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5 Austin businesses making your gift shopping easier in 2020

Holiday shopping can be stressful, so this year, make gift sets your best friend to save you the hassle of shopping around.
Here are 6 Austin businesses offering Christmas gift sets.
The Artisan Gift Boxes
The Artisan Gift Boxes are curated with handmade and all-natural products, custom-made by artisans all over the world.
Gift boxes range from $58-$200 per box, so you can choose a variety of themes to find the ideal gift for that special someone you have in mind. Whether you're looking to give a very Austin themed gift experience, or hoping to help a friend relax with a self care box, The Artisan Gift Boxes offers easy and thoughtfully made gift boxes you can order from home.
The Artisan Gift Boxes offers local delivery in Austin and nationwide shipping so you can get anyone their gift before Christmas. You can find more information on these gift boxes here.
Bon Vivant Gift Boxes
If you are in search of a sophisticated and well-thought out curated box to surprise your friends, try making your own with Bon Vivant Gift Boxes.
Ranging from $45-$90 per box, Bon Vivant offers many different types of stylish gift boxes for any occasion and person. With a holiday collection in place, this local business offers the best present of all: you can order it from the comfort of your home.
Whether you're looking for a gift set to give your significant other or one to send to a friend that lives in another state, Bon Vivant has you covered with easy ordering and delivery. Bon Vivant partners with many local artists around Austin and is able to offer a personalized gift, with all your Austin favorites.
You can find more information on these gift boxes here.
Texas Capitol Gift Shop
Texas Capitol gift shop offers gift boxes to welcome anyone to Austin. Curated by the Capitol gift shop, these gifts are well-thought out to represent the best part of Texas.
With Texas themed box sets, you can easily order any gift box from home, or if you haven't yet, you can make a trip to the Capitol for an in-person experience. Ranging from $64.99-$124.95 per box, all products in the gift sets are Texas-made and focus on artists around the Austin area.
You can find more information on these gift boxes here.
Austin City Gift Baskets
Another Austin inspired gift store, Austin City Gift Baskets offers specialty curated baskets to share a piece of Austin with anyone.
Ranging from $35-$180 per box, you can choose how elaborative and big you want your gift to be. Austin City Baskets offers local delivery as well as international shipping, so you can surprise anyone in the world with a piece of home.
Austin City Baskets has many Austin themed baskets, including a Zilker Park, Barton Springs, and flavors of Austin basket. You can find more information on these gift baskets here.
Couch Potato
If you are struggling to find the best gift for your friends, why not send them a boozy treat? You can make your own gift basket with Couch Potato.
Although you might recognize Couch Potato as a food and drink delivery service, they also offer gift basket options for special occasions and holidays. You can make your own basket ranging in size and price with local goodies, snacks, sweet treats, wine and beer.
You can find more information on these gift baskets here.
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(Austonia)
May's second election is here, in which voters will decide on the candidates to represent their party in the November general election after the winner in some March primary races was unclear.
Just like the March primaries, voters will choose which party they choose to vote in. Then based on location, each ballot will show which races are in a runoff.
In Texas, candidates must win at least 50% of the vote to be elected. In the races where the top candidate only received a plurality of votes, a runoff is being held.
Here's everything you need to know before heading to the polls.
Know before you go
Early voting for the Texas primary runoff election begins Monday and will last through May 20; Election Day is May 24.
The registration period for this election has passed; check if you're registered to vote here.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. As long as you're in line by 7 p.m., you can vote.
You'll need a valid photo ID to present once you're at a polling location.
Here are the early voting locations in Travis County.
View wait times at polling locations here.
Races to watch in Travis County:
Statewide
Lieutenant Governor
- Republican: Incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick won his primary in March.
- Democratic: Mike Collier and Michelle Beckley are vying to be the Democrat candidate on the ballot.
- Republican: Incumbent AG Ken Paxton is fighting for his seat against George P. Bush.
- Democratic: Rochelle Garza and Joe Jaworski will face off to be the Democratic candidate in this race.
View all the statewide races on the ballot here.
U.S. House of Representatives
View the district you live in here.
District 21
- Republican: Incumbent Chip Roy won his primary in March.
- Democratic: Claudia Andreana Zapata and Ricardo Villarreal are hoping to secure this vote.
- Republican: Dan McQueen and Michael Rodriguez are going head to head to be the Republican candidate in this race.
- Democratic: Former Austin council member Greg Casar won this race in March.
District 19
- Republican: Ellen Troxclair and Justin Berry are vying to be the Republican candidate in this race.
- Democratic: Pam Baggett won her primary in March.
Texas has been home to some of the country’s biggest celebrities of all time—think Amarillo resident Georgia O'Keeffe, Lubbock’s Buddy Holly and Corpus Christi’s famous singer Selena.
The Pudding’s People Map of the U.S., which shows each city’s “most Wikipedia’ed” resident, placed celebrities from all walks of life on the Texas map. As for Central Texas celebrities, there are some interesting (and not so surprising) names on deck.
(The Pudding)
Proving that Austin is “alright, alright, alright,” Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey is both Austin’s and Uvalde’s top Wikipedia’ed resident. McConaughey, who was born in San Antonio adjacent Uvalde, has deeply ingrained himself in Austin by studying Radio-Television-Film at UT Austin, starring in the Austin-filmed movie “Dazed and Confused” and investing in Austin FC.
Heading down just a few miles south, San Marcos claimed former president Lyndon Baines Johnson as Texas State University’s most famous alumni, who graduated in 1930, and was also named in Fredericksburg. LBJ wasn’t the only ex-president on the map—George W. Bush was listed as the top resident in Dallas, Midland, Houston and Crawford.
You’ll see some other names with ties to Austin strewn around the state: Janis Joplin in Beaumont and Port Arthur; Stone Cold Steve Austin in Victoria and Edna; Dan Rather in his hometown of Wharton; and Waylon Jennings in Littlefield.
Venturing outside of the central areas, there are big celebrities who call Texas Home. Actress and artist Selena Gomez dominated search traffic in her hometown of Grand Prairie, musical artist Post Malone was most “Wikipedia’ed” in Grapevine, and Shaquille O’Neal was named in the city where he went to high school, San Antonio.
Plus, Thomas Haden Church, Angela Kinsey, Jessica Simpson, Chuck Norris, Roy Orbison, Ron White, Jessica Alba, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Dean and Johnny Manziel all had at least one city covered on the list.
Where’s Texas’ newest resident, Elon Musk? You’ll find him still in Los Angeles, as his foray into Texas living has just begun.
Click here to view the full map.