November 10, 2022

Support Historic Sites with our 2022 Gift Guide

  • By: Haley Somolinos

Editor's Note: As you peruse our gift offerings from National Trust Historic Sites across the country, we encourage you to take the time to learn about our sites' full histories, and their initiatives to further share the lives and experiences of all. Some of the places in the list below are sites of enslavement, and any purchase you make will further support their work to tell the full American story at these places.

As the holiday season approaches, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of to do items on your list. We are here to help you with your gift list! Stay cozy at home while shopping at the National Trust Historic Sites' online shops. You’ll find a unique gift for your loved ones and help ensure these sites’ stories remain a part of our lives today. Truly a gift that keeps on giving.

Need more options? Make sure to check out this book list for the preservationist in your life.

Clock Tower Shop at Filoli during the Holidays

photo by: Jeff Bartee

The Clock Tower Shop at Filoli doesn't have an online shop, but it's a great place for seasonal gifts that make every day merry and bright. Don't miss Filoli Horticulture Staff's favorite spring bulbs or the fan favorite fruit butters, honey and hard apple cider, produced from Filoli's very own orchards and beehives. Be sure to stop by the next time you're in Woodside, California.

1 For those who love a long luxurious bath, buy Goat Milk Soap ($10) or Goat Milk Candle ($22) from Montpelier. They are sourced from The Odd Farm, a family-owned farm just outside Culpeper, Virginia. The Cordell family has been raising Nigerian Dwarf goats, sheep, chickens, and occasionally ducks since 2015.

2Shopping for a makeup lover? Consider the Slate Cosmetic Pouch ($22) sold at President Lincoln’s Cottage. This New Hope Girls bag is great for storing lots of cosmetics and toiletries. Each bag is crafted by an artisan living and working in the Dominican Republic, and includes a special hang tag featuring the story and signature of the woman who created it.

3To keep your loved ones warm this winter, give them the Tartan Blanket ($195). This soft lambswool blanket is in the official tartan of the White House Historical Association, which operates the Decatur House. The tartan design is a tribute to the Scottish stonemasons who traveled to Washington in 1794 to embellish the sandstone selected by George Washington for the White House. The five colors in the design represent the state rooms (the Red Room, Green Room, and Blue Room), the gray Aquia sandstone and artistry of the Scots stonemasons, and the white exterior of the White House.

Tan chicken bag from the Tenement Museum giftshop.

photo by: Tenement Museum

Those who have "impeckable" taste will love the Chicken Bag from the Tenement Museum.

Bird coasters from Drayton Hall's giftshop.

photo by: Drayton Hall

Treat the hosts in your life with the stylish, sophisticated Bird Coasters from Drayton Hall.

4After “chicken” your list twice, don’t miss the hottest purse on the internet The Chicken Bag ($39.99 [$27.99 with code GIVETHANKS, 30 percent off code valid now through 12/11/2022]) from the Tenement Museum. It's an "eggceptionally" unique take on the hand bag that your giftee will want to wear it around the "cluck."

5For a host who loves entertaining, consider Bird Coasters ($19.99) from Drayton Hall. Based on a large Chinese porcelain dish from the Drayton Hall collection, the central scene displays two birds, one in flight and another perched on a flowering branch.

Don't tip the waiter game from the giftshop of the Tenement Museum.

photo by: Tenement Museum

This tricky game of balance from the Tenement Museum will keep the kids in your life entertained and giggling while waiting for the big holiday meal.

Geopattern dominoes from the giftshop of the Edith Farnsworth House.

photo by: Edith Farnsworth House

These geometric pattern dominoes from the Edith Farnsworth House are works of art on their own, but they come alive when played in game.

6If you’re shopping for kids, try a game. Don’t Tip the Waiter ($29.99) from the Tenement Museum is a beautifully crafted beechwood waiter with various dishes. The game is simple: pile him with dishes, but don’t cause him to fall over.

7For Modernist lovers, you can’t go wrong with the Geo Pattern Dominoes ($45) from the Edith Farnsworth House. The game board was inspired by Cubist art and high-contrast color pairings influenced by abstract Modernism; it creates a beautiful mosaic of shapes and vivid colors when played.

8For the gardener, what about a Meyer Lemon tree ($89.99) from Drayton Hall. These trees are known for their fragrant blossoms and delicate fruit.

9If you’re shopping for a gourmand, Montpelier offers a Buttermilk Pancake Mix ($8.99) as well as various preserves ($6.99 each), including peach butter, apple butter, and a traffic jam. Drayton Hall packages favorite treats from Charleston, South Carolina in a Culinary Charleston Gift Box ($89.99), which includes a chocolate alligator and hot honey. For breakfast, you can’t go wrong with Drayton Hall’s Biscuit Box ($40), which includes biscuit mix, strawberry jam, and Drayton Hall Whole Bean Coffee.

Three Historical Pottery Pieces at Acoma

photo by: Sky City Cultural Center & Haak'u Museum

10For something unique, make sure you shop at Acoma Sky City for their stunning jewelry and pottery pieces. Local artisans create an array of bold pendants, ceramic bracelets, and mixed stone necklaces in their jewelry collection ($30-135) as well as spectacular geometric pottery pieces ($12-240). To learn more about Acoma pottery, read this Preservation magazine story.

By purchasing any of these products, you'll be supporting the National Trust Historic Sites. Check out other ways you can support preservation as you shop this holiday season.

Haley Somolinos Headshot

Haley Somolinos is the manager of email marketing at the National Trust. She has a passion for places and the stories that they hold.

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