Consider our 2025 gift guide your newest cozy holiday read. | Graphic by 6AM City
Happy holidays, Charlotte. Weâve spent hours curating our collection of 2025âs best holiday gifts. Read on for 90+ gift ideas, including local finds.
Gifts for your significant other
Local pick: A sparkly piece from Glow Girl | Cost of purchase | Choose a custom chain for a perfectly-sized piece of jewelry for every occasion.
Shiatsu foot massager | $79.99 | Nothing says âI love youâ like a foot massage â give your hands a break and gift one complete with heat, vibration, and rolling compression.
Full-zip flannel jacket | $36.99 | Flannel, cotton, and fleece combine in this ultra-soft, stylish hoodie.
Gifts for parents
Local pick:A custom frame from Framebridge | $35+ | Find your best family photo and choose a custom frame to keep the memory preserved forever.
Car backseat organizer | $25.99 | Gift parents peaceful car rides thanks to a two-pack of car organizers complete with a clear tablet holder and multiple compartments.
Neck and back massager | $59.99 | Parents canât always carve out time for the spa, but they can pop on this heated, deep tissue massager after a long day.
Gifts for retirees
Local pick: SkillPop Classes | $35+ | Whether youâre looking to learn Mahjong or how to make the perfect sourdough, SkillPop offers a wide variety of classes to learn something new.
Garden kneeler and stool | $30.90 | We love this all-in-one stool that functions as both a bench and seat + organizes garden tools.
Local pick:Pins Mechanical gift card | $20+ | Score bonus bucks (read: more fun for everyone) on gift cards to Pins Mechanical. Get a $10 bonus when you spend $50 or a $25 bonus for spending $100.*
South Carolinaâs eighth and newest Costco is now open south of Charlotte in Indian Land, just off of Hwy. 521. In addition to a food court serving those famous $1.50 hot dogs, the space offers a gas station and tire service center, pharmacy, and optometrist. (WCNC)
Development
A new affordable housing community is headed to the Hidden Valley neighborhood in northeast Charlotte. The $57 million property from Annex Group will include 200 units reserved for people earning 70% or less of the median income â construction is expected to wrap up in summer 2027. (Rebusiness Online)
Mansion Monday
North Caroliniansâ favorite way to splurge? Hitting the water. A new study found yacht charters are the stateâs most popular luxury experience. As for us, weâd take our luxury dollars to dry land â preferably toward a piece of Charlotte real estate. (Time Out)
Family
Winter is coming to Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville. The museum is transforming into Wintersville, a new winter experience featuring a sock skating rink, science shows about ice fishing and snowstorms, and arctic surprises. Winterville kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 18 and runs through Monday, Dec. 29.
Seasonal
Donât forget to set your clocks back â daylight saving time ended at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2, ushering in brighter mornings and earlier sunsets. Need help adjusting to the change? Enjoying a sun-soaked morning at a local coffee shop should do the trick.
Try This
Step into the vibrant world of Keith Haring at Radiant Vision in the Columbia Museum of Art. Explore iconic drawings, silkscreens, and posters filled with color, movement, and messages of hope, equality, and activism. On view through February 15, 2026 â a must-see for art lovers.*
Watch
Prolific mountaineer Jim Morrison recently became the first person to ski down the Hornbein Couloir â an exceptionally steep section of Mount Everestâs north face. National Geographic is releasing a documentary about Morrisonâs death-defying feat, with no release date yet set. A local hike is enough of a challenge for us.
Sports
Is the Tar Heelsâ defense the secret weapon for a championship run? Go beyond the scoreboard for the biggest stories on the North Carolina Tar Heelswith Locked Onâs daily, team-focused podcasts.
Not sure about what to do with your pumpkins now that Halloween has passed? Check out Pumpkins For Pigs, an organization that works to reduce food waste by bringing items like pumpkins to farms, sanctuaries, and rescues for feed and compost.
Darby Acre Farms on Hutchinson Lane accepts pumpkins, gourds, straw, fruits, and vegetables + wet and dry dog and cat food. Just drop off your donations next to their tractor. Itâs that simple.
The Buy
A food warming mat â perfect for holiday hosting so your dishes donât get cold before serving. It features seven temperature settings and is made from premium silicone to provide uniform heating.
The fun doesnât have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Ready to indulge your wanderlust? National Geographic has released its list of top travel destinations in 2026. Whether youâre after animal encounters, ancient cultures, foodie paradises, cultural events, or gorgeous landscapes, the Charlotte Douglas International Airport should be the first stop on your journey.
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