7 Classic Seattle Gifts
The products listed here were selected by a member of the editorial staff. Should you choose to purchase a product through a link on this page, we may receive an affiliate commission.
Image: AJ Ragasa
Seattle Sports Gear
We love our sports teams. Even the stolen ones, like the Sonics. Or those occasionally rusty Mariners. Or the Seattle Rainiers, who preceded the M’s between the 1930s and the 1970s (yes, Tacoma, we had them first). Kraken gear may still be the new kid on the block, but for some athletic nostalgia head to Seattle-founded brand Ebbets Field Flannels for authentic reproductions of old-school threads, like this 1955 Rainiers ball cap, or a made-to-order flannel baseball jersey ($235) from long before the plaid versions gained punk notoriety.
Seattle Rainiers 1955 Vintage Ballcap, Ebbets Field Flannels Local
Image: Ebbets Field Flannels
Local Glass Art
Holiday gift-giving can be perilous. A surefire way to guarantee you don’t blow it? Art from America’s glass epicenter. Local shops like downtown Seattle’s Vetri stock pieces from area artists, as well as art from glassworkers around the world. But to gift glass like a true Seattleite...may we suggest a bong?
Cookbooks from Your Favorite Chefs
No need to work out the logistics of shipping fresh coho salmon cross-country just to discover your niece went vegetarian over winter break. Seattle’s got a roster of culinary stars with concomitant book deals that’ll add flavor to any kitchen, from renowned instructor Hsiao-Ching Chou’s Chinese Soul Food ($25) to powerhouse chef Renee Erickson’s latest, Getaway ($40). Make it easy on yourself and head to Fremont’s Book Larder to nab them all in one trip.
Image: AJ Ragasa
Eighth Generation Blankets
Native art plays a central role in Seattle’s aesthetic identity, for better (like the John T. Williams Memorial Totem Pole, commemorating the life of the Ditidaht woodcarver killed by Seattle police) and for worse (maybe we should funnel some money from Seahawks merch sales toward the tribes whose art inspired the logo?). Snoqualmie Tribe–owned Eighth Generation—whose slogan is Inspired Natives, Not ‘Native-Inspired’—exclusively features designs from Native artists, like this one by master carver David Robert Boxley. Gold Label blankets are made in Seattle by Indigenous crafters, too.
Classic Flannels
Leaning into a stereotype? Maybe. But there’s a reason Seattle’s synonymous with flannel shirts. From lumberjacks and grunge musicians of the city’s past to present-day outdoorsmen and casual-dress enthusiasts, every Seattleite seems born with an inherent knowledge of the fabric’s ability to keep us cozy even on the blusteriest Northwest day. Give the gift of unpretentious comfort with this Feedback flannel from local brand Outdoor Research, pick up a classic Filson, or dig through vintage racks for the tried-and-true.
Vintage Band Tees
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Seattle music? Nevermind—it’s too tough a question to answer. From Nirvana to Jimi Hendrix to Heart to Soundgarden, this region has played host to musical artists and movements across genres and decades. Pay homage to our grunge bona fides by combing local shops like Bon Voyage, Barn Owl, or Gold Dogs—the source of some classic Nirvana finds—for memorabilia you can’t find anywhere else.
Image: AJ Ragasa
Cancelled Plans Candles
Are cancelled plans really Seattle’s number one cultural export? This eponymous local candle brand’s certainly trying. Wrap up bright but minimalist tumblers filled with distinctly Seattle scents—French Exit, Social Anxiety—that are more likely to light your giftee’s fire than freeze them out.
