I’ve always loved finding the perfect gift for someone. I worked at a gift shop during and after college, and to this day, help most of my family (and friends who ask!) sort out what to give others this time of year. Gifting is my favorite kind of creative problem solving. It requires some love and thoughtfulness, and a little insight into what type of person the recipient is. With all this in mind, I decided to create a small holiday gift guide this season!
I’ve gone ahead and sifted through some of my favorite (mostly) small businesses and pulled out a few items I’ve either given, received, or plan to give for the holidays. Enjoy!
CREATIVESTAY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
BEAUTY
Cuyana is one of the best small leather goods brands I’ve found in recent years. Everything they make feels like an investment piece, and while on the pricier side, their travel case set is beautiful, monogrammable, and perfect for travel or simple organization. It’s pebbled leather, and the cases fit inside one another when not in use. I’ve bought this set for a few special ladies, and will treat myself to one someday!
Glossier is the most aesthetically pleasing make-up brand out there right now. It’s all about minimalist branding and straightforward products. Most women I know who have tried this brand incorporate some or all of its products into their routine. This limited edition black tie set is a good holiday gift and introduction to the brand, packaged nicely with a (literal) bow on top.
PHOTOS
This is probably my favorite section of this holiday gift guide. If you know me, you know there are few things I love more than taking and printing photos for loved ones. Here are a couple of great options for simple but supremely thoughtful gifts.
ChatBooks recently announced a collaboration with Rifle Paper Co., and my first thought was that I wished this had come out last year! I gave my good friend Tiffany a subscription to our hashtag (#tmoandtfat) and these illustrations really would have been the cherry on top. If you aren’t familiar with ChatBooks, it’s an automatic photo book service where once you take a certain amount of Instagram photos, they send you a book for $8 apiece. It’s a wonderfully affordable concept.
You guys already know how much I love Artifact Uprising. What you may not know is that they’ve recently expanded their product offerings to include more giftable options. Custom photo calendars are great because all you need is 12 photos that’ll make your recipient smile, and you’re good to go!
DRINKS
I know plenty of creative folks who love a good drink, and instead of just giving them a nice bottle of whiskey or gin, figure it’d be nice to give them a cocktail kit from Dram Apothecary. This small Colorado company touts the fact that their cocktail bitters are wild foraged and alcohol free without dyes, flavorings or preservatives. Above is the Lemon Ginger Hot Toddy kit, but they’ve also got Alpine Manhattan and Vanilla Chai Hot Toddy. Cheers to them expanding their menu even further! These kits currently range from $32 to $36.
If you’re looking to give someone the gift of drink but have to mail it (or fly with it!), this West Elm cocktail kit is a great alternative. It’s actually on sale right now, with pieces ranging from $4 to $20. It’s tough to imagine this set not looking great in someone’s kitchen. I actually bought Alex something very similar last year, and it still looks great. Always my primary concern 🙂
HOME
Who doesn’t love a good candle, especially during these chilly months? (I can say that now that I live on the east coast, ha!) I recently discovered Thymes candles in a local shop and have been eyeing their holiday scents ever since. They come in a variety of different sizes, so they can fit any budget or make a great add-on to a gift that’s already in the works.
Rifle Paper Co. has been a huge inspiration for me in the past several years. Anna Rifle Bond’s whimsical illustrations are amazing in their own right, but her cards and gift items have never failed me– and I’ve given a lot of them. This recipe box is really sweet, and comes with a set of cards and in several other patterns. I also highly recommend her illustrated books or calendars.
Since the context of this blog is how to be creative, I’m currently working on a post that covers off on all creative kits and subscriptions. It’s a great type of gift for folks who love to learn and create. Keep an eye out! That’ll be live in the coming week.
xo,
T
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