Holiday Gift Guide 2025
Is this a gift guide for the people in your life or things I want? A bit of both.
I spent the year writing about some interesting people/products and I can’t let that knowledge go to waste so I’m repurposing it into a gift guide.
The majority of items featured here are from small businesses that are women/Black/Latino/immigrant/Asian owned so you’re going to feel good knowing your money helps support the work of some incredible people.
I split it up into:
For the food friends and family
For the person who can’t grow up and still counts down to Christmas (The Advent Calendar Recommendation)
For the person who loves sports
For the art lover in your life
For the HOTTIES
For the trendsetters
For the gym baddies
And a bonus “way to show you care”
Enjoy!
-
Ps my sister wrote a bilingual children’s book. Including it here since I don’t have a kids section.
Burlap and Barrel spices. The single-origin spice company uses its product as a way to educate its consumers on where their food comes from. This is my go-to for people who love to cook.
Case of Bawi. I made a TikTok on this Mexican/immigrant-owned brand and it got 100k+ views. The most popular comment was people complaining about how expensive it is. Buy it for a friend or as stocking stuffers. When you get it direct from the company, they offer 20% off.
Kevin Boehm’s “The Bottomless Cup.” You really never know what people are going through. Kevin’s known as one of Chicago/the hospitality industry’s most notable names and yet, this book is about living and not restaurants. Get it for the person who needs a kick in the pants/loves food, specifically Chicago’s fine dining scene.
The $82 fruit snacks from Flamingo Estates which are currently 20% off and here’s a $20 referral bonus.
I recently heard Flamingo Estates founder Richard Christiansen speak at the Kohler Food & Wine festival and in my research I came across this Eater story: “An Honest Review of Flamingo Estate’s $82 Fruit Snacks” and as a fruit snack kid who still eats them all the time, I must have these and you should get them for the person in your life who also loves fruit snacks.
For the football foodie in your life, get them the $7.95 cocktail sauce from St. Elmo’s in Indianapolis (where the NFL Combine is held—so the announcers often talk about it on-air). This sauce is not for the faint of heart. It is made of ground horseradish that feels like you’ve been punched in the face.
D.C.’s favorite gal Katie Fricchione recommends the Mambo sauce from Capital City.
Get the spicy mayo from Cabi for whoever you’re spending Christmas with so you can use it that day. Use Holiday20 promo code for 20% off their gift through December 1. The brand is woman and Japanese owned.
Who doesn’t love an advent calendar?!?!?
Portland brand Straightaway Cocktails is selling a $59.99 12 Nights of Cocktails advent calendar, but I saw at at Costco for $39.99. Description: This pack includes 12 cocktails built with unreasonable care by the Straightaway Cocktails team, including: Bee’s Knees, Oregon Old Fashioned, Margarita, Blanco Margarita, Thai Gimlet, Mai Tai, Cosmos, Gold Negroni, Last Word, Paper Plane, Manhattan, Espresso Martini.
One of the favorite dishes I had at Feld (which just received a Michelin star) was the chocolate dessert. They source it from Svenska Kakao in Sweden which sells a $42 chocolate advent calendar!!!
The Fly by Jing advent calendar is already sold-out with a note that says they sold out October 15th of 2024 so plan accordingly for next year.
Expensive Basketball by Shea Serrano. I buy whatever Shea is selling every single time. The likes of Tim Duncan and Sue Bird live side-by-side here.
Courtside Candy The Culture and Influence of Basketball. This is a fantastic coffee table book for the person in your life who loves basketball. I’ve already got my copy.
Swag out your friend with some Playa Society drip. The company is Black and woman owned. Spend all your money here (and don’t feel bad because it’s high quality stuff).
Izzy Brourman has been chronicling the ICE/immigration court hearings in NYC. It’s a space that doesn’t allow cameras or recordings so to have her there capturing a crucial part of our country’s history is something incredible. Follow her but also buy and/or gift one of her “Pollito” shirts where funds will go to help her continue to do her work.
Bianca Pastel is one of my favorite artists. She is going places and people love her work. Get one of her pieces (she usually posts to IG) for the person who’s hard to shop for. Prices range from $250-$5,000.
Katie’s Pick: LettersByTala: Tala uses a vintage typewriter to print popular book excerpts and quotes and presses them with wildflowers to make bookmarks and cards. It’s a meaningful gift!
Get your favorite moviegoer a movie pass!!! In Chicago that means the Alamo Drafthouse and the Music Box.
All proceeds of “Polite” will go towards the continued documentation of immigration related matters in the United States.
The beauty and wellness picks!
NOON wellness gummies. The brand combine cutting-edge neuroscience with Traditional Chinese Medicine, offering the bioavailability of a tincture in a convenient, tasty format. The brand is woman and Chinese-owned. I’m not a doctor. I’m just an adult who loves gummies and wellness so this was great for me. The gummies taste great so the added health components were just a bonus.
Nopalera’s Bosque Místico is my favorite but the full size is currently sold-out. They have other sizes and products including candles, soaps, scrubs and creams which are perfect stocking stuffers. The brand is Latina-owned.
Martha Stewart’s Gardening Handbook. I think this is appropriate here. Gardening keeps you calm which makes you beautiful.
I wear black and gold almost everywhere so you know these are Katie’s picks.
Unfinished Legacy: Elevate your casual game with this Milwaukee-based brand featured in Vogue. Started by Brema Brema, a Sudanese refugee, Unfinished Legacy has a refreshing take on hoodies, jerseys, and more.
Moda 3: Store and website features sneakers (including limited drops and online raffles), outerwear, sunglasses, and bags. This well-curated shop has a little something for your sneakerhead that seems to have everything.
Also I work-out at home and do whatever comes to mind but Katie does not and she is cut so here is the wish list for the gym girlies.
Taste Salud hydration packs: Whether you’re sweating it out in a class or feeling last night’s partying, make sure your crew is stocked up on Taste Salud hydration. Agua-fresca-inspired flavors like Jamaica and Horchata pack a punch (without the sugar) and give you the hydration you will desperately need this holiday season. Pair it with a shaker bottle for quick gift!
Aloha Collection: A large variety of durable and stylish bags from Hawaii, ranging from gym duffles to small makeup pouches to sand-resistant beach bags that will organize and elevate your gym and travel game.
Stronger by the Day lifting app: If you’re familiar with weight training, but need help with programming, look no further. Stronger by the Day ensures you have a game plan when you head to the gym and helps build strength for your long-term health. And, no, weight lifting will not make you “bulky.”
Girlfriend Collective: She really is that girl. Girlfriend’s commitment to sustainability, ethical factory practices, and size inclusivity keeps us coming back for more, even after all these years.
Wait, actually I do have a rec. For the tech/performance babes, get them the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Napheesa Collier wears one of these (in Titanium!).
Leave a Google review for your favorite small business (where you get your haircut, work-out, eat, etc.). You want these places to stay in business don’t you?
Gift a subscription to your local news outlet. Block Club Chicago always comes to mind.
Katie put me on to The Birthday Party Project which celebrates the birthdays of unhoused youths.
Text a friend when you think about them.
“Thank you for being here!!!”