Treat your loved ones to fun, cozy, and personalized picks this holiday gifting season. | Graphic by 6AM City
What do a literary quote clock, three pounds of salt, and a duck lamp have in common? They’re all in our holiday gift guide. Happy shopping.
Gifts for holiday parties and gift exchanges
Local pick: A Taste of Kentucky Gift Basket | $45–$250 | Curated baskets filled with local treats and handcrafted items, showcasing the best of Kentucky.
Monopoly Deal | $7.99 | This fun + family-friendly gift is a fast-paced version of the classic game.
Three pounds of really good salt | $49.95 | This one is sure to get some strange looks, but its silliness and sheer practicality might make it the most memorable gift at the party.
Local pick:A Cup of Common Wealth Coffee Subscription | $32+ | Monthly deliveries of Lexington-roasted beans — a thoughtful surprise that keeps giving long after the holidays.
Olive oil mister | $9.99 | A handy gift they can use to turn oil into a fine mist or a steady drizzle.
Towel warmer | $150.99 | The only thing better than a warm shower is emerging from said shower with a hot towel.
Gifts for book lovers
Literary quote clock | $209 | Why tell time the normal way when you could use 13,000 curated literary quotes?
Local pick:Joseph-Beth Booksellers Gift Card | Custom Amount | A beloved local bookstore offering a vast selection of books, stationery, and gifts.
“To be read” storage basket | $19.98 | Perfect for that friend with an amazing aesthetic bookcase, this TBR book storage basket is both functional and adorable.
We’ve all got that loved one who is especially hard to shop for. Enter: our Gift Guide, full of ideas that even the pickiest person will love. Stumbled into a little more cash in 2025? This Lexington home just hit the market, and would make for a holiday season to remember.
On This Day
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, leading to her arrest. It was an act of bravery now considered one of the pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement. If you’ve got a hankering to learn more US history, and Lexington history, our museums are full of important knowledge. (National Constitution Center)
Answered
27%. That’s how many of our readers belong to a turkey trot family, according to our poll last week. The remainder opted for a cozier Thanksgiving morning — mimosas, parade-watching, loafing about... I’m with y’all.
Mailbag
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” as the old adage goes. That means Time Magazine’s best 100 photos of the year could fill an encyclopedia. If you’ve taken a photo of Lexington that you love this year, reply to this email and send it in — we’d love to share your best snaps.
Number
$20,758. That’s the annual cost of raising a child in Kentucky in 2025, according to new data from Visual Capitalist. But when it comes to family fun, the best things in life are still free — including these 15+ no-cost activities across Lexington.
Read
The winners are in for the 2025 National Book Awards. This year’s top fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young adult literature, and translated works were all awarded for their excellence. Whichever pages you’re turning at the moment, we think the best place to enjoy a good read is in the great outdoors. (NPR)
Holiday
Is “Run Rudolph Run” already on repeat in your household? A new Finance Buzz study deemed it Kentucky’s most popular Christmas song. Whatever your playlist looks like, consider this your reminder to queue up something cheerful on the way to Lexington’s holiday happenings.
Community
Do you need hiring help? We’ve got your back. Post your open roles on our Job Board + get connected with local candidates in no time. Pssst — did we mention it’s free?
We’re on the hunt for Blaklee. According to a recent study, five out of six Americans named Blaklee (2014-2024) were born in Kentucky. Is that you? Blaklees write in.