Courant charger | Dosist Passion pen | State glasses | Herbivore Botanicals balm
Presenting: Gift ideas for literally everyone on your list, from the very small to the very picky (and everyone in between). And bonus: Nearly everything you see below is from a small, woman- or family-owned business.
Courant Valet/Phone Charger. I am so in love with the look and functionality of these chargers for bedside tables and entryways – I’m giving my parents a matching pair for Christmas (and I told them not to read this post, don’t worry). The classic saddle leather style – which allows you to organize your knickknacks while charging all your devices – is my personal favorite, but this smaller style runs a close second. Oh! And they were one of Oprah’s Official Favorite Things this year, so you know they’re good.
Riddle Oil’s “The Essentials” Set (pictured above with Kerri Wilder House Jewels). You know by now that Riddle’s Original Oil is baaaasically the most delicious scent of all time – it’s pheromone-based, so it smells different (but somehow virtually always incredible) on everyone – and this set is pretty much the only way I can advocate gifting someone perfume. Perfume is so personal that it’s tough to guess what someone will like…but they will like this. All of the “they’s” will like this. Promise.
Via Nona Hand-Beaded Rings. I love love love these rings – created by a local woman-owned small business – and especially love that you can customize them with any colors and designs you want.
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, by Kenji Lopez-Alt. Full disclosure: I went to high school with Kenji, but I only realized that High School Kenji is Kenji of Serious Eats (and now The Food Lab) fame a couple of years ago. I’ve been following him religiously for nearly a decade, and he is the absolute best at deconstructing seemingly complex concepts with breezy humor. The Food Lab is Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (in other words, a home cook’s bible) for the next generation.
Verve Culture Artisan Citrus Juicer. Fresh orange juice, yes please – and as a bonus, this juicer looks gorgeous on the countertop. This brand, which works with artisan creators around the globe, is across-the-board great – I also love their Moroccan glassware (the colors!), Thai Chef’s Moon Knife, and International Cooking Kits for Two (starting at just $12).
Kerri Wilder House Jewels. House jewelry: It’s a thing! Kerri Wilder is another local artisan, and I’ve been buying her pieces for going on two years now – they’re just so unique and beautiful and unexpected, and she can customize them however you like. Her online shop only shows her jewelry, so DM her for inquiries about what she currently has available in the House Jewels department.
Unicorn SPiT Concentrated Gel Stain. This non-toxic 3-D stain/paint/glaze combo adds a super-cool “unicorn” effect to nearly every surface, from furniture to clothing to glassware. SUCH a fun project to do with kids – just pick up The Official Unicorn SPiT Users’ Handbook along with a few bottles of the good stuff for some fantastic DIY ideas.
PlantHero Gift Card. For a truly unique gift, send the plant lover in your life a gift certificate (starting at $25) that buys them one-on-one time with a certified botanist, who will virtually tour their indoor or outdoor garden and provide them with a detailed custom writeup of best practices.
Digz Washable Gardening Gloves. Speaking of plant presents: These gloves come in tons of different styles, for everything from rose-picking to wet gardening (pictured above is “general,” for more everyday tasks). Pair them with a PlantHero gift card (and a plant).
Rocco & Roxie Ultimate Dog Box. Archie is allllll about Rocco & Roxie’s jerky sticks (and dinosaurs). And I am all about their No Chew Spray. Recommended across the board.
Rare Lumière Aspen Candle. Hello, hostess gift! I’m a fake tree person (cats + real trees = no bueno), so for the entire month of December I have a pine-scented candle burning 100% of the time. Rare Lumière’s take includes notes of oud wood and cedar clove for a full Christmas-in-a-candle experience (and how beautiful is that packaging?!).
Caraway Home Cookware Set. These nonstick, space-saving cookware and bakeware sets are GENIUS. They have literally everything you need, and come with organizational strategies that transform a terrifying pot drawer. And the colors! (I’m partial to Peracotta and Marigold).
Pongo Power Virtual Personal Training Session. This woman-owned, Brooklyn-based studio specializes in science-backed fitness for people of all ages and abilities. For the holidays, they’re offering a 3 sessions for $375 gift package, which includes 3 (heavily discounted!) virtual personal training sessions, a custom fitness assessment and movement analysis, and a 30-minute consultation on how to set up your home workout space.
Bliss Aromatics Diffuser. Finally: How beautiful is this?! It’s a handmade, all-copper essential oil diffuser that allows you to control the strength of the scent (just swing the handle over the highest candle for a strong scent, and over the lowest candle if you want something subtler.
