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omeday soon, you will buy your first gift. For many of you, that day will come the day after Thanksgiving, on Black Friday. In a kinder, gentler time this was regarded as the official start of the holiday shopping season, but that tradition now sits on the shelf collecting dust next to caroling, a relic of the past. For now many of you will start even earlier, lining up in front of big boxes at dinnertime on Thanksgiving. Sacrilege. Do-gooders might choose to wait until Small Business Saturday to start their gift-getting, while those averse to putting on shoes, or pants, might choose Cyber Monday. Or perhaps you’ve already done all your holiday shopping. Kudos to you, mythical shopper. If you have not yet wrapped your presents with care or plotted your Thanksgiving-day campaign, this Holiday Gift Guide—the first of four—is for you.

To help you on your annual spending spree, I asked some of my savviest writers to search the city for the best gifts for this holiday season. My directions were simple: We want things that were made by Seattle makers or that are sold in independent Seattle shops. If my minions were able to find items that met both those criteria—well, joy to the world. They came back with an impressive haul of albums and necklaces, dresses and books, artwork and toys that, along with easing the buyer’s load, show off the inventiveness of Seattle’s creative community.

And these guides are not just about gifts, but about the shops, here in Seattle and in our neighboring cities, that deserve your business. So give the guide a perusal, make up your list, and get out there. But finish your Thanksgiving dinner first.

Mark Baumgarten

Editor-in-Chief