The 10 Best Colorado Gifts for Less Than $25

No need to break the bank this holiday season because a little goes a long way with these gifts. Whether it’s your son’s second-grade teacher or your friendly neighbor, not everyone on your list needs a big-ticket item.

So, we’ve rounded up 10 locally made gifts, from handcrafted soaps to fresh-pressed cocktail mixers that will spread a little cheer—without straining your wallet. After all, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Isa Catto Studio List-It Notebooks

To-do lists, grocery lists, holiday wish lists: Whatever kind of lineup your friend or family member might need to create, the lined pages and checkboxes in the List-It Notebooks ($14) from Isa Catto Studio are up to the task. Each notebook cover features one of the Colorado artist’s original designs—many of which are inspired by the beauty of the Centennial State. The geometric pattern adorning her Ode to Joy notebook, for example, evokes the colors of Aspen in the summer, while the lush greens in Spring Field mimic the various shades you’ll find painting the peaks during springtime in the Colorado Rockies. Available online and at various retailers

Bibamba Hot Chocolate Mix

Hot cocoa is a cold-weather staple, but have you ever looked at the ingredients in that box of Swiss Miss? Trust us when we say your giftee deserves an upgrade. With the premium mix ($17 for eight servings) from Bibamba, a four-year-old chocolate company with ties to both Denver and Cameroon, your recipient gets a heavenly cup containing minimal ingredients: cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, and Madagascar vanilla beans, plus the milk (or milk alternative) this luxurious mix is stirred into. Best of all, they’ll be sipping with a clean conscience: Husband-and-wife founders Patrick and Mara Tcheunou are just as passionate about using sustainable and ethical farming practices as they are about producing high-quality chocolate indulgences. Available online and at various retailers

Backpacker’s Pantry Camp Meals

For the hiking pal who’s tired of trailside PB&Js and squashed granola bars, wrap up one of the flavorful, freeze-dried meals from Boulder’s own Backpacker’s Pantry. Choose from nearly 50 breakfasts, dinner entrees, and desserts, including the bestselling, moderately spicy Pad Thai—available with ($12.99) and without chicken ($9.99)—and the new-this-year Drunken Noodles with Chicken ($12.99), which features wide rice noodles sourced directly from Thailand. Available online and at various retailers

Best Tent Camping: Colorado

Give the gift of the outdoors with this comprehensive guide to camping in the Centennial State. Written by Monica Stockbridge, Best Tent Camping: Colorado ($17) details 50 great car campgrounds in national parks, state parks, and more. She rates all the sites based on criteria such as beauty, privacy, safety, and cleanliness. And, of course, the book comes with full-color photos so you know exactly what to expect during your evening under the stars. Available online

Matador Travel Equipment Refillable Toothpaste Tubes

No doubt your eco-conscious vacation buddy hates the waste of tiny yet TSA-mandated toothpaste. Matador Travel Equipment, which has its HQ in Boulder, has a simply brilliant solution: refillable tubes designed specifically for your Crest or Colgate ($10 for a two-pack). Easy to clean (simply toss them in the dishwasher) and BPA-free, these handy screw-top containers are ready to hold one-week and two-week supplies of your giftee’s preferred paste. File this gift idea under “things they never knew they needed.” Available online and at various retailers

Osmia Craft Series Body Soaps

Don’t think you have enough spare dough to send your friend to the spa? Au contraire. Put a bow on one of the decadent bar soaps in the Craft Series ($22–$25) from Carbondale-based natural skincare brand Osmia, and your gift recipient will have a private aromatherapy session with each shower. Whether you opt for cranberry spice, blue spruce, or one of the other holiday-inspired scents, you’ll bring a meditative element to your loved one’s morning routine. Available online and at various retailers

Cocktail Caravan Fresh-Pressed Cocktail Mixers

Special holiday beverages taste better when they’re made with locally sourced ingredients. At least, that’s the idea behind Cocktail Caravan’s fresh-pressed mixers ($18) made in Boulder. There are a number of seasonal releases, like the Vixen, which blends apple and maple, and Wellspring, a holiday-inspired mix of pear, ginger, and cardamom. The cranberry-forward Santa’s Little Helper is sure to put everyone in a festive spirit, even if you just add sparkling water for a no-hassle mocktail. Available online and for pick-up at 2805 Wilderness Pl., Suite 700, Boulder

Buff CoolNet UV Neckwear

Gym membership? Peloton? Shake Weights? No, no, and definitely no. There’s a better way to help your special someone get buff this holiday season—literally. Give them a Colorado-inspired CoolNet UV neck cover ($24) from accessory brand Buff. Lightweight and super stretchy, these handy neck gaiters are comfortable to wear when UPF 50 protection is in order, like on sunny-day snowshoe adventures. Come summer, the cover’s evaporative cooling properties are great for hot paddleboarding sessions. Available online and at various retailers

Mountain Girl Pickles Corn Relish

In a pickle about what to get your pal? Your friend will, ahem, relish these treats from Mountain Girl Pickles. Fourth-generation canner Laraina James started with the standard cucumbers up in Nederland, but her Colorado brand now offers an array of pickled veggies beyond her original Garlic Dill Pickles ($11). James calls the Pickled Okra ($11) her go-to, but we think a jar of the 2023 Good Food Foundation award-winning Corn Relish ($12) and a bag of locally made chips (maybe from the Front Range’s Verde?) makes the perfect pairing for your foodie family member or friend. Available online and at various retailers

Breckenridge Brewery Christmas Ale

Have a buddy with a case of the bah-humbugs? Hand them a bottle of Christmas Ale (price varies with retailer), what Breckenridge Brewery describes as its malty, full-bodied winter warmer. The full-flavor—and with a 7.1 percent ABV, full-strength—sipper balances caramel and chocolate notes from the malt with Chinook and Mt. Hood hops to create a bevvy sure to spread some holiday cheers, er, cheer. Available online and at various retailers