Your Last-Minute, Very Philly Holiday Gift Guide
Procrastinated on holiday shopping? Here's what to finally get everyone on your nice list.
Our procrastinator’s guide to holiday shopping / Photographs courtesy of Sabbatical Beauty (left) and Charlie was a sinner.
So, you procrastinated on holiday shopping and now you’re in a tizzy. The good news is you’re not doomed (phew!). We put together a bunch of gifts that run the gamut of your “to buy for” list — from your gourmand bestie to your record-loving boss to your skincare-obsessed sister and beyond. Even better: They’re all made or based in Philly.
WELLNESS
If your giftee is heading somewhere warm this holiday season, invest in Sabbatical Beauty’s Holiday Box. The five-product set includes the Vacuum Cleansing Oil, Kombucha Cleanser, Botanical Acid Toner, Maple Essence Toner, and Asian Powerhouse Serum — all meant to balance oil production and deeply hydrate. But hurry, it’s a limited edition and won’t be restocked! $105; sabbaticalbeauty.com.
Drexel grad Jessica Feld was inspired to create Generation Dragon, a women’s athleisure brand, after struggling to find chic country club attire for her now-husband’s golf matches. Find performance tanks, skirts, pants, and long-sleeved zips — plus casual sweatshirts, vests, sets, hats, and crew socks — that the golf/tennis/pickleball gal in your life will love. $18-$120; generationdragon.com.
For something nutritious (and an easy stocking stuffer), snag one of Reap Wellness’s new Bliss Bite sampler boxes at their mini mart in Fishtown. You’ll get four of the energizing snacks made from ingredients you know and recognize, in flavors like chocolate-covered peanut butter and banana, matcha latte, snickerdoodle, and almond butter and jelly. $12; 1325 Frankford Avenue, Fishtown.
Danuta Mieloch, founder of Rescue Spa, is a Philly legend — we included her in our Best of Philly’s 50th anniversary “Philly Phifty” wall of fame, in fact! — so it’s no surprise the Rittenhouse spa we swear by returned the love with an extra-special Rescue Spa Best of Philly Package for the holidays. It includes their Fix-It-All Facial, the complete Danucera skincare routine (Cerabalm, D22 Tonic, Mega Serum, Cream Supreme, and dual washcloths), plus a soy-wax Rescue Spa candle to bring those blissful vibes home. $838; call to order (1-866-772-2766) and pick up at Rescue Spa (1811 Walnut Street) or ship to giftee.
EXPERIENCES
A class with Midnight Pasta Co. / Photograph by Billy Riddle
Midnight Pasta Co. might be our new favorite food experience in Philly. Guided by trained chef and pasta queen Natalia Lepore Hagan, learn how to make two different pastas before sitting down for a family-style feast featuring your two creations (zhuzhed up with seasonal ingredients), homemade focaccia, a salad, a veggie side, and dessert. Come hungry! $125; culinarycollective.co/tickets.
Take the beer lover in your life to a CYO brew session with the team at My Local Brew Works. You’ll consult with a brewer in advance about theme, style, and quantity, and day of, tour the brewery and its home venue (Globe Dye Works) before seeing the process from start to finish. Lunch with beer samples is included. Prices range, but average $120 per person; mylocalbrewworks.com.
Ball out with the two-hour Butcher’s Block experience at Urban Farmer. Executive Chef Sonny Ingui will give you a private tour of the kitchen and butcher shop and fill you in on the restaurant’s house-grown mushroom program before preparing your three-course dinner tableside. (Your private table is adjacent to the kitchen!) It’s offered only on Thursdays, with seatings at 5:30 and 8 p.m. $350 per couple, beverages not included; theloganhotel.com/experiences.
FOOD & DRINK
New June’s Christmas cookie box / Photograph by Kate Morrison
If your job for the family holiday party is to bring food, count on Liberty Kitchen’s crab gravy holiday kit. You’ll get a quart of crab gravy, one pound of pasta, eight ounces of Pecorino, and garlic bread, all bundled up in a Liberty Kitchen tote. Bonus: They’re also selling a cookie box, “Made in PA” gift bag, and local cheese sampler for a lil something extra. $50 each, crab gravy feeds four; email Liberty Kitchen to purchase.
West Chester-based Éclat Chocolate recently debuted two new chocolate bars inspired by Pennsylvania icons. The first is designed to mimic the mid-century modern windows of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, and is available in both milk and dark chocolate. The other, G. Love Kitchen Sink bar, named after the frontman for G. Love & Special Sauce, blends milk and dark chocolates with peanut butter, caramel, Dutch pretzels, and sea salt (so good!) and benefits Project HOME. $9.50-$14.50; eclatchocolate.com.
New June’s holiday cookie assortment is not your grandma’s cookie box (which — let’s be real — is a Schrödinger’s box containing either cookies or sewing supplies). This festive, lace-lined box is a beautiful assortment of vintage-inspired pastries. Star anise, orange, and saffron sugar cookies, pistachio and rose amoretti, and salted butter chocolate chunk shortbread are just a few of the tasty treats you’ll find inside. There’s also an option to upgrade to a premium box for an ornately decorated gingerbread cookie and an Earl Grey and lemon sugar cookie made to look like one of New June’s iconic Victorian-style cakes. You may have to buy a box for each person you know because no one will want to share these beauties. The standard cookie box comes with 15+ cookies for $55. Upgrade to the premium $80 box for 18+ cookies. Order at new-june.com.
We love the Indulgence. holiday package put together by Charlie was a sinner., Wallace Dry Goods, chef Jennifer Carroll, and Felt+Fat — it’s fun, festive, and alcohol-free. It includes a custom tiki mug, Abstinence blood orange aperitif, zero-proof bitters, a Baharat spice blend, a recipe card for one of Charlie was a sinner.’s drinks, and a fleece blanket just for funsies. $150; charliewasasinner.com.
FASHION / ACCESSORIES
Vintage jewelry from Stone Cooper / Photograph by Lauren Marchese
A sleek, supportive, comfortable winter shoe that doubles as a rainboot? We’re sold on Philly-based brand Clove’s SuperBoot. Even better: It comes in three colors — black, espresso, and sandstone — as if you needed an excuse to buy multiple. $170; goclove.com.
Our wellness editor Laura Brzyski recently made her own charm necklace with Stone Cooper, and she can’t stop wearing it. The woman-run biz has a curated collection of vintage jewelry and fine gems that you can buy online or at one of their pop-up events across the region. Our next buy? The dainty-yet-edgy pocketknife necklace. Prices vary; stonecooper.com.
Junior’s Eagles collab is perfectly giftable. / Photographs courtesy of Junior’s
For the Birds fan in your life who needs to elevate their style, Junior’s Philadelphia Eagles capsule collection is perfection. From a lush cashmere scarf with a retro helmet patch to the instantly classic forest-green wool sweater, these pieces will stand the test of time. Stop by their Rittenhouse shop or order online. $225-$415; shopjuniors.com.
If you can get your hands on one of Made by Hank’s geometric bags, you win the holidays this year. Her designs — made of duck canvas — come as fanny packs, backpacks, totes, and the like, and are oh, so stylish. $52-$248; madebyhankshop.com.
Our digital editor Laura Swartz just got a new puppy and is already outfitting her in Philly-themed splendor. Enter Brixxy & Co.’s dog bandanas with prints that range from Gritty to dollar dogs to cannoli to Princess Diana wearing an Eagles jacket. Get this pup an Instagram. $21-$23; brixxyandco.com.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
48 Record Bar / Photograph by Gab Bonghi
From Pablo Picasso to Mary Cassatt to medieval armor to Asian works dating back to 2500 B.C.E., the Philadelphia Museum of Art truly has something for everyone. $250 gets you a gift membership covering unlimited visits for four people for an entire year plus admission for two at a bevy of other art museums around the country. If you’re gifting this to a family with kids, you can actually get by with a $75 membership, because those 18 and under are free at all times. philamuseum.org.
The musical Rent is one of the most important works of theater of the 20th century. And nearly 30 years after the show debuted on Broadway, the Arden Theatre Company brings us an all-new production of the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play from May 15th through June 8th. A couple of tickets is a must for any theater lovers. Pair tickets with a gift card to around-the-corner Fork for a pre-show meal, and you’ve officially unlocked Master Gift-Giver status. Tickets from $32; ardentheatre.org.
Back in 2002, Beijing-born Yuja Wang was a 15-year-old student at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music on Rittenhouse Square. These days, she’s one of the biggest stars in the classical piano world. Fortunately, Wang doesn’t forget the city she called home for five years, making regular appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as she does for three nights in January. On the program: Tchaikovsky’s powerful First Piano Concerto. Give the gift of music. Tickets from $66; philorch.org.
Vinyl lives on! Best of Philly-winning 48 Record Bar is proof of that. Sign up your beloved audiophile for the bar’s Record of the Month membership. They’ll get a hand-selected album with liner notes, a standing invite to members-only nights, a rewards program, a quarterly zine, and first access to all ticketed events at the Old City hot spot. $40 per month; 48recordbar.com.
GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK
Philly Goat Project’s calendar supports its community events throughout the year. / Photograph by Kerri Sitrin
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention this year’s Philadelphia Eagles Christmas album. A Philly Special Christmas Party — the third and final record of the trilogy — features sweet serenades by Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, of course, plus tracks with Kylie and Travis Kelce, Stevie Nicks, Boyz II Men, and more. All profits will benefit the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center, CHOP, and the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. $15-$200; phillyspecialchristmas.com.
A certain Philly Mag staff member can’t start her year without a Philly Goat Project calendar. It’s not hard to see why: It’s a year of PGP’s resident goats living their best lives at Philly landmarks and benefits the nonprofit’s programming which includes therapy, educational outings, sustainability efforts (like goats eating Christmas trees!) and goat nature walks. “Who wouldn’t want that? No one I want to be friends with,” she says. $17; phillygoatproject.org.
We always get a kick out of Jawnaments’ super-specific Philly references — like their PPA violation ornament. But in addition to bringing a smile to your gift recipient’s face, some Jawnaments also benefit local causes. For example, 10 percent of profits from their food-themed ornaments will be donated to MANNA, while 10 percent of profit from the Fishtown ones will donated to their neighbors association. $15 each; jawnaments.com.
