Press Pass LA’s Annual Holiday Gift Guide 2021
Tis the most wonderful time of the year…and also the most fun, and possibly the most stressful: Holiday Gifts.
From running around to all the work parties you have to navigate to hosting family dinners, and sitting down to send out Christmas cards you’ve been meaning to fill out since Thanksgiving, it’s no wonder holiday shopping can hit the back burner. But don’t worry, we’ve scoured through endless products in a range of categories to make sure there is something available for everyone on your holiday gift list.
Fitness enthusiast? From a long time fitness lover to someone who decided to become a triathlete over the course of the pandemic these weights are sure to be a hit. The great thing about this gift is that the colors make the weights easy to customize and it’s a handy fitness gift from the seasoned pro on your gift giving roster to someone whose just decided to kick off their fitness journey. We’re talking about Bala Bangles. Bala Bangles hit their popularity thanks to the popular tv show Shark Tank. But now, you don’t have to long for them from your tv screen you can just own them and get up and moving from that couch that may or may not be in the early phases of having an outline. The Bala Bangles weigh in at 1 pound each. The weights are so smooth and have a soft consistency that add a constant but comfortable resistance to your workout. These bangles are wildly versatile, they can be worn on wrists or ankles for training and recreational activities alike. With nine colors to choose from you’re sure to please anyone on your list looking to up their fitness game. “Deep Blue” and “Blush” are our Bala Bangles color crushes, who isn’t motivated by a little favorite color pop as they go about their day?
Where are our make-up lovers? Stop what you’re doing and get ready to wow at all the holiday parties coming up. With alot of gift giving being doled out over the course of December and into January this set is perfect for your work party or those New Year’s plans you’ve just settled on. Colour Pop did a super fun collaboration and brought the North Pole and all it’s cast of fantastical characters home to your make-up collection with their Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer collaboration. The full collection is $120 which is a total steal if you’re loooking to wow the makeup junkie in your life. The colors are so fun and festive, it’s easy to see why this would be on holiday shopping lists. Not to mention, this would make a great gift for the teenagers on your list! We know teens can be the hardest to shop for. Once again Rudolph is saving the day, wonder if he thought about going into make-up way back when he helped out Santa? Well, here we are, hope you are as obsessed with the colleciton as we are. The collection includes a lip scrub and mask that come in packaging that doubles as ornaments on your tree. That is such a fun touch incase you want to pop a little extra surprise gift into the season by hanging it on the tree, perhaps there is a cute new tradition brewing? Open your stocking only to scavanger hunt the tree to find your little surprise “bonus” gift. This full set includes the NEW holiday edition Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Pressed Powder Palette! Features a mix of 15 festive shades in ivory, gold, burgundy, reindeer brown and green in sparkling metallics and creamy mattes.
Meeting the in-laws? Afraid to navigate holiday dinner parties? Or just love to kick off a great conversation? Look no further than Table Topics. They’ve come out with a holiday version of the popular table top card deck that features conversation starting questions. This could be an excellent stocking stuffer, host/ess gift, or just a communal family gift to get through dinner (right!?). This little pack packs a conversational punch with topics kicking off at Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and finally New Years. We see this deck bringing out laughs, and good natured conversation for years to come.
Want to tell someone you love them? Like…really love them? Give them the gift of sheets (bed sheets). We recently discovered Brooklinen and we are obsessed. When we say we’re screaming about them from the rooftops we mean it! Their Luxe sheets are such a fine cotton thread count you could mistake it for satin. If you’ve never slept on high quality sheets you don’t understand the magic that a stellar set of sheets can bring to your nighttime snoozing. Good sheets equal great rest. We shared a peak into these sheets on our social media (don’t worry we’ll be sharing again) and we just couldn’t wait to write all about them. Luxurious doesn’t even seem like enough of a word to describe how comfortable these sheets are. The Queen set (which is what we choose) in Luxe which is their best seller comes with a fitted sheet, flat, and two pillowcases to enjoy. Featuring a rich, buttery-smooth weave, their best-selling Luxe Sateen Sheets are the ultimate bedding upgrade. Perfect for elevating your sheet game, these sheets feature a luxurious 480-thread count and a slightly luminous finish. When they say Butter we mean so smooth you can slip right in and doze off. Our choice was in their “Graphite and Steel Oxford Stripe.” With over ten desing choices to pick from, there is sure to be a perfect match for the special someone in your life. Sheets, for when coffee can’t cut it.
It’s winter, well if you’re in LA like us its been all for seasons with a dash of rain in a 24 hour period recently. That aside, we have the perfect fleece for you! We’re working on being more concious about the clothes we put on our body which is what makes Edit+ perfect for your winter closet. Whether you’re planning a ski trip or just want to be cosy while running around town, this fleece is so well insulated you won’t believe it until you feel it. This fleece is known as the RVS Fleece and can be worn as a reversible piece of clothing. With how much room winter gear can take up reversibility is key, because of the variation it provides in just one piece. The best part? The RVS Fleece shell is made from 35% PET-recycled material and the polyester lining is made from 100% PET-recycled material. The fleece is so thick it feels like sherpa in your hands, but isn’t a product of animal cruelty or the mismanagement of our environment. This is a win-win. The company is a small business which is woman owned and created, another major plus in our book. While you can go out and buy big brand names it’s imporant to switch up your wardrobe choices with those that help the environment and help smaller businesses grow to help our communities and planet flourish. This piece is also great for men or women as a unisex clothing article which makes it a broader gift choice. Not only does this provide for two looks, the fleece is also waterproof when reversed, without the plastic feel that many water proof materials leave you with. The waterproof reversible side is as smooth as butter. This fleece is our 2021-22 winter must have.
Skincare enthusiast in your life? Stop in your tracks and check out the Fresh gift sets. Our personal favorite is their Rose Deep Hydration set. The winter months can be an absolute war zone on your skin with all the dry air, thats why we picked this hydration set as our go-to choice for skincare. It comes with everything you need to perk the moisture in your skin right back up. Give us glow. The set comes with a moisturizing cream, tonic, cleanser, their famous lip balm, and a rose mask to help it all set in. You can grab it now at Sephora and get free shipping for a limited time with this code: FREESHIP <– yes all caps.
Not a children’s party game, this is one stocking stuffer that is made for adults. Check out Braingasm if you want a hilarious, adults only game that will have you screaming all the most outrageous sex phrases in the pursuit of winning. If you’ve got dinner parties to attend and your friends like a good laugh, this is the game to bring. Whether you turn it into a host/ess gift or choose to keep it for your next game these cards are a riot. Check them out on Amazon and take advantage of the free shipping fellow Prime members, bonus points if you shop on Amazon’s Smile.Amazon.com site which takes a portion of all your purchases and donates them to a charity of your choice.
Living in LA but don’t know what to do? A wonderful LA local created these cards called “sit in the city,” which chellenge you to get out of your house and get exploring. Alot of the cards are based on checking in with your mental health, while others encourage you to journal or just take in the sights. We love it, because sometimes it pays to be a tourist in your own city. The cards are also great because there are so many hidden gems in Los Angeles and these cards help to uncover a good bit of them. They’re meditation cards and perfect for the yogi in your life, or any friends looking to focus on their mental health for 2022. The 48 cards in the SITC: LA deck invite you to find a moment of blissful peace in the hustle and bustle of the City of Angels.
Calling all chefs. We are absolutely obsessed with Our Place’s Always Pan. Look there has been alot of hype about this pan and we weren’t sure if we were going to be boarding that plane, but honestly we’ve gone first class. The pan comes with a steamer and wooden spoon that nestles perfectly into its handle. With an array of colors to choose from you can customize your kitchen by color coordinating based on your interior color schemes. But enough of the superficial, lets talk cooking. The pan is a great size and is deep enough to serve as a multi-purpose piece of cookware. It cooks evenly and is bpa free. Not to mention the clean up is insane. We’ve gotten used to using some serious elbowgrease over where to clean off our pans, and this pan cleans so easily you could take a paper towel wipe it across its surface and come away with a sparkling pan. It’s insane (in the best way). We love cooking, but hate the clean up and this pan cleans up like a chef’s dream. Our one caution is using the metal steamer it comes with, we do wish the bottom was some kind of silicone or some such material, a scratch from metal can damage the integrity of your ceramic coating which makes the pot non-stick. Be mindful when steaming with the included attachment. We have the color “Spice” featured above and love the pop of color it brings into our kitchen, not to mention its versatility.
You can’t show up at a holiday dinner empty handed and you’re fretting, or you might be mulling over what to get your boss, are we right? Let us put your fretting to ease and direct you to Haute Mess, this European (Italian) eatery is located right by The Grove and their gift baskets are putting all other culinary baskets to shame. We couldn’t believe the quality of ingredients that come so incredibly well packaged, leaing any need to additional “little touches” on the cutting room floor. These gift baskets are ready to go, and come in a range of sizes and prices, making it a great fit for any price range. Their beautifully crafter gift baskets start at just $35 and go up to $150. How is that not affordable? All the baskets are carefully curated by their staff on site and come complete with wrapping, which means all you have to do is show up. A great holiday gift for foodies, bosses, co-workers, ot the host/ess with the mostess that is feeding you this holiday season. All of the ingredients are sourced from Europe, with everything from artisanal chocolate bars, to creamy pestos for cooking these baskets have thought of everything. Our personal favorite was their panettone cake filled with limoncello that was nestled in our basket, a traditional Italian treat, you won’t want to miss it. You can call in advance to place your order, or put in your request on their website. Either-way this easily accessible gift is sure to delight the reciever.
This is for the astrology lover in your life, or maybe you want to spice up the planner/diary collector in your life’s journaling choice. Look not further than The Magic of I. These planners are soft like butter on the outside, with interior pages that are full of life. Wait until you see how detailed the Magic of I planner creators have been in their 2022 planner. The planner even features a birth chart you’re able to personalize, with details on where to find/create yours if you don’t already know. This is so handy for the astrology lover because you can use it to reference how your year is going as you move throughout the year logging your daily tasks, wins, and losses. When did you get a big promotion? Did it land on a day that was significant? Does your success tend to follow the lunar cycle? Don’t know? Well, now you can with this planner. We’re obsessed and can’t wait to dive into it this year. The planner comes in this beautiful black featured above or a pristine white.
We’ll be sharing more of these products leading up to Christmas and New Years on our socials so be sure to follow Press Pass LA on Instagram. For those of you already following, let us know what you thought of the Haute Mess, and Brooklinen sneak peaks we shared.
