Downtown Corning Holiday Gift Guide

This holiday season, celebrate the spirit of giving by shopping local and supporting small businesses. Every purchase from a small business in the Gaffer District will not only delight your loved ones with unique and meaningful gifts but will also help strengthen your community, sustain local entrepreneurs, and promote creativity. From handcrafted treasures to locally sourced favorites, small businesses offer something truly special you won’t find anywhere else. Dive into our holiday gift guide to discover thoughtful, one-of-a-kind items that spread joy while making a positive impact close to home.

Soul Full Cup Gift Baskets

Kicking things off with Soul Full Cup’s coffee and tea gift baskets ranging from $15-$45. These baskets include a variety of tea, 5 pound bags of Soul Full Cup coffee, a Soul Full Cup mug, chocolate covered espresso beans, and chocolate truffles. Prepackaged and ready to give, this is the perfect gift for a coffee or tea lover.

Civic Music Concert Tickets

Corning Civic Music Association is a non-profit performing arts organization dedicated to presenting the top talent of today and the rising stars of tomorrow. Tickets to one of these upcoming shows would be a great gift for someone who loves music.

Eleven Lakes Market, Gifts From Your Happy Place

Eleven Lakes Market is a great place to find unique Finger Lakes and Upstate NY-themed products. The store offers a curated selection of Finger Lakes gifts that celebrate the charm and beauty of the area. Their collections include: apparel, baby and children’s items, dog treats and toys, homeware, jewelry, ornaments, stickers, stationery, and more. Each souvenir in the store is thoughtfully designed to reflect the area’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant communities. 

Vitrix Hot Glass Snowmen

Vitrix makes distinctive, collectible pieces that are high quality and affordable. The store has a variety of festive glass gifts for the holiday season including their infamous snowmen. Other holiday pieces you’ll find at Vitrix include melting snowmen, gnomes, Christmas trees, and more!

Connors Mercantile Truffles, Cocktail Kit, Cooking Kit

Connors has a great selection of cocktail accessories and locally sourced cooking supplies if you’d like to put together a themed gift basket! These are perfect for anyone trying to build their at home bar or someone who loves to cook. Feel free to ask one of the store associates to help you select what’s best within your budget. You also can’t go wrong with Connors’ delicious truffles! Choose from a huge selection of these giant chocolates to create a personalized treat that comes packaged in a gift box with a hand tied bow.

The Butcher’s Son Gift Card & Food Products

The Butcher’s Son at the end of Market Street offers a large selection of meats, spices, marinades, and sauces. A gift card to pick out a meal to cook would be a great gift for the chef in your life or just anyone who appreciates a good burger. This gift card would also pair well with the cooking kit from Connors Mercantile.

Chris Bell Painting at The Glass Menagerie

Throughout my search, I also stumbled upon a local artist named Chris Bell. Bell has worked professionally in Graphic Design, Illustration, Web/Print Publications and has even designed shoes for NFL players. Chris is currently an Art Teacher at Horseheads High School where he helps develop the skills of future artists. He has worked with many clients including The American Kidney Foundation, Arnot Art Museum, Upstate Brewing Company, The Alzheimer’s Association, The Headstrong Foundation, Corning Incorporated, New York State Tourism, and Under Armour. Check out some of his recent paintings at The Glass Menagerie on Market Street in Corning!

Ageless Spa Gift or Gift Card

Ageless Spa is running some pretty impressive gift card deals this holiday season which could make for a wonderful “Spa Day” gift. Give the gift of relaxation in the form of a massage, facial, locally handmade jewelry or skincare products by taking advantage of some of their holiday deals!

Finger Lakes Provisions Wine Advent Calendar

Finger Lakes Provisions has this spectacular wine advent calendar for the month leading up to Christmas! This is the perfect gift for someone who wants to expand their wine pallet or for anyone entertaining this holiday season. Even if you don’t use it as a daily advent calendar, this makes for a great variety of wine for hosting and gifting throughout the holidays. 

Rabbit Row Craft Kits

These are the perfect gift for that special crafty someone. Rabbit Row Yarns & Haberdashery has craft kits that include knitting, embroidery, crochet, and more. These also make great stocking stuffers! Rabbit Row offers a curated collection of sustainable materials and tools that are US-sourced and represent diversity and fair trade. 

Dinner & Axe Throwing

Axe throwing makes for a great date night or night out with friends! Come check out the Axe Lounge above Three Birds Restaurant and purchase a gift card for your night of fun. Three Birds offers walk-ins or dual reservations for dinner and axe throwing. 

Gift Card to Your Favorite Restaurant

Another simple and easy option to support local restaurants or plan for a trip to Corning would be to purchase a gift card for your favorite restaurant! Here are some of my personal favorites:

The Quincy Exchange

Dippity Do Dahs

Shopping locally during the holiday season is a wonderful way to find unique, heartfelt gifts while supporting the businesses that make our community special. From handcrafted treasures to locally sourced treats, there’s something for everyone on your list right here in our backyard. As you check off your gift list, remember that every purchase helps keep our local economy thriving and our neighborhoods vibrant. Stay tuned for a possible second post, where we can spotlight even more local gems and share ideas for experience-based gifts that create lasting memories. Happy holiday shopping!