In the last few years, I have been trying to expand my holiday gift repertoire. Out with the old and in with the new is my new motto. I have taken a liking to giving gifts that reflect the area in which I live. I have given locally grown and packaged spices, coffee from my favorite neighborhood coffee shop, local wine and beer, and jewelry made by a local artist.

In-town friends and family love it because they can find it again and purchase when they run out or for their own gift-giving purposes. Out of town family and friends enjoy it because it gives them a little taste of where I live and what I do way out west.

So shop local and find something special from your neck of the woods this holiday season - you really can't go wrong.