The clock is counting down as the holidays inches closer and closer, but there’s still time left for last-minute shopping ideas to find just the right creative gift to show how much you care. Strategy is once again offering some advice in this area for sourcing gifts ahead of the holiday, so you can wrap up all your holiday gifts as soon as possible, and enjoy the rest of the season in peace.
Pluck Tea
I’m not sure I realized what “premium” tea was until I had my first sip of Pluck Tea at a restaurant, and knew this tasted different, better, special.
It was the Early Grey Cream that compelled me to ask for the menu to find out the brand and check if it was an item I could purchase myself. But I didn’t have to, because I obsessed and talked about it enough that it was gifted to me.
Among the ones I tried, my favourite ended up being Ctrl+Alt+Delete, thanks to its fun name, soothing flavour (a mix of lemon, ginger and cranberries) and the fact that it’s decaffeinated, so I could drink it any time. It was great to discover that this lovely drink is produced by a local (Toronto) company, the tea is sustainably and ethically sourced, and the business is woman-owned.
Wendy Kan, reporter
Tacit
Profoundly personal, art is a gift that opens up, and speaks to, the soul.
Hanging on the wall of my living room, this exquisite piece is by a fellow South African, Anji Woodley, who is represented by Toronto marketplace Tacit, alongside many other talented female artists.
The online hub is a curation of works “by women, for everyone.” It was founded by Nuria Madrenas, who launched the collective in response to the alarming (yet, sadly, not surprising) stat that only 2% of the world’s art is sold by women.
Tacit’s collection of 300-plus artworks is sure to provide ample inspiration for the season of giving. I’m a bit of a fangirl for Woodley’s work (I actually own about 6 pieces of hers!), which typically includes mixed media and examines society’s throwaway culture, changing identity, motherhood, among other thought-provoking themes. But there are plenty more artists’ work to add to your wishlist or spoil your loved ones with this holiday season.
Jennifer Horn, content director, editor
iFetch Ball Launcher
This is probably the coolest possible gift to offer someone who works from home and has a beloved doggo.
The iFetch Ball Launcher – which I discovered through hours of research into ways I can keep my puppy happily busy while I work – looks like tons of fun.
Priced at US$129.99, this automatic wonder is tailor-made for a small to medium-sized four-legged pal. It catapults mini tennis balls across the room every time a furry friend fetches a ball and drops it into the iFetch opening, keeping them active and entertained. Instead of feeling guilty for not having the time to play, let the automatic fetching games begin!
Sheima Benembarek, special reports and C-suite editor
Kitowa
What better gift than the ability to burn someone else’s money?
This year I’m suggesting a mix of incense – and things to hold incense. Kitowa has a variety of luxurious japanese scents that smell incredible and are organic. My favourite is hinoki.
I’m also a big fan of black cats, so this fun incense holder from wacko maria is high on my list to impose my taste on friends and family.
The world is on fire, so at least let’s have the smoke smell nice. Happy Holidays.
Neil Ewen, associate publisher
Vinegar Syndrome
Despite the popularity and abundance of movie streaming services, many people still put a lot of mental energy into procuring physical media.
For those people, Christmas came early when the popular U.S. film restoration and distribution company, Vinegar Syndrome opened its first Canadian storefront on Oct. 27, in Toronto’s Roncesvalles Village.
The Connecticut-based company, which boasts a catalogue of hundreds of feature films from the ’60s to the ’90s, specializes in horror subgenres like giallo, Gothic and proto-slasher. But, in addition to rare Blu-ray titles, it also has books and comics, merch, music, posters, VHS and seasonal offerings to boot.
It is basically a one-stop shop to fill the stockings of film obsessives.
Christopher Lombardo, senior reporter
Cratejoy
While living in a time of online rabbit holes and an endless supply of nearly all the world’s information at our fingertips, passing obsessions and brief passions are all the rage. So the most fitting gift you can offer to a loved one is a gateway to a new brief obsession.
Generally, I’m endorsing any strange subscription box that might invite someone you know down the path to a brand new hobby they’ve never considered, but the Cratejoy website is a specific spot to find plenty of great, odd options. Maybe someone you know is dying to collect currency from around the world like the Venture in History box contains, or maybe you know some big calligraphy heads who want monthly lettering supplies or maybe the prospective doomsday preppers and outdoor enthusiasts in your life would love a BattlBox to stock up on monthly survival gear.
Sure, a monthly book, plant or beer subscription could feed an existing, healthy passion. But sending someone the gift of a monthly subscription box sets them up for an educational, briefly obsessive trip to feel like an expert, even briefly, about something completely different.
Andrew Jeffrey, StrategyDaily editor
Virtuous Circles
At Agency of the Year, the theme of the fundraising silent auction was “Relentless Optimism,” which the world sorely needs. In that spirit, instead of depicting bidding generously as an act of altruism, our host and auction champion Steve Mykolyn touted the feel-good aspect that donating triggers.
But it also has another key benefit this time of year: a charitable donation in your giftee’s name takes (most of) the dithering out of the equation. Avoid the paralysis of second-, third-, umpteenth-time guessing your present decisions and give the gift that is always right.
At our house the no-wrong-answer choices hinged on which food bank to pick for the family gift exchange, pretty much eliminating any chance of trauma and disappointment. (Wrapping stress is also eliminated with bonus points for waste reduction.)
If you must wrap something – and let’s face it, unwrapping is fun – there’s still time left for an only slightly shortened 12 days of Christmas DIY advent calendar. I make my own most years, and the ritual of opening a surprise little bundle of cheer is a welcome pause from the holiday rush. Mine typically involve a lot of chocolate. Or make it utility themed: use packaging you can reuse, choose sustainable products to kickstart new plastic-less routines. Circular virtuous circles.
Mary Maddever, editorial director
Experiences
My go-to gift lately has been a way to create memories.
Stuff comes and goes, but what sticks around are the experiences with loved ones that you look back on.
So why not intentionally create amazing ones? Whether it’s a first game, a curated excursion or trip away, or sharing in hobbies and gifting the time and means to accomplish their goals.
People remember how you make them feel, so this is a way to show you care and spend meaningful time with them.
Lisa Faktor, publisher
Image via Unsplash
