The holidays are a great time for many - spending time with friends and family, cozy nights indoors with some mulled wine, decorating the house with lights and tinsel. The part which many of us aren’t so keen on is buying presents. Sometimes, you just don’t know what to buy.
If you’re looking for unique gifts your friends and family won’t expect, we’ve got you covered. We asked our team for their top wishlist items for 2021’s holiday season, and today’s wishlist is a good one. Whether you need the perfect gift for the friend looking to kick off 2022 with a wellness kick, the brother who’s big into his hot sauce, or you want a unique alternative to grabbing a mass manufactured candle.
Today Malik Moss is here to give you just the ideas you’re looking for.
Based in Houston, TX, Malik works on our amazing Dev team as an Implementation Engineer. While he lives in Texas now, he split his childhood between Anchorage, AK, and Tampa, FL. These days he enjoys getting his sweat on at the gym, discovering new places to eat, and collecting socks with neat designs. His favorite holiday tradition is driving through the city to check out all the Christmas lights.
#1 - Lonéz Scents - Connection through candles
Lighting a candle is always an instant mood booster, isn’t it? Fun fact, Lonéz Scents was actually co-founded by Malik himself with his partner Daneille in 2017. They wanted to create a company with purpose - to display some complex truths about the issues faced by the black community, while encouraging self-care through something as simple as a really great smelling candle. Their candles are vegan, and created with low-waste at their heart; US-only suppliers, recycled packaging, reusable votives. They come in a range of unique scents like Tomato Vine, Mandarin & Sea Salt, and Bayberry & Evergreen, so you’ll be able to find a candle perfectly suited to whoever you’re buying for.
Click here to shop - Lonéz Scents
#2 - Clevr Blends - Wellness made simple
Whatever your morning routine is sets you up for the kind of day you’ll have - so why not start with something that’s actually good for you? Women-led and purpose-driven, Clevr takes your morning latte and makes it mood-boosting, energizing, and nourishing. Their blends include Matcha and Chai, with the goal of making the first decision you make in your day your best. They promote wellness through their products, and that extends to how they actually conduct business; they believe in an ethical, transparent supply chain, and commit part of their revenue to supporting equitable food systems. Help someone in your life start their day off a little better, and grab them one of Clevr’s self-care bundles for the holidays.
Click here to shop - Clevr Blends
#3 - Daily Paper Clothing - Contemporary Lifestyle & Fashion
Founded in 2012 by three childhood friends, Amsterdam-based Daily Paper started as a blog for Hussein, Jefferson, and Abderrahmane to share their love of music, art, and culture, and has grown to become one of the most exciting fashion brands in Europe. Fueled by a love of the rich heritage of African culture, they fuse this with an eye for contemporary design. Their timeless collection of ready-to-wear clothing alongside seasonal capsule collections make for a unique, effortlessly stylish brand that’s sure to win over any fashion-loving friends this holiday season.
Click here to shop - Daily Paper Clothing
#4 - Bombas - More than just another sock
If you read about Malik loving socks in his intro, then you may have seen this team favorite coming a mile away! Bombas make the coziest socks you can imagine, with premium fibers that are durable with minimum shrinkage. Founders David Heath and Randy Goldberg had the idea for Bombas in 2013 after learning that socks were the number one item requested by homeless shelters and made it their mission to help. With every pair of socks ordered, they donate a pair - in 2020 they surpassed 35 million pairs donated. So you can keep your gift recipients toes toasty, and do a bit of good in the world at the same time.
#5 - Truff - Seriously addictive hot sauces
When Nick Ajluni and Nick Guillen met at a party while at college in 2011, nothing could have prepared them for the journey they were about to embark on in the world of hot sauce. Bonding over a love of fine dining, they built up a substantial following on Instagram around music, beautiful women, and hot sauce, before they even tried making their own sauces. Eventually, they took the plunge and spent two and a half years in development trying to perfect a truffle-chilli blended hot sauce in Ajluni’s parents’ garage. With the thumbs up from friends, family, and chefs alike, they launched Truff in 2017 and gained massive popularity very quickly. From being featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2018, to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2020, it’s safe to say the world agrees that Truff is what’s hot. The perfect gift for a foodie, or someone who loves their hot sauce.
