Curated by Mel
Give the Gift of WOW This Festive Season
I’ll admit, I’m already daydreaming about snowy weekends with a hearty casserole in the oven. Not so much snow that it’s laborious, just a few inches of the light, fluffy variety—the sparkly kind that makes everything feel a bit enchanted. With the cold weather comes festive season, and I’ve spent the past few months searching for unique gifts and treats to share. From Marshmallow Blankets to a Swingin’ Christmas Music Advent Calendar and even duck carnitas gift ideas, let’s gift with gusto and a bit of whimsy this year. 2026 is just around the corner, but for now: let’s curl up in our holiday-themed pajamas and enjoy time with friends and family.
BUT FIRST: CHEESE!
The winter holidays are here and so begins our annual cheese-a-thon. Murray’s Cheese—a New York staple—is holiday-ready with local delivery, cheese clubs, and virtual and in-person classes. But their annual 12-day advent calendar proves the pièce de resistance with its daily morsels of cheese and curated jam pairings. And for my dairy-free friends and family? I recently fell in love with UmYum’s incredibly rich cashew-based Monroe Camembert. It lands on the East Coast this fall or buy online from Besties Vegan Paradise.
Info: www.murrayscheese.com | www.umyum.ca
HOLIDAY CREATIVITY
As the winter storms start to roll around, coziness is always top-of-mind. I adore candles, but I’m always looking for budget-friendly gifts that are cozy and unique, and the Holiday Workbook for Beginners from Tiffany Ascensio Designs checks all the boxes. Would-be creatives can dabble in watercolor painting with the easy-to-use pre-printed illustration outlines. Grab the workbook and one of the small paint sets and feel good knowing you’re supporting a small business this holiday season.
Info: tiffanyascensiodesigns.com
CRANBERRY SIMMER
I love finding the perfect holiday hostess gift and buying it in bulk. Between November and December, the calendar is blissfully overwhelming with soirees, so this one holiday hack saves me a ton of time and stress. This year, I’m all in on Lily Belle Boutique Simmer Pots—gorgeous under $20 stovetop potpourri kits. Lean into the holidays with Cranberry Spice and Sugar Cookie or give the gift of calm with the chamomile-orange-lavender Wind Down Simmer Pot.
Info: lilybelleboutique.com
SWINGIN’ CHRISTMAS
Some years ago, while my husband and I were driving to Connecticut for Christmas, we found a jazzy, swing-style Christmas song on YouTube. He was playing DJ and found a hidden gem that has since become a part of our holiday traditions. So, I was thrilled to find this all swing-style Christmas music advent calendar. Each of the 25 advent windows hides a QR code to download a newly recorded and oh-so swingin’ riff on the classics we all know and love.
Info:
songbook-ink.com/products/advent-calendar
HOLIDAY JAMMIES
PJs, jammies, pajamas—whatever your family calls sleepy-time attire, the holiday season doesn’t feel quite right without a new pair of flannel jammies. They’re the unsung heroes of festive season, keeping us snuggly during family movies and lazy, lingering breakfasts feasts. Olive & Cocoa’s Snow & Stags set is so striking with its deep blue pattern and contrasting piping, and it’s shipped in the brand’s signature wooden crate and satin ribbon—ready for gifting. Info: www.oliveandcocoa.com
JURGIELEWICZ DUCK
The Jurgielewicz family has been raising ducks for over 90 years and remains the only poultry farm in North America owned and operated by a veterinarian. They partner with 43 local farm families throughout Pennsylvania, all of whom believe that humanely raised animals create better tasting food. Meet them on the website, and shop for whole duck, meal kits, and Kosher duck sausages. Looking for a unique gift? Create a taco-themed basket with Jurgielewicz Duck’s fully cooked duck carnitas.
Info: tastyduck.com
WINTER WONDER
If you’re looking for the perfect-for-everyone gift this winter, consider Unhide’s Marshmallow Blanket. It’s thick, sumptuous, and wildly soft, plus this deep red hue makes for a grand statement in any room. Though comparable to a popular Restoration Hardware blanket, Unhide’s version is created with eco-friendly, recycled materials and boasts 14 color varieties. You can even spoil your furry family members with floofy beds and blankets of their own. Info: unhide.us
WHEN IN DOUBT: PIECAKEN
From Thanksgiving to Passover and Christmas, the folks are PieCaken are serving up holiday festiveness in the greatest dessert mash-up in history—the PieCaken. These themed, triple decker cake-pie delights are absolute showstoppers, and are easy to ship via Goldbelly. The Passover version features a matzo-crusted coconut macaroon pie, flourless chocolate cake, and raspberry mousse while the Christmas variety offers chocolate pecan pie, cherry swirl cheesecake, and red velvet cake.
Info: www.piecakenbakeshop.com
THE JEWISH TABLE
The highly giftable, Eat Jewish, delights readers and home cooks with over 100 traditional and modern kosher recipes by Jewish social media influencer and Modern Orthodox Jew Melinda Strauss. Traditional dishes like Potato Kugel and Latkes share the spotlight with Barbecue Brisket Soup, Turkish Cheese Borekas, and Tahini Chocolate Cookie Sticks. It’s a beautiful gift on its own, or pair it with Sur La Table’s Hanukkah platter.
Info: www.quarto.com & www.surlatable.com
TIMMY’S HOLIDAY SCOWL
What an adorable curmudgeon. I saw Timmy Turtle and couldn’t help but smile; it was love at first scowl. His backstory is as you’d guess—a Grinchy turtle who loves to complain but is somehow undeniably lovable and a real whiz on the ice. He’s among the newly released holiday plush from collectibles hub Jellycat. He claims he’s just going to stay in for the holiday and heat up a TV dinner, but his festive attire gives away his little secret. Deep down beneath his protective shell, he adores the holidays! Info: us.jellycat.com
HANDCRAFTED JOY
Melange Collection offers ornaments, pillows, toys, stockings, and more—all handmade by women artisans across the world. The crotchet ornaments caught my eye since most are under $20, and I think they’d make great teacher or hostess gifts. That said, the website is brimming over with gifts with that built-in nostalgic feeling. You know, instantly, that the toy or stocking will be cherished for years to come.
Info: www.melangecollection.com
HEARTFELT ADVENT
It took me all of ten minutes to create a customized advent puzzle on puzzleYOU. The site offers a variety of layouts and styles for personalized advent puzzles and packaging as well. I also really like the brand’s SMART SORTED® custom puzzles, which pre-sorts the pieces into small groups. For example, a 1000-piece puzzle is broken down into 40 sections, each with 25 pieces—perfect for those new to the hobby or family puzzle sessions. It’s the perfect addition to a holiday gathering with friends or family.
Info: www.puzzleyou.com