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The Ultimate Houstonian Holiday Gift Guide

Published Dec 13, 2023 by Hailea Schultz

Holiday Presents

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, except when you wait till the last minute to do your holiday shopping. To help you find the perfect gifts, we’ve rounded up a few ideas all Houstonians will love.  
 

For the Foodie 
If there is one thing everyone loves about Houston, it is its vibrant and diverse culinary scene. When shopping for your favorite foodie, a gift card to one of the Bayou City’s hottest restaurants such as Brennan’s or Xochi are always a good option. 

However, for those who consider themselves a “chef-in-the-making,” consider gifting them a sushi class at Aya Sushi or a cake decorating class at The CreATEry, for an exciting, hands-on experience. 

Bludorn’s exclusive hot sauce – Eight Zero Seven Taft or the famous seasoning salt from the beloved Tex-Mex restaurant Molina’s Cantina would make great stocking stuffers for your foodie. 

If your gift is making its way outside of Texas, consider a piece of beautiful, hand-painted dinnerware from Kin Dee or a cookbook from local celebrity chef Hugo Ortega – Street Food of Mexico

For the Book Lovers
Skip Amazon and Barnes and Nobles this holiday season and check out some of Houston’s independent bookstores for unique gifts for the book lover on your gifting list. At Blue Willow, located in West Houston, you can find books from local authors, literature-themed merchandise and a subscription service – Another Shade of Blue, which mails a surprise hardcover book signed by the author every quarter to the recipient. 

If your book lover is also a crime junkie, stop by Murder By The Book near the Texas Medical Center for binge-worthy mystery novels and magazines that will surely have them hunting for clues.  

For the Experience Seeker
From a year-long Houston Zoo access to exploring the Museum of Fine Arts, the Bayou City has no shortage gift options for your experience seeker. For those who love live performances and sporting events, consider gifting them tickets to an upcoming show at the Hobby Center, which will soon bring TINA – The Tina Turner Musical and Les Misérables to Houston. 

More of a sports fan? Catch a Rockets game at the Toyota Center or get an exclusive tour of Minute Maid Park for an inside look of the home of the Houston Astros.  

For the DIYer  
Struggling to find the perfect gift for someone that insists they can make it themselves? Consider gifting a class at The Mad Potter, a pottery painting space where creatives can design their very own ceramic décor or dining ware. The Honey Art Café also offers a variety of art classes including portrait drawing, holiday card and calligraphy and bullet journaling. 

For those who like larger projects, check out The Rustic Brush, where you can create your own charcuterie boards, door and wall signs, pet beds and more. 

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Houston a Destination City for Leisure Activities

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Renowned worldwide as a mecca for performing and visual arts, complemented by its vast array of parks and green spaces, and award-winning culinary scene, Houston continues to attract people from across the globe for its abundance of leisure activities.   Early projections from Houston First Corporation reveal that the Bayou City welcomed over 51 million visitors last year, earning the title of Most Popular City in Texas for Overseas Tourists, according to Trips to Discover. Additionally, Houston was named one of the top American cities with the most fun things to do by CommercialCafe.  Arts & Entertainment Click to expand At the heart of Houston's allure lies its world-class museums, such as the Menil Collection and The Museum of Fine Arts, which serve as gateways to explore art, history and science. The Orange Show and Smither Park, constructed from recycled materials, stand as mosaic wonderlands, a testament to the city’s folk art. Moreover, recent additions to Houston's art scene, such as Meow Wolf and the Museum of Illusions, introduce immersive installations and exhibits that create unique attractions in the Bayou City.  Click to expand Adding a flare to the arts, Houston's entertainment district provides exclusive access to some of the world’s best musical, dance and theatrical talent, featuring prestigious organizations and theaters such as the Houston Ballet and Symphony alongside the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and the Wortham Theater Center. Meanwhile, venues like the House of Blues and the White Oak Music Hall provide electrifying concert experiences, showcasing both established acts and emerging talents.  Parks & Outdoors Click to expand With nearly 400 parks and more than 200 green spaces, including the beloved Buffalo Bayou and Memorial Park, Houston also offers plenty of outdoor activities within the city. Hidden in-between downtown skyscrapers lies Discovery Green, a 12-acre urban park, which offers free yoga classes and movie screenings alongside the skating rink and green spaces. Nestled within the iconic Houston Zoo lies Hermann Park, which features a Japanese garden, golf course and modern play areas, making it one of the best city parks in the nation.  Click to expand Among the city’s top attractions are its amusement parks, including Downtown Aquarium, Space Center Houston, Galveston’s Pleasure Pier, Kemah Boardwalk and the Houston Funplex. Great Wolf Lodge, a massive resort and indoor water park, is also expected to open this year.    Sports Click to expand Houston is also a sports city, boasting many major-league teams and venues, including the 2017 and 2022 MLB World Series Champions – the Houston Astros, who call Minute Maid Park home. Among its crown jewels are also the Houston Texans, Rockets and the Dynamos, which occupy NRG Stadium, the Toyota Center, and Shell Energy Stadium. These state-of-the-art facilities will host a series of major sporting events in the upcoming years, including the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship, 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the 2025, 2027, and 2031 AAU Junior Olympic Games.  Festivals & Events Click to expand The city also hosts several exciting events annually, including the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, recognized as the world’s largest and best fair and rodeo by the Academy of Country Music. In the 2024 season, the Houston Rodeo experienced record-breaking attendance, welcoming more than 2.5 million guests over the 23-day event. Other H-Town known events include the Houston Art Car Parade, the Bayou City Art Festival, Hermann Park’s Kite Festival, the Texas Renaissance Festival and the Chevron Houston Marathon, showcasing a dynamic variety of events with everyone in mind.   Discover more about living in Houston. 
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