Whether buying gifts for countless family members, taking part in present exchanges with colleagues, attending festive season parties, or traveling for the holidays, December can be expensive. Whether you’re buying a bottle for your hosts or grabbing a gift for your cousin’s newborn, we have trawled the internet to find some more affordable options. Within our $25 and Under Gift Guide there are presents for all types—and for some ideas at various prices, our full BUY section is updated daily.
Hero image from TOILETPAPER 2022 Calendar, courtesy of Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari
Cumberland, Maine-based homewares brand Wary Meyers’ collection of limited edition art soaps includes this cheerful ’70s Bedspread Apple iteration—a 100% vegetable-based soap in a retro color scheme. Scented with a tinge of apple, the small-batch soap pays homage to the myriad designs these hues have been incorporated into over time.
These colorful, vibrant and playful cards have been designed by Heart n Soul at The Hub co-designers Aysen, Castro, Rajah, Robyn and Thomas in collaboration with artist Felix Peckitt. 100% of the profits from sales go back to Heart n Soul, a creative arts company and non-profit that focuses on people with learning disabilities. They aim to create opportunities to uncover, develop, share and celebrate …
From Intoart, a Peckham-based collective of artists and designers with learning disabilities, this sleep mask was created by Andre Williams. The soft velvet fabric features vibrant orange and pink letters spelling out “Danger!” (perhaps a warning not to wake the snoozer). With a satin headband, this playful accessory measures 20 by 10cm. Price is in Pounds.
Founded in Brooklyn by Dr Maria Geyman ND, Masha Tea crafts healing, restorative brews that don’t compromise on flavor. For this calming tea, a combination of organic chrysanthemum, chamomile and lemon balm soothes while imparting lightly floral and earthy notes.
Made in Catalonia’s Terra Alta comarca (or region) from 100% Macabeu grapes distilled with 150 local botanicals, herbs, walnuts and spices, Casa Mariol’s Spanish vermouth makes for a light, nutty and complex aperitif. Aged through a solera system, this fragrant vermouth concludes with notes of cola, candied figs and citrus.
Crafted from premium, LFGB-certified silicone, W&P’s Personal Popper prepares four cups of popcorn in four minutes or under. Kernels can be measured in the lid’s cup and then microwaved in the bowl that doubles as a serving container. When done, the popper (available in red and black) collapses for easy storage.
These large, hand-cut sardine loins are grilled over an open fire of holm oak and then conserved in escabeche—a traditional Spanish marinade which consists of Arbequino extra virgin olive oil from Torre de Canena, as well as Acid for the House vinegar from Microbio Wines, onions and spices. With a subtle but fresh flavor, these juicy treats instantly evoke authentic Spanish vermouth.
Produced at one of the last remaining farms in Huntington, Long Island—Kerber’s Farm—this fig jam is sweet yet not cloying. Using California figs, the jam’s brightness is owed to the addition of balsamic vinegar and it’s given warmth and depth through the addition of vanilla extract, spice and light brown sugar.
A ripened goat cheese, aged for about one year in wax rind, Summer Cloud is thoughtfully crafted at Catapano Dairy Farm in Peconic, Long Island. Firm, tangy and finished with a hint of lemon, this Caerphilly-style cheese makes for a crowd-pleasing provision—perfect for picnics or charcuterie.
Written by environmental scientist Jessica Hernandez—founder of environmental agency Piña Soul and Maya Ch’orti’ and Zapotec woman—Fresh Banana Leaves not only unpacks the failings of Western conservationism, but within the author introduces, explains and contextualizes Indigenous environmental knowledge that proposes a vision for land management that’s sustainable and healing. These practices, born from several millennia of knowledge, have been long ignored because of racism and colonization—which are …
Justin Gill, founder of Bachan, honed his family’s authentic sauce recipe in a way that honors the generations who made it before him. Their Japanese Barbecue sauce is a CH favorite and is also available gluten-free. It’s still packed with umami flavor from tamari soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and koji seed and is cold-filled to eliminate preservatives while maintaining longevity.
LA-based artist Cali Thornhill Dewitt juxtaposes wordplay and photos by Koji Ueda and Yosuke Torii for bold and thought-provoking collages. For the zine Tokyo Olympics, Dewitt collaborated with Carhartt WIP to collate his clever works across 36 pages in color offset print.
