As we move out of summer and into fall, more and more farm store visitors are purchasing Christmas gifts. In preparation for the crazy Christmas shopping season, I’m already stocking up on our hottest alpaca products so I can keep up with the demand.
How do you know what makes a great alpaca gift? I approach this question four ways:
- Top selling alpaca gifts
- Gifts by the special person in your life - mom, dad, grandma
- Gifts by gender, age, or personality type - teacher, babysitter, friend
- Gifts by medical condition - diabetes, Reynolds, cancer
In today’s alpaca buying guide, I’ll walk you through my favorite alpaca gifts and break the recommendations out so you can use the guide to purchase presents online or at your local alpaca farm store. I’ll cover a variety of personality types and offer some gift ideas for each. Keep in mind, that many of these sections can overlap.
Need a gift wrapped? We have that covered too and I talk about this at the end of the article.
Gifts for Mom or Wife
I am both a mom and a wife. I know shopping for me can be hard and I'm not an isolated case. After all, most mothers (including me) never have anything they want and they never give you a Christmas wish list. This means you have to be creative.
My gift recommendations for moms and wives:
- Alpaca scarves
- Alpaca slippers
- Alpaca capes
- Alpaca ponchos and ruanas
- Alpaca socks
- Alpaca sweaters for women
- Alpaca gloves and mittens
- Alpaca nesting ball
- Alpaca ornaments
My gift recommendations come from watching thousands of women shop in our alpaca store.
A note on sizes:
- Socks and slippers will need a show size, so peak inside your coat closet. Some socks come in only two sizes, which makes it much easier to find the right size.
- Capes, ponchos, and ruanas are great because they are one size fits all.
- Sweaters require the right size, so check to see if she is a S, M, L, or XL on any top or shirt in her closet. Sweaters tend to be a high return item because men gift the wrong size, so make sure you check her closet as suggested.
- Gloves and mittens are one size fits all, but we do have gloves that are better suited for small vs. large hands and vice versa. Each product description will provide measurements to help guide you.
Dad or Husband
I enjoy watching dads and husbands browse the store. I expected the men to always browse through the beanies, alpaca gloves, and heavy socks, but they always surprise me. Men also are big fans of woven alpaca scarves and sweaters.
Learn more about our gift recommendations for dads and husbands:
Keep an eye out for our Michigander socks. They are made from our alpaca fiber and made in the USA.
Grandma
What do you give to the woman who has given her entire life? I know grandmas can be hard to shop for, but they don't have to be. The older ladies who walk into my gift shop want to buy everything in sight.
Learn more about our gift recommendations for grandmas:
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- Alpaca yarn (recommend 2 skeins or more)
- Handmade alpaca shawls
- Warm and snuggly alpaca blankets
- Alpaca socks
- Alpaca slippers
Keep an eye out for our American throws. They are made from our alpaca fiber and made in the USA.
Boys and Girls
Young girls love alpacas and I have made every attempt possible to keep fun gifts available for them. From stuffed alpacas and our farm’s custom alpaca coloring book to llama Barbie and traditional Andean dolls, we have lots of great gifts for the young lady in your life.
While lots of young boys also love a plush alpaca, many opted for alpaca and llama games that include spitting and pooping. Yes, there are alpaca and llama games for both. We have lots of games for the young men on your Christmas shopping list.
Learn more about our gift recommendations for boys and girls:
- Stuffed alpaca in real alpaca fur
- Alpaca coloring book (features our own alpacas and stories)
- Llama Barbie
- Alpaca stamps
- Alpaca sticker packs
- Alpaca stress toys
- Alpaca-opoly board game
- Alpaca puzzles
- Llama erasers
- Knit llama pens
As an added bonus, lots of these items are small enough to place into Christmas stockings.
Babysitter
When babysitters walk into our farm store they immediately pick up the finger puppets. I love this because it is a gift for the babysitter and the children they watch. Another popular item is the alpaca head keychains. Who am I kidding? These keychains are the most popular items in the store! T-shirts and magnets round out my suggestions for babysitter gifts.
Learn more about our gift recommendations for babysitters:
College Student
Finglerless gloves, warm scarves, and alpaca hats would be my gift recommendation for college students. These alpaca gifts mix function with fashion and they produce a gift most college students wouldn’t think of buying for themselves. Alpaca socks are also a great option for students in colder climates. Those walks across campus can be cold in winter!
Learn more about our gift recommendations for college students:
Teacher, Coworker, or Friend
When thinking about gifts for friends, coworkers, or teachers consider their interest levels or things they discuss struggling with. When you zero in on their individual hobbies, passion, or even medical condition you'll quickly find a bunch of great ideas for gifts.
Learn more about our gift recommendations for non-family members:
- Baker - Alpaca cookie cutter
- Professional - Causal socks or warm wraps
- Fashionista - Fur alpaca scarf or fur hat
- Horse lover - Alpaca saddle pads
- Hunter - Alpaca socks
- Nature lover - Alpaca dryer balls
- Sports enthusiast - Alpaca ski socks or hiking socks
- An avid traveler - Alpaca poncho, lightweight baby alpaca shawl, or alpaca scarf
- Cancer patient - Alpaca chemo hats
- Diabetic - Therapeutic alpaca socks
- Raynaud's suffer - Michigander alpaca socks
Need Help Shopping?
For many people gift giving can be a stressful event. It doesn't have to be. I prefer to give gifts over receiving gifts, so buying presents is a fun event for me. I love Christmas, so Christmas presents make it even more special.
And yes, I'm also that person who loves wrapping all the presents too. So much so, that I've started offering gift wrapping for online orders. You can request this via any product page and you'll be able to select from a number of different styles of wrapping paper. Then before we ship out your order, I will personally wrap it. This allows you to quickly buy wrapped gifts, and then send them directly to your receiver.
If you’re still not sure which alpaca gift is right, I encourage you to head on to our onsite farm store in Thompsonville, Michigan, or browse through our online alpaca store. I’m happy to help make suggestions on presents and give you fun alpaca gift ideas, so feel free to send in an inquiry or drop a comment below.
