can purchase online here. Mission Hill also offers festive gift baskets for the holiday season. Order online here.

Vernon

Blue-House Creations sells jams, jellies, and preserves from local produce, most of which is grow on their property. You can find them at the Vernon Farmer's Market.

Hiveology sells local raw honey, honeycomb, beeswax wraps, simple syrup, pollen and gourmet honey popcorn. To find a location to purchase their products, click here.

Dragonfly Soups sells all natural soup and dip mixes. Visit their Facebook page to see what they've got. To order their products, send them an email. 

Ghostly Garlic Farms specializes in a variety of handcrafted, small batch garlic products. They plant, grow, harvest, cure and process every single clove. Shop their products online here.

Penticton

Maison Mulnati creates vegan, gluten-free specialty chocolate made from local ingredients found in the Okanagan Valley. They have bonbons, chocolate bars, marzipan and more. Check out their selection online and email to place your order, as their retail location is closed due to COVID-19.

You can also find specialty chocolate truffles at Accent Chocolate, in their shop at 564 Main Street. 

Gratify makes delicious, nutritious treats for health-conscious people. They offer Nanaimo bars, granola, cookies, cakes and more. Visit their retail location at 425 Main Street. 

Upper Bench Estate Winery will deliver a wine & cheese basket right to the doorstep of any local on your Christmas list. You can pick their favourite wines, cheese, and crackers for the basket, and Upper Bench does the rest. Browse basket options online here. Delivery within Penticton is free, call 250-770-1733 to order. 

Origin Wines also offers a gift basket, including their wine and an assortment of other Okanagan products. Order your basket online here.

Seis Cielo Specialty Coffees sells coffee beans grown in Honduras by small independent growers that they roast in their Penticton café. Order in store, via messenger on Facebook or call 778-363-4839. 

Summerland Sweets offers a wide variety of tasty local products, from jellies and jams to syrups and nut brittle treats. Visit their retail location, or shop online here.

Bad Tattoo Brewing offers growlers and kegs, check out their selection and pricing online here.

You can also find tons of local products at the BC VQA Visitor Centre, either on location at 101 - 553 Vees Drive or online. Check out their selection here. 

Holiday markets

Although the COVID-19 pandemic shut down some of the usual holiday markets, many have moved online.

Check out some local businesses you can support through online holiday markets here.

You can find even more local businesses through Okanagan Collective's website here.

We tried our best, but if we missed any local businesses in Okanagan in our guide, please list them in the comments below.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Brie Welton or call (250) 819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2020