The clock is counting down as the holidays inch closer and closer, but there’s still time left for shopping ideas to find the right gift to show your colleagues and peers just 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 presents as soon as possible, and enjoy the rest of the season in peace.

For the advent calendar enthusiast

2024 may be the year we reach peak advent calendar… or is it? Advent calendars have been steadily making the aisle leap from confectionery to just about every category you can imagine, so arguably it’s a good time to make a calendar-month leap and trickle beyond the lead-up to Christmas to an all-occasion gifting option.

This year’s advent hits in our household were the McSweeney’s teeny-book-a-day boxed set, which evidently struck a broad chord for a niche product as it sold out. My top two dog advent calendars this year – Wufers Biscuit a Day and Zippy Paws 12 Days of Squeaky Plushies – also did not disappoint, delivering high velocity on the tail-wag rating system. And among the many beauty and wellness themed editions to choose from (AKA monetizable sampling delivery systems), Lush’s minimalist approach to plastic was the winner.

The key to advent joy is “surprise and delight”; which goes beyond jargon to be an actual USP. Since 2025 is shaping up to be another “interesting” year with new and ongoing challenges ahead, we could all use a little shot of joy each day, so for anyone pitching product innovation ideas, please consider every month as an advent calendar opportunity. We’ll really need the distraction to get through January…

– Mary Maddever, EVP, editorial director

For the sober-curious/teetotaler

A couple years ago, when I first saw non-alcoholic spirits in a shop window in Toronto, I really couldn’t wrap my head around it. What an odd invention, I thought. Now, after having tried both non-alcoholic spirits and beers, I get it. It’s no wonder it’s become a booming business, with most pubs now selling the stuff.

While I like a drink, I also don’t always want to feel buzzed or groggy, so I keep non-alcoholic beers in the fridge. And there are some pretty serious non-alcoholic beers out there. Spirits are ideal when you want to fuss over a drink but don’t want to feel cloudy later. Or if you just don’t like the effects of alcohol. Or you’re pregnant. Or you need a night off from a particularly boozy holiday. What I find really cool about this burgeoning industry is that it’s starting to appeal to more and more types of people.

This Seedlip Notas de Agave Paloma Set seemed particularly fancy (complete with dehydrated grapefruit slices), making it a great offering this holiday season. Cheers!

– Jonathan Russell, editor, StrategyDaily

For the snowed-under office worker

No one tells you how truly challenging making the shift from being child-free (and always-on) to balancing it all as a new mom and office worker can be. One-and-a-half-years later and I’m still trying to crack the code. But getting out from being buried under work is not just a new-parent conundrum to solve. When speaking with someone in the industry recently, they admitted experiencing task and email overwhelm, and pointed to the world finally catching up post-pandemic as the culprit.

But then I came across Chris Bailey, “the most productive man you’d ever hope to meet,” according to TED.

Bailey helped me realize that the key to the role shift/challenge of an extra-demanding working world is to work smarter, not harder. The Canadian author and consultant turned down two lucrative job offers so he could enter a year-long experimentation of hundreds of productivity theories and approaches, which is then distilled into 25 strategies in a tell-all book, called The Productivity Experiment. Each week, he tackled a new experiment – from meditating for 35 hours over the 7 days to adjusting to four-day workweeks – in order to see how each one made him more productive. His strategies have been a game-changer for my mind, heart and health. Highly recommended for all the snowed-under / multiple-hat-wearing office workers out there.

– Jennifer Horn, content director, editor 

For the status-curious

Birkenstock, Target and H&M are a few of the unlikelier companies that have done lux brand partnerships. Which prompts the question, what constitutes luxury anyway and how have perceptions changed?

The book, The Status Revolution: The Improbable Story of How the Lowbrow Became the Highbrow (Simon & Schuster, 2024) by Chuck Thompson, looks at the changing nature of status symbols and luxury. The sprawling title covers displays of wealth in Greek antiquity, rescue dogs as status symbols, Italian sportscars, hip hop videos, influencer culture, and more. 

– Christopher Lombardo, senior reporter, StrategyDaily

For those in need of some serious R & R

Holidays and year-end, to me, should be all about rest and relaxation. Naturally (and to no one’s surprise), I love a good spa day to close out the year. It’s the perfect opportunity to reflect, plan how to tackle the one ahead, and most importantly, recharge.

This year, my pick is the gift of thermal water therapy at The Scandinave Spa. This Nordic-style circuit combines hot and cold water exposure to promote restoration, healing and regeneration. The hot spaces are soothing, while the cool plunges are invigorating – a must-try. What better way to feel alive than a polar bear plunge in the winter, followed by another round of relaxation?

And for the outdoorsy city dweller who loves a cozy fire, I recommend the Solo Stove.

Who doesn’t love the warmth of a fire in their backyard? This lil pit takes the experience to the next level by eliminating smoke. It provides ample heat, making it perfect for chilly, less windy nights. Extend your backyard evenings, curl up by the fire and enjoy the glow of smokeless flames.

– Lisa Faktor, publisher

For the distracted writer

The truth is, you could probably do your job just using your phone. The little computer in your pocket can help you take notes, edit videos, create decks and even call people. But it can also distract you with social media posts and silly little games. Same goes with your laptop. All the things your phone and laptop can do can get in the way of you actually doing what you need to do.

And turning off all those distractions is easier said than done.

The Freewrite Traveler Digital Typewriter doesn’t have any of those distracting capabilities. It is a single-purpose tool for writing, and that’s it. It has a main 4.76″ x 2.75″ E Ink screen, with a smaller status screen below it, a full-size, scissor-switch keyboard and will stay charged for up to four weeks. The typewriter does haves WiFi so you can back up your work to the cloud, but don’t expect to update any statuses. When you have one job to do, the Freewrite Traveller will help you do it, so long as that one job is writing.

– Greg Hudson, editor, Media in Canada

For the straight-up silly

It’s been an interesting old year – one of stress – but also one of joy and silliness. Everyone needs to find their moment of chill and serenity – and have a laugh. I haven’t been able to dial in on one reco so I’ve decided to concentrate on a theme: de-stressing.

I’ve started scrolling again this year – and two ridiculous things have really grabbed my attention with a number of people about to be on the receiving end. My lovely soon to be 13-year-old niece still hasn’t grown out of her slime stage – and maybe no one should. Slime is fun. And because of that the Puking Ball is high on my silly gift guide this year.

Coming in at a very close second is the Stretch ‘n Smash Pig. Another silly gift that I shouldn’t like as much as I do. But they make me smile – and maybe they’ll do the same for that special someone on your list.

A little less silly, and probably more effective at helping someone de-stress, would be a year subscription to one of the different meditation apps. Queue the groans from my inner circle. “Shocking Neil is recommending meditation, again.” But seriously, I like both Balance and Waking Up as great options.

– Neil Ewen, associate publisher

For the coffee connoisseur

There’s nothing like a good coffee for long working days, right? I’m sure you know what I mean.

I must confess that my love for coffee didn’t begin when I started working as a journalist. In truth, it began during my childhood. I was born in Colombia, which is the world’s third largest coffee exporter, after Brazil and Vietnam, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) data. Coffee is a key component of Colombia’s culture – it is tradition to drink a cup in the morning with breakfast, as a dessert at lunch and with family at dinner. Knowing its history, visiting coffee plantations and diving into the stories of the more than 500,000 Colombian coffee growers and their families who dedicate their lives to the cultivation of the bean is also a part of our culture.

Its bittersweet undertones, combined with chocolate or tobacco, distinguish it from others. Our coffee is even considered one of the mildest in the world, thanks to the natural circumstances of the plantations where it is grown, as well as the production and harvesting processes. That is why I have not hesitated to include it in this gift guide! In Canada, I have been able to buy several through Amazon, but the one I suggest the most is the Juan Valdez brand, which is the flagship coffee company in my country.

If you include it in your gift list or want to buy it as a gift for yourself, please remember that it is not just a coffee; it is a cultural experience rooted in my country’s history.

– Andrea Hernandez, reporter, Media in Canada

Writing about the media industry can be pretty mindboggling. I’m sure media practitioners have to operate at hyper speed to keep up-to-date on new technology and tactics while also making sure clients get the most out of their budgets.

That’s why I thought  Bartesian Duet Cocktail Maker would be the perfect gift for unwinding after a hectic week, or day, of navigating the fast-paced and quickly changing media landscape. The cocktail maker quickly and easily crafts a perfect premium bar cocktail. Just set up the spirits of your choice, insert a capsule, the machine reads the barcode, suggests the proper glassware, then produces the cocktail in seconds.

Best of all, cleaning is easy. It automatically runs a rinse cycle to prevent the previous cocktail’s ingredients from mixing with the next one. So, relax, close your eyes and think happy thoughts while you sip your favourite beverage.

– Patti Summerfield, reporter, Media in Canada