Making a list and ... have no idea what to put in it? Think Kentucky!

Often “making a list” is the toughest part of the holiday season.

What to get the person who has everything? (Insert penicillin joke here.) Or that person you don’t know too well, but they rate a spot on the gift list? Or the person you just want to get something special; something you don’t just pluck off the shelf at the big box store.

One place to look is where you live: Kentucky. It’s a state, lo, a Commonwealth full of its own flavors, textures and visions. With all deference to Aunt Nell, who already has all her Christmas shopping done — as were told over the cheese ball, dinner and dessert Thursday — as the Christmas shopping season gets into full fervor with Black Friday, some of your friendly Herald-Leader staffers offered up their suggestions for Very Kentucky gift giving.

The art of giving

Or is the giving of art? There are artists constantly creating new, unique visions of our world and their world in the Bluegrass State, and they really aren’t hard to find. Artists’ Attic atop The Square at Main Street and Broadway boasts more than two dozen working artists studios with their wares available for sale. And here’s the thing, there is a wide variety of art to be had, from photo-realistic landscapes to whimsical interpretations, even patriotic and religious imagery. It is hard to not find something you like there. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Visit theartistsattic.com.

Another big art option some of my Facebook friends recommended was the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea. Located at Exit 77 off I-75, the center boasts arts and crafts from around the Commonwealth, all for sale. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and you can find out more at kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov. - Rich Copley

Kentucky’s spirit

When it comes to the ultimate Kentucky present, it’s hard to beat bourbon. It’s unique, it’s local, it’s grownup, and it’s portable.

Can’t exactly put a horse in a carry-on, now can you?

Here are five bourbon-related gifts:

▪ If you are looking for a gift that keeps on giving, try signing your giftee up as a Maker’s Mark Ambassador. It’s free to sign up, and they will get lots of insider news from the distillery plus get their name on a little plaque on an actual barrel of aging bourbon. Maker’s will send a photo. They also sometimes send gifts at the holidays (one year it was a sweater for a Maker’s bottle) and when the barrel is ready they can purchase bottles from it. If you’re looking for a little “extra” to go with it, Maker’s Mark is doing a special holiday bottle this year for $24.95 but you’ll have to go to Loretto to pick it up.

▪ Want something personal? The Woodford Reserve Distillery outside Versailles will custom engrave a bottle of bourbon or rye for you. If you can’t make it to the distillery, you can order online at reservebar.com and tell them what you’d like on your bottle for an extra $20. You get two lines of up to 15 characters each, so be succinct.

▪ Looking for something that’s more “foodie?” It’s hard to be the traditional bourbon ball, which you can get at Ruth Hunt or Old Kentucky Chocolates. About the only thing better: chocolate-covered bourbon cherry, which is like a tiny chocolate cocktail. There are also bourbon marshmallows, which Crank & Boom makes, along with bourbon caramels.

▪ Want to give a bottle of bourbon but can’t make up your mind which? Head to Total Wine or to Liquor Barn, where you can find lots of mini bottles that make perfect stocking stuffers.

▪ Or maybe the person you are giving to already has plenty of bourbon. Then what they need are great books about bourbon. Perhaps the updated “Bourbon Tasting Notebook,” by Susan Reigler and Michael Veach, so they can document each whiskey they sample. Or, if they are into history, check out “Bourbon & Bullets, True Stories of Whiskey, War and Military Service” by John C. Tramazzo. “bourbon Justice, How Whiskey Law Shaped America” by Brian F. Haara might be perfect for the lawyer on your list. - Janet Patton

If you are looking for a specific spirit, here’s a vote for the Henry McKenna 10 year.

OK, OK, I know what you’re thinking: “You want me to give this ridiculously hard to find, delicious but reasonably priced bourbon to someone else rather than coveting that rare bottle? You must be crazy!”

I am, but hear me out. Say you are a humble, working-class journalist who doesn’t have much spare cash lying around. And say you want to give someone a uniquely Kentucky gift that they definitely wouldn’t buy on their own.

It would be easy, then, to just ride your horse to the alcohol store, pick out any old bourbon and call it a day because let’s be honest, Jim may talk about the “nose” on his drink, but he couldn’t pick out Early Times from Pappy. But you’re a nice person and you want your gift to be special. To have meaning.

And you like getting credit for just how difficult it was to track down the perfect gift for that special someone.

Enter Henry McKenna 10 year. Ever since it won Best Bourbon at the 2018 World Spirits Competition, the stuff’s been flying off the shelves. I’ve only been able to get a hold of it twice, and both times I was grabbing one of the last bottles. It also won’t kill your bank account like a “fancier” bourbon might. You’re getting a damn good bottle for $30-$40 bucks and you’re probably giving it to someone who thinks whiskey is a type of bourbon.

Plus, it’s a practical gift, because after six hours of Christmas with you, Susan, Jim’s gonna need a drink. - Dan Desrochers

Weller’s makes a lovely gift, too. - RC

Mill work

One of my favorite grownup stocking stuffers is mixes from Weisenberger Mill near Midway. My favorite is the spoonbread mix, but you can get little pouches of pancake and muffin mix, or fish batter or corn bread and biscuits. And while it’s always fun to visit the beautiful mill overlooking South Elkhorn Creek, there’s a shortcut — you can also find them at your nearest Kroger grocery store. - Linda Blackford

You need a host/hostess gift

Home for the Y’Allidays Scented candle from KyforKy.com. Scents include Holiday Horse Breath, Southern Snow Day (milk and bread), Fried Chicken and Cornbread. $24.

You need a Secret Santa gift: Beaumont Inn’s online shop. The beloved Harrodsburg restaurant offers Green Tomato Relish ($8) and Beaumont Inn Corn Meal Mix ($3), plus Beaumont Inn “egg” ornaments (regular $13; large $25). Here’s the link: beaumont-inn-gift-shop.myshopify.com.

You are buying for a fan of cult soft drinks: The Ale-8-One store ships soft drinks to all 50 states, and offers items such as the Ale-8-One logo buff ($10). You can even buy cases of the soda for your out-of-state college student or members of the military, serving overseas. On the Web at: ale8one.com/store. - Cheryl Truman

These are just a few ideas to get you started on the path to a Very Bluegrass Christmas.