New Mexico Holiday Shopping Guide
give the gift of Northern New Mexico
Welcome to Postcards from New Mexico!
Two Sundays a month I share beauty, stories, and culture from this region that has been my home since 2008.
Can you believe it’s already December? I have no idea where autumn went. This past Friday, the holiday lights were turned on at the Santa Fe Plaza and it’s clear that it’s holiday shopping time!
If you’d like to give your loved ones something with a New Mexican twist, I put together this holiday shopping guide to lend you a hand. All of the listings here feature local artists and businesses, which means you’ll find unique gifts and support the local economy.
If you’re here in person, either as a resident or a visitor, you’ll get the full 4-dimensional/sensory experience: bumping up against lovely human beings, the aroma of piñon smoke in the air, and a view of snow up in the Sangre de Cristos and Jemez mountain ranges. It’s magic.
I’ve also included a few online shopping options if you’re not able to get to New Mexico this season. I can personally vouch for each of them as I’ve enjoyed their creations. And make plans to come next year!
Do let me know if you shop from any of these places, and feel free to add more suggestions in the comments.
In Person Markets
December 7 and 8
Winter Spanish Market
Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm, Sunday, 9:30 am – 4 pm
Santa Fe Convention Center, 201 W. Marcy St, Santa Fe
Artists and craftspeople will be displaying traditional Spanish art forms including santos, retablos, and more. The market includes live performances.
December 8
Winter Earth Economy Mercado
10 am – 2 pm
Wise Fool NM, 1131 Siler Road Ste. B, O’ga P’ogeh/Santa Fe
A space for BIPOC artists, farmers, and healers to come together to sell or barter their goods. “Our love and investment in community is stronger than capitalism, imperialism, and white supremacy which seek to divide our people. We carry deep memory of care-based economies rooted in reciprocity and sustainability so we invite you to remember them with us.” Organized by local art collective Alas de Agua.
December 14
IAIA Annual Holiday Art Market
9 am to 4 pm
Institute of American Indian Arts, 83 Avan Nu Po Road, Santa Fe
Over 120 Indigenous artists—including Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) students, alums, staff—will showcase one-of-a-kind gifts for sale.
December 21 and 22
Chimayosa Winter Solstice Mercado
12 – 5 pm
The Old Chimayo Trading and Mercantile, 764 NM-76, Chimayo
This very special homegrown market is an offering from artist and poet Tara Trudell. Find local remedios (herbal remedies), vintage clothing, pottery, jewelry, artwork, and much more, and enjoy refreshments and community.
Online Shopping
Santa Fe School of Cooking Marketplace
A treasure trove of the ingredients and products that make New Mexican cuisine so spectacular. This online market sells holiday gift baskets as well as all kinds of individual ingredients such as chile, salsas, jams and jellies, and herbs. You can also find one-of-a-kind kitchen equipment like a stovetop grill for roasting chiles and black clay Chamba pottery (pictured above).
New Mexico Piñon Coffee
I’m pretty sure you’re only going to find piñon coffee in one place – New Mexico. And this company has been roasting this aromatic coffee since 1994 so they know what they’re doing. Free shipping on every order. The perfect gift for the adventurous coffee drinker in your life!
Dancing Butterfly Naturals
These amazing beauty products are made from plants and ingredients harvested on and near Taos Pueblo. Find luxurious lotions, soaps, shampoos, lip balms and much more. The owner, Addelina Lucero (Taos Pueblo/Yaqui), has been an Indigenous skincare and haircare formulator for ten years. She is also a mother, grandmother, and traditional farmer and seed saver.
Wish you were here!
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