Every year I am in search for the ultimate holiday gift guide. Does it exist? If so, where is it? I want to find unique products I haven't already thought of myself. To me, a Christmas gift is something special that I wouldn't treat myself to on a regular day. I curated a collection of products that really stood out to me this year. Being from Europe myself, a lot of these are European makers (and made in Europe).
So let's give this a try. My first holiday gift guide, here it goes:
The Myssy:
My no 1 gift is the Myssyfarmi scarf and beanie. Not the most creative gift, one might think. But this is not just any scarf and beanie. It's a Myssy. The most unique scarf/beanie in the world, that will last a lifetime - and actually comes with a lifetime warranty. Because the Finnish company guarantees quality. The wool is sourced from local finsheep, the rarest of all sheep. Similar in softness to Merino, the fiber's overlapping scales point inward making the yarn particularly soft. Everything is handmade in Finland, from the natural dying process, the spinning of the yarn to knitting by local grannies. The Lanolin, which is the natural grease that keeps wool soft, skin friendly and naturally water and dirt resistant, is preserved by avoiding any chemicals. It actually smells wonderfully like natural wool! I am completely in love with their accessories and never want to take it off!
The Shaving Set:
I came across this shaving set and immediately fell in love with it. It's a handmade razor and brush set of the highest artisanal craftsmanship. It is really unique and just so beautiful - made to keep a lifetime. Paired with a natural shaving soap or cream and a handmade pouch, it makes a beautiful gift.
The Closca Bicycle Helmet:
This Spanish company is the latest innovation in bicycle helmets and water bottles. Their helmets are super lightweight and fold up to easily fit in a bag or backpack. The coolest thing is, they have a winter visor for their Classic Helmet, which easily attaches to it and will keep your ears warm on those chilly days.
I also love their water bottles, which wrap around the bike or a backpack strap. You can get a separate tea infuser which screws into the bottom of the glass bottle. Download the app to find water stations near you to refill your bottle!
Lava Stone Coasters:
This one is the classy gift. With so many volcanoes in Iceland, Lumo Casa took the opportunity to make something unique out of the raw material and designed these classy and beautiful lava stone coasters. The ancient lava rock sits on a metal plate, which is covered in velvet, to not scratch the surface of the table. But that isn't all. They also make lava stone ice cubes, which simply go in the freezer and placed into the drink without diluting it like water ice cubes do. Both come in sophisticated gift packaging.
ChaiEasy Chai Maker:
I honestly couldn't believe how delicious this Chai tea was when I first had it. You probably guessed it - traditional chai tea doesn't come in a little tea bag that you simply pour water over. The process is a bit more complex. You add black tea and all the spices in a pot with milk and let it simmer for several minutes. That's what brings out the true chai flavor. I use the tea bags as well, simply because I usually don't have the time to watch a pot of milk for 10 minutes. This chai maker provides the traditional chai tea without the hassle (or boiled over milk). You can use their organic chai from India (which I recommend) or your own - any tea will work to make a delicious milk tea! I used it with a lavender blend, added some honey and was in heaven!
The Creative Gift:
This magnetic notebook is made in Italy, is 100% recyclable and even uses recycled graphite to print the cover - the same material the pencil is made out of. It is non-toxic and clean and even writes without the tip, since the whole pencil is made out of 80% recycled graphite, so there is no wood shell around it. And no, it does not dirty your hands ;).
The pencil also comes with a luminescent rubber or brush.
The Vinyl Clock:
Ok, I am a little proud of this find, I have to say. Because it was a total random stumble upon kind of situation. Like myself, the artist behind those vinyl clocks is from Germany. He actually makes limited edition vinyls for musicians and is renowned in his field. In the process of creating those vinyls, there is always a test record before going into production with the design. That test record later gets turned into a wall clock. Yes, it is 100% made in Germany and from a real vinyl record.
Jewelry:
Jewelry is always a good gift. Not really an item that would go on a gift guide, though. In this case, I want to introduce three really unique designers that you will thanks me for introducing to you ;). The first one is Lunar Moose. This Canadian designer makes jewelry out of birch bark, abandoned wasp nests and paper. Yes, you heard right. She finds those materials on a walk through the woods and makes the most gorgeous, small batch, jewelry out if it. And no worries, they are water resistant!
Another designer using recycled material is Winterchild. The maker one day looked at her old tin roof on the shed in the backyard and decided to recycle it, rather than simply toss it. And we're so happy she did! Because what she made out of it is simply gorgeous. There are only going to be as many pieces as there is tin roof available. What once was an "Imperial Gasoline Can", turned into a tin roof in the 1920's and then in the 2010's into jewelry.
Last but not least, I totally fell in love with Carolily. They're a mother and daughter team, making true statement pieces. Seen at the New York and Paris fashion week, their pieces are not only absolutely stunning but also a perfect Christmas gift.
This concludes my 2023 Christmas gift guide :). There are so many more beautiful gift ideas that I have in mind and you can find on our website. I hope you find the perfect something for your loved ones!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Windseeker!