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Small Business Saturday: Shop the best 2020 holiday gift ideas

Treat yourself and loved ones with unique items you won't find anywhere else.
/ Source: TODAY

Supporting our local mom and pop shops are more important now than ever. Small Business Saturday is the perfect time to show some love to your favorite local shops and get some holiday and (Black Friday) shopping in.

Content director for Women's Day Meaghan Murphy visited TODAY to highlight six cool local businesses, just in time for Small Business Saturday. Rather than visit the big-box stores this weekend, support the small shops. From hangover cures to trendy handmade T-shirts, these picks will get you excited to shop local this holiday season.

Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s 2020 Gift Guide to find the perfect present for everyone on your list!

Small businesses seen on TODAY

1. MaggieVillamaria

After being laid off in July, founder Maggie Villamaria decided to focus on jewelry design. To her benefit, the Etsy store took off, and now she's in the process of applying to schools with a focus on jewelry design. Villamaria calls her current line "feel-good jewelry" and aims to provide trendy designs at an affordable cost.

These lightning bolt earrings were made with gold plating and pavé stones. Along with earrings, Villamaria also designs necklaces and bracelets.

2. Scout of Marion

Located in Marion, Iowa, this modernized mercantile was inspired by the owner's childhood visits with her grandmother to the local general store for penny candies. The shop features a variety of locally curated goodies, including a cheese counter where visitors can enjoy samples.

Amana is just one of the beloved brands that the store features. As one of the only working textile mills in Iowa, the Amana Woolen Mill has been in operation since 1859 and provides handmade goods including this 100% cotton checkered scarf, which comes in a variety of colors including red, white, blue and gold.

3. Oil+Meg

The artist and mother of two Nikki Spurlock opened this local gift shop in Bentonville, Arkansas, to support and showcase local décor, artwork, candles, pottery, books and more. One of Spurlock's artist highlights this season is from the local businesses Confident Coffee and Pink House Alchemy. The gift set includes a seasonal blend of coffee and syrup that holds flavors of vanilla, cinnamon and honey.

4. NiLu

Based in Harlem, New York, the brick-and-mortar and e-commerce store highlights a mix of unique gifts made by a majority of Black makers. The lavender body butter comes from a brand collaboration with the local Queens company Flo & Theo, which was founded by sisters Mayowa and Ebony who are originally from Nigeria.

This handmade lavender body butter is made with cocoa butter, shea butter and includes vitamins A, E and F to help nourish and moisturize skin.

5. NiLu

Enjoy the citrus scents of this handmade blood orange soap. Featured in a line by New York-based Lomar Farm, the soap was created with sunflower, coconut, palm and safflower and a mix of essential oils such as blood orange, bergamot, sweet orange, tangerine, lemongrass and more.

6. The Dime Store

The downtown Denton, Texas, store displays work from more than 50 regional artists, makers and designers. With the mission to inspire creativity and connection, The Dime Store carries a wide range of quality handmade goods, including this t-shirt that provides $2 from every purchase to Mental Health America, which provides counseling and support for anxiety, loss and fear.

7. The Dime Store

Another Dime Store favorite is the hand-cut wine bottle glasses. Made of sustainable and recycled materials, these wine glasses are also packaged in handmade and recycled boxes.

8. City Bird

For a mix of everything, the sibling-founded shop City Bird showcases art, designs, and handmade goods from more than 200 artists throughout the Great Lakes region. One of the most popular picks is Dave's Sweet Tooth Toffee, which is made in the downtown Detroit area by a retired firefighter and his son.

Available in five different flavors including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, coffee, peanut butter and cherry chocolate.

Other small businesses

1. The Happy Planner

Mother-daughter duo Terri and Stephanie founded the Happy Planner in 2015 after finding success with their original big idea, stickers designed for scrapbooking. Based in Southern California, the company wishes to inspire its customers to live creatively and provides a range of products such as these bestselling customizable planners.

2. Our Place

If you're looking for a pan that does it all, this could be the perfect addition to your kitchen. Created with a handle made to stay cool, nesting steamer and colander, a modular lid that releases and traps steam, this pan basically does it all! It even comes with a beechwood spatula and spoon rest. And if shop now, you can use the code SUPERSALE to get it for $95.

Based in Los Angeles, Our Place invests in ethical factories and sustainable materials, while looking to connect people through the power of cooking.

3. The Sill

Plant parents and aspiring plant owners now have a one-stop shop for everything plant related. All the plants are sourced from local growers and come with care instructions so you can enjoy caring for your plants no matter what experience you have.

4. Truff

Looking to add an extra kick to your dishes? Truff aims to provide flavor and spice that you won't get from a traditional hot sauce. The flavors in this classic hot sauce feature a blend of ripe chili peppers, organic agave nectar, black truffle and other spices.

5. Snake River Farms

With a focus on curating delicious and fresh cattle-raised meat, Snake River Farms produces an array of locally sourced meat for meat lovers to enjoy. Back in the 1980s, founder Robert Rebholtz Sr. aimed to shake up the meat industry with the creation of Snake River Farms. Now people can find varieties of gifts and sets of quality-raised meat.

6. EvolveTogether

Handmade in New York City, each mask sale aims to give back and support a mix of causes, including the World Wildlife Organization, One Tree Planted and the American Civil Liberties Union. Each mask represents one of the above organizations and each purchase will provide donations to the groups.

7. Bookshop

Shop local bookshops from the comfort of your home. This e-commerce site provides a database of local bookshops so you can look for your new favorite book online. For every purchase made, the site gives 10% back to the local bookstore.

This novel, in particular, was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize and follows a young girl in Zimbabwe in her struggles of survival.

Still looking for the perfect gift? Be sure to check out Shop TODAY’s 2020 Gift Guide to shop for everyone on your list, including:

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