Lei Chic’s Holiday Gift Guide: 13 Super Cute Stocking Stuffers
These local stocking stuffers are way more than just filler.
Yes, your BF called your thighs “athletic." Sure, your bestie bought that pair of Stuart Weitzman boots you’d been eyeing. (Which means now you can’t buy them, obviously.) Your sister embarrassed you at Thanksgiving with that story about your “accident” in third grade. And now you’re supposed to give them presents? Bah humbug.
OK, put the lumps of coal down. The holidays are all about forgiveness and cheer, not punishing the ones you love, Krampus-style. In the spirit of the season, show them how much you care—in spite of all their failings—with some stocking stuffers that will upstage the presents under the tree. Here are a few of our favorite little trinkets and treats from local boutiques and designers that are as merry as can be.
1. Stuck on the naughty list? Let’s renegotiate with this cheeky birch ornament from Hawai‘i Calligraphy. $24.95, Owens & Co., 1152 Nu‘uanu Ave.
2. Pint-sized candles from the Mainland-based, Hawai‘i-hailing team at Makana Candles are just petite enough to fit into a stocking—but the tropical scents still make a big impact. We love grapefruit lychee for the gals and acacia sandalwood for the guys. $12, makanastudios.com.
3. Forget the hot toddies. These mini Hot Mint Chocolate Massage Bars from Indigo Elixirs are the type of holiday refreshment they’re really looking for—especially if you throw in a massage. $7, indigoelixirs.com.
4. Who doesn’t have to jot things down once in a while? Pop these pencils from Rifle Paper Co. into your artist, writer and doodler friends' stockings to make sketch time a little prettier. $15 for a pack of 12, Fighting Eel, Royal Hawaiian Center.
5. Shaka Street Soap Works’ hefty cold-press bars got downsized to adorable mini sizes, just in time for the holidays. Try out the new Niu (coconut) and Kiele (gardenia) scents this season. $5, Guava Shop, 66 Kamehameha Highway, Hale‘iwa.
6. The plastic bag ban is in full swing, so every man, woman and child has need for a stylish tote to replace those awful “reusable” replacements that grocery stores have dreamed up. This artsy Baggu number is chic enough to bring to the beach or beyond and folds up into a tiny, stocking-friendly square. $9, Green Mountain, 2819 Ka‘onawai Place.
7. Don’t forget the sweets! By Christmas Eve, everyone’s sick of peppermint, so satisfy your sweetie’s sweet tooth with these totally gorgeous ribbon candies, a pretty, unconventional alternative to the cliché cane. $3.99 for a box, Longs Drugs, 848 Ala Liliko‘i St.
8. We love the idea of finding one of Manuheali‘i’s beautifully patterned bud vases in our stocking. The fact that they can double up as shot glasses doesn’t hurt, either. $8, Manuheali‘i, 930 Punahou St.
9. Hello from the other side of chic phone accessories. You’ll have nothing to say sorry for if you gift someone one of Kaypee Soh’s new, tropical-print splashed iPhone cases, which come in every pattern from cheerful starfish to watercolor Monstera leaves. $24.99, Kaypee Soh, Ward Village Shops.
10. Take note: Bradley and Lily has a few new mini notebooks with surfboard and pineapple prints that are absolutely darling. Plus, they’re perfect for jotting down phone numbers, to-do lists or reasons why your friends and family love you. (Just a suggestion.) $12 for a pack of three in the Bradley and Lily Etsy shop.
11. These precious planters are made by local artist Lauren May and are just the thing to brighten up your pal’s desk or kitchen sill. No green thumb? No problem. Pop a succulent or air plant in these charming, rustic pots and call it a day. $40, Spalding House Shop, 2411 Makiki Heights Drive.
12. Your surfer and beach bunny pals go through sunscreen like we go through cookies. Gift them the ecofriendly, chemical-free Shade version—a favorite of watermen and -women—so they don’t have to worry about being stuck in the shadows. $28, Mahiku, 66-165 Kamehameha Highway, Hale‘iwa. (30 percent off through December.)
13. Keep their precious spectacles safe in these Hawai‘i-inspired handmade cases from Pieces of Me. Locally sewn, with sweet little floral and wave patterns, they’re as cute as they are useful. No more sand-scratched lenses or sunscreen-smudged sunnies for your bud. $28, Sugarcane Shop, 1137 11th Ave.
