2021 Holiday Gift Guide
Having the best holiday available to you means getting the shopping done soon!
Trust us when we tell you that the supply chain is effed right now. Last minute gift-giving is a no-go this year. If you’re into presents, get on it now. This post contains affiliate links!
UPDATE:
We’d be remiss if we didn’t share some of our own merch and affiliate partnerships with small businesses. If you’re looking for a gift for a Pantsuit Politics fan in your life, here’s where you should start!
Beth’s favorites
For adults
I’m in love with the clay earrings handmade by Mariah North. Her Etsy shop is a one-stop paradise for the pierced-ears in your life.
While you’re on Etsy, check out Sara Dixon’s work, which is especially fabulous if you are into the Enneagram. (Get on Sara’s email list right away — that’s where you’ll find out about all of her small batch releases, including a gorgeous charcuterie board that I gave Sarah last year along with a Jam of the Month membership. )
I know gift cards can feel thoughtless, but I actually love giving highly specific gift cards. My favorite to give is a gift card for Stitch Fix maternity. If you know someone who is pregnant, get on that! It’s a game-changer. I love gift cards for local cooking and flower-arranging classes and gift cards for movies and gift cards for local bookstores.
Monthly memberships are my absolute favorite gifts — why not keep reminding people you love them month after month? I especially love to give subscriptions for things that can feel a little decadent — if you buy them for yourself you use them sparingly. I like to show up with an invitation to burn the candle, eat the good stuff, use the face mask as often as you want because more will come! Here are some of my favorites:
Rebel Cheese (vegan cheese out of Austin, TX that is divine)
Monthly gift from Wild Geese Bookshop (my mom says this is the best gift I’ve ever given her)
When you’re looking at monthly memberships and you can, think locally! I love my monthly flower subscription at my local florist. I get a gorgeous, seasonal bouquet around the 15th of each month that I can usually make last until the 15th of the next month. Local businesses love predictable, recurring income. I send holiday bouquets to teachers, too! I’ve learned that most teachers have received enough mugs and candles to last a lifetime. Who doesn’t love a gorgeous bouquet that can serve as a centerpiece?
We also love to give experiences in my house. Chad and I rarely buy things for each other. We buy event tickets. Chad always wraps up a wireless bluetooth speaker and hits play when I open it to let me know what concert we’re going to this year. It’s a tradition that always makes us smile and sing and dance, and we love putting that future fun on our calendars.
In terms of memorable gifts for folks who are less inclined to be out-and-about, consider having a favorite photo turned into a custom piece of art. Lots of artists do this (an amazing listener is creating a beautiful piece for me this year). You can also check out Minted’s commission service.
You can find gorgeous creations at Harp Design Co. for the adults in your life (bonus: the Harps are wonderful humans). I’m obsessed with these candlesticks — they’re both classic and modern, and I can’t wait to incorporate them into my centerpieces for every holiday forever, amen. Definitely sharing with my friends who love home decor.
I’m also planning to buy boatloads of these berry bowls. They are shockingly adorable and useful. I’m going to package them up for my mother-in-law (let us all cross fingers and toes that she won’t read this post) in a beautiful basket with jams and jellies and these napkins.
Finally, I love giving adult friends a gorgeous stocking filled with little products I think they’ll enjoy. Stockings are utterly delightful; why should kids have all the fun? Some of my go-to stocking stuffers for adults: the best-smelling hand soap, this refreshing facial spray, Olive & June nail polish (obviously), my favorite set of pens, and any of the notepads/cards from Emily Ley’s collection.
For kids
I love experiences and monthly memberships for kids, too! Some ideas that we love:
Duo Lingo premium membership (which you could gift via an Apple app store gift)
Memberships at a local museum, aquarium, etc.
Season tickets for a local children’s theater
Concert tickets
I also love giving kids pieces of art (especially babies! Very few of us actually need more toys). My absolute favorite pieces are from Meenal Patel. She also has a beautiful children’s book in her shop.
I buy lots of books as gifts for kids. Some of my favorites: for babies, for early elementary students, for reading as a family with elementary students (aka Ellen Silvers’s recommendation), for older elementary/young middle school students (that’s where my expertise ends for now!).
I also buy lots of art supplies. Right after the school year begins, I like to pick up clearanced-out school supplies and cute bags (backpacks, lunch boxes, and pencil bags). I save all of that stuff to turn into fun birthday and holiday presents. Throw in some awesome markers, a sketch book, Washi tape or stickers, and you have a gift that both kids and their adults will appreciate.
Finally, here’s my mom-to-two-girls greatest hit: I try to anticipate the next hard phase (when bras will become a thing, when the period is just a matter of time, when acne is around the corner, etc.) and turn it into a gift well in advance of the hard thing actually happening. So I bought several cute patterns of sports bras one year as a stocking stuffer — way before anyone here needed a bra. I did a huge gift basket of maxi pads (these are the best) and cleanser and moisturizers way before we hit puberty. I just like to put a positive spin on what’s coming and allow my daughters some space to sort of play with the elements of that next phase. It has made these transitions so much smoother in our house and has been a big confidence booster. I know that doesn’t sound very holiday-y, but it’s a practice that has served our family shockingly well.
Sarah’s Favorites
For the man in your life
My husband Nicholas is a gear-head. He has lots of what are called “everyday carries” and, while I was skeptical, I often find myself asking for his everyday flashlight or everyday pen or everyday pocket knife.
Here are his recommendations:
Budget
Flashlight - OLIGHT i3t EOS A great little flashlight for those looking for a standard battery size (one AAA), and not too many frills.
Pen - Machine Era Classic A solid pen. Takes Pilot G2 refills. The cap and end are perfectly machined to screw together. Made of brass, so it will patina over time. One of my favorites at any price.
Knife - Civivi Elementum. A modern classic. Not so large that you will scare people when you open it, not so small that its useless. Comes in a lot of different materials/colorways.
Upgrade
Flashlight - OLIGHT S1R Baton II More feature rich, brighter, and rechargeable than the budget pick. The magnetic end-cap is more useful than you might think.
Pen - Tactile Turn Sideclick My current favorite pen. The side-click mechanism has a great "fidget-factor" and Tactile Turn's pens are so beautifully machined. Made in the US, several different sizes and materials so you can pick your favorite refill and finish. They have a great selection of bolt-action pens, too, if that is your preference.
Knife - Benchmade Mini Bugout Super lightweight, solidly built, with a high quality steel. You'll forget you're carrying it, but it is a very capable tool.
Also for the chef in your life, here are his recommended cookbooks.
Mastering Spice by Lior Lev Sercarz
Indian Instant Pot® Cookbook: Traditional Indian Dishes Made Easy and Fast
New York Times Cooking Subscription
For the woman in your life
This is going to be like that weird section of the Disney World guide where they attempt to teach you basic discipline techniques so you don’t tell your child no for the first time at the Magic Kingdom and blame it on them that you had a terrible time!
Don’t buy your wife a present. She doesn’t want an appliance or clothes or perfume or a damn robe.
Hire a house cleaner. For the foreseeable future. That’s it. That’s the rec.
If you already have one, take the kids away for the weekend and let her enjoy that clean house ALONE.
Bee Drinking Ball
For your mom, your grandmother, or your mother-in-law
Bee Drinking Ball I love Uncommon Goods and this is the perfect gift for the gardener or eco-conscious person in your life!
CozyChic™ Throw Blanket by BAREFOOT DREAMS® You’re never going to go wrong with Barefoot Dreams - that’s just the truth.
A subscription to PBS Passport Forget your Netflix login, you know what my grandmother really wants - unlimited Masterpiece Theater.
Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power by Susan Page Susan writes the best biographies - if the Nancy one will infuriate your relative, give her the Barbara Bush one!
For your dad, grandfather, or father-in-law
Personalized Maps I’m obsessed with Thunderbunny Labs and their photo maps. They make the process of plugging in photos of the places you’ve visited insanely easy and they have a ton of maps including the National Parks and baseball stadiums!
AirPods I got all my parents wireless ear buds or ear phones last year and it was a HIT.
Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player with Built-in Speakers Great for the family member who sold their record player and now regrets it!
The Great Dissenter: The Story of John Marshall Harlan, America's Judicial Hero by Peter S. Canellos This is a fantastic biography and is perfect for the history lover in your life.
For your girlfriends, sisters, or teachers
Madewell hoops
Chunky Small Hoop Earrings from Madewell These hoops are perfection. I wear them at least 2-3 times a week.
Sheet masks! A bunch of sheet masks (I love to gift Tony Molys) - maybe a bath bomb or two - and you are SET!
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff Every woman (every person actually) should read this book - this year more than ever.
Askinosie Chocolate We did a bean to bar chocolate tasting with Seth Godin this year. I thought I knew fancy dark chocolate. This chocolate blew me away.
For the kids
We take a decidedly more consumer approach over here at the Holland household. I like to see kids tearing open a ton of presents. I make no apologies. (I will say Outschool offers some very cool experiential gifts. My kids just took Introduction to Drawing Studio Ghibli Style and loved it!)
Last year, we did the Future Leaders Advent Calendar Kit and it was the FUNNEST. They also offer Future Leaders Book Club Subscription Boxes for 2022 which feature books that highlight the four pillars future leaders need to grow into amazing humans: Diversity and inclusion, body positivity, emotional health and well-being, and stewardship of the Earth and our communities. Each box will include 2-3 books (both new retail and bargain books, hardback and paperback books may be included) and special additional content to inspire our amazing future leaders. AND they are offering 20% discount on any purchases from our main inventory with the CODE: PANTSUIT (excluding subscription boxes, advent calendar kits, little library bundles, and gift cards).
Ravensburger Marvel Villainous: Infinite Power Strategy Game
Ravensburger Marvel Villainous: Infinite Power Strategy Board Game for Ages 12 & Up - The Next Chapter of Villainous For the role play fanatic in your house - especially if you just finished rewatching all the Marvel movies like we did.
LEGO VIDIYO Party Llama Beatbox 43105 Building Kit with Minifigure My kids love to do LEGO stop motion animation so I have high hopes for this toy that allows them to animate minifigs!
VTech KidiStar DJ Mixer Sound-Mixing Music Maker With Party Lights My husband almost took this out of the box and started playing with it himself when it arrived. I don’t know if this a great sign or a terrible one but I’m excited to find out!
Smashers Mega Light up Dino (with over 25 Surprises!) by ZURU Look, kids love them some surprise eggs. I don’t make the dang rules!