Last-minute gift ideas for South Mississippians

Christmas is next week, and many in South Mississippi are still searching for the perfect gift.

Luckily, local businesses have plenty of options.

Local artists, crafters, bakers and candy-makers have gifts many people crave.

The candy case is filled with tempting chocolates made at Flower Patch Florist and Gifts in Gautier.

The store is known for locally made gifts, which shop owner Etta Saxton and her family have made and featured for 48 years. The store is packed with ideas such as Sandhill cranes, pelicans and music boxes.

For those who can't decide, "We do Mississippi baskets," she said, "with everything in it made in Mississippi."

A gift certificate to a local restaurant is also a great gift, or treats friends and family to passes for the local museums, or a day at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center playing in the treehouses.

Sometimes the best gifts are experiences: Tickets to the movies, a day at Infinity Science Center exploring the world and eating astronaut ice cream, Biloxi Shuckers' T-shirts with tickets to a game this spring.

Dad doesn't dream of another tie, but he probably would like tickets to the rodeo or beer fest at the Coast Coliseum in January.

Downtown Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis are fun places find one-of-a-kind gifts -- and stop for a coffee or lunch at one of the cafes.

"My shop opened in March so I'm a new store keeper in the Bay," said Janice Guido, owner of Bay Life Gifts in downtown Bay St. Louis.

"I like to support my local artists and crafters," she said, as she pointed out the large acrylics painted by local artist Tehle McGuffee.

Marie Schexnaider, who recently moved to Diamondhead, was shopping last week with her sister Marylee Ings of California and her niece Robin Christensen of Colorado and admiring the handmade ornaments and gifts at the store.

It's fun to treat yourself to one of the locally made gifts. "Most of this is going to hang in my new home," Schexnaider said.

For gifts that last all year, Coast photographer Alex North has captured South Mississippi's sunsets and wildlife in a calendar and book that are sold together or separately. They are available at the Biloxi Visitors Center, where a Holiday Open House on Dec. 19 will feature local artists and crafters showing, selling and signing their creations.

This story was originally published December 14, 2015 at 10:38 PM with the headline "Last-minute gift ideas for South Mississippians ."