2025 The Final Stretch: Holiday Shopping is on!

Every year, I like to compile a little gift guide that will hopefully help you find something interesting for your friends and family. I will shamelessly advertise my own favorite pressies for friends and family, sticking to small and independent shops.

I am German and therefore I love socks. Well, I’m not sure that follows. But I do love love love socks...and scarves and other fun accessories.

Socks should be bought from Bombas.com. They last forever even with hiking, running and gym use, they have awesome patterns, and they donate one pair of socks for each pair that you buy. How can you lose?

For a more high end version of the “favorite sock,” go to Fluevog.com. I buy a pair of shoes there every 2-3 years as that's all I can afford, but the company is small and everything is extremely well made.

I have gotten more into wide toe box shoes since I broke my ankle. They let my feet spread out so I have a better stance, and they prevent the development of bunions and hammer toes that come from overuse of shoes that squeeze your toes together. (If you are younger and you read this now, remember to thank me later!). For small companies that make these shoes, try Xero Shoes or Saguaro. They are on Amazon but you can also buy direct and save the company the horrendous fees. And going along with that, a nice stocking stuffer is a toe spreader or finger socks!

Nestling more into the winter season, I recommend sheets from Sheets and Giggles. Another small and independent company, they make wonderful bamboo sheets that are great if you get hot at night. And again they last forever.

Comfortable bedding makes me think of TV, and that makes me think of tea and snacks. I get all my tea from a small company in CT called Simpson and Vail. Add to that a mug with a favorite pet or person or saying, and you have a perfect small gift. So many companies let you upload photos for prints these days and those make for great personalized gifts. Or a fancy chocolate bar, or a cube you can melt into milk for a hot chocolate.

For a more outdoorsy person, there are cute little extras you can buy such as a cape from raincaper.com with lovely artsy and colorful prints. They also sell shawls, umbrellas and other accessories with wonderful patterns.

And to finish off my little online shopping list, this is a hat I bought last December at a holiday market in the town of Obernai (Alsace, France). The maker has an Etsy shop and ships overseas. 

One last tip, this one is local. If you would like a flower delivery in the NY area, order from my florist friend Robina, who owns the Hibiscus Flower Shop. She’s very talented!