Our 2020 holiday gift guide

If you haven’t already, it’s time to get started on your holiday shopping!

Creativity has been a big part of this year and will continue to be as we finish out the final months trying to get special gifts for the ones we love.

With that in mind, here are some creative, fun ideas for gifts this year. We’ve tried to focus on experiences which are often better than things (especially as many of us have spent the year clearing and cleaning!), as well as gifts that continue to support our local communities, speak to the hearts of the ones we loved, and can be used throughout the year or any time, no matter what’s going on in this crazy world!

Gift cards

Gift cards are a great option for so many reasons. They often don’t expire, they can be specific or general, and they give your loved one the fun of receiving a gift they can then make their own. With a gift card you can literally give someone exactly what they want, even if you don’t exactly know. And if they have their heart set on something they can’t quite afford yet, a gift card can help get them there. Here are just a few ideas to get you started: a trip to the spa with a Spafinder gift card; anything from flying experiences to adventure activities with a Cloud 9 Living gift card; and of course, a personal photoshoot with a Shoot My Travel gift card that can be used anywhere, anytime for a vacation, special occasion or new venture.

Local art & products

You know we’re big on supporting local artists and artisans and so are a lot of other people after this year. We’ve come to really treasure our community which includes all our favorite shops, galleries and boutiques. If your loved one has a favorite local piemaker, painter, cheesemaker, woodworker or some other shop or artisan they’re crazy about (and yes, it may take a little detective work to find out), not only will they love something from them, but they’ll be grateful you’ve helped support them, especially during the holidays, a time when many artists and artisans make the lion’s share of their yearly income. So get out in the community and see what you can find. Or schedule a catchup over a cup of coffee or a Zoom call and ask some subtle questions.

Exercise gear & equipment

Exercising at home has become an art this year, when we saw many fitness enthusiasts expanding their at-home gyms while others used the time to try brand new new fitness regimes and activities. Now we’ve become quite attached to working out at home, as well as taking advantage of the beautiful nature around us for runs, yoga, swims, and social distanced sports. If you have a fitness lover on your gift list, consider getting them a cool piece of equipment for their at-home gym, or some cutting edge exercise gear for their favorite sport!

Subscriptions

These days subscriptions no longer just mean magazines. With all the incredible subscription boxes out there, there is literally something for everyone and every interest. This is a great gift because it can be focused on experiences or items, and keeps giving every throughout the year. And it’s an especially great gift for someone who isn’t able to get out and about, but wants the joy of feeling like they’ve gone on a shopping spree. Just do a Google search for subscription box ideas and go down the rabbit hole. Here area few to get you started: a Habitation Box for someone decorating their home; a Tokyo Treat Box for lovers of Japanese candies and snacks; a Rocks Box for the fashionista who loves designer jewelry but can’t afford it; and a Kiwi Crate with cool projects for the “young innovators” in your life.

Memberships

We all love being a member of something. It gives us a sense of inclusivity and often, exclusivity, as memberships offer perks the regular visitor or patron doesn’t get. And there are memberships for everyone. Eternal learners will love a membership to MasterClass online classes; movie buffs will enjoy BritBox, Disney+, and HBOMax; and those fitness enthusiasts we were talking about earlier will dig an online fitness membership. Remember all the national parks we highlighted this summer? A yearly membership to the National Park Service is a gift that keeps on giving as loved ones can look forward to exploring our natural wonders all year long. Just think about what gets your loved one excited and put your creativity to work! Whether whiskey or wine clubs, yoga studios or golf courses, memberships are cool to be a part of! 

Cookbooks & cookware

Another thing a lot of us got really good at this year without intending to was cooking! Speaking for myself, I started off making my own watermelon juice for much needed margaritas, then progressed to Dalgona coffees and whipping up my own pad thai and szechuan chili noodles. If you have a loved one that also became an amateur chef or barista or mixologist during this year of quarantine, help them keep that joy alive in the New Year. Gift them the perfect piece of cookware to round out their culinary collection or take their skills to the next level. And everyone, even the most novice of cooks, gets inspired by a glossy cookbook filled with delicious photos of culinary concoctions. Check out The New York Times recommendations for the 14 Best Cookbooks of Fall 2020 to get some ideas.

Books and ebooks

Books are a timeless gift, one that expands our minds and horizons (without having to physically go anywhere) and often beautifies our spaces at the same time. And there is a book for every person, from epic novels to graphic novels, short story collections to memoirs. This is my personal favorite gift to give, especially to children, who are still of the age that they want something fun and colorful to open, but you (or their parents) might not think they need another toy. Head to a local bookstore and pick out an old favorite to share with someone new, browse online and send instant ebooks, or just take time exploring books wherever you see them until you find the perfect one! And because we love those subscription boxes so much, check out Oprah’s recommendations for 25 of the Best Book Subscription Boxes. 

Gifts to help the world

This gift idea lets you do something for loved ones as well as help make the world a better place! To start, if you’re sending holiday photo cards this year (hopefully using a stunning pic from one of your Shoot My Travel photoshoots), choose Paper Culture, which plants a tree with every order. As for gifts, consider donating to local animal shelters, women shelters, and homeless shelters in honor of loved ones. Some will even send cards on your behalf letting family and friends know of the gift in their names. If your loved ones are passionate about a specific cause, definitely opt for that one! For other ways to help the world consider doing your holiday shopping at Unicef Market (great for beautiful gifts from around the world), World Wildlife Fund Catalog (a good one for children who love stuffed animals and learning!), and Heifer International (one I often use for group gifts, like families or coworkers).

Immersive experiences

One might argue that many of the gifts we’ve already mentioned are experiences or experiential in and of themselves. But we’re suggesting that for some folks, you need to take it even a step further. Plan them a trip! No, we’re not kidding. Think of all the trips your parents took you on. Gift them one back this year! Or think about how hard your wife has worked homeschooling this year and send her on a yoga horseback riding retreat to Montana (for example)!  Or if you can’t give a trip but have loved ones headed someone amazing, consider contributing to their travels with a cool, onsite experience. Like a tour of London in a MiniCooper, a cooking class in a hillside town in France, a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, a birding tour in Costa Rica, or a professional photoshoot anywhere in the world!