An Inclusive Holiday 2025 Gift Guide For People Who Are Hard To Buy For
Shopping for someone who “doesn’t need anything” is a special kind of stress. You want something thoughtful, a little surprising, and preferably not from the same three big-box retailers everyone else is using.
The good news: Holiday 2025 trends are on your side. Google’s latest Holiday 100 shows people are hunting for gifts that feel personal, nostalgic, and experience-driven, not just expensive. (blog.google) Etsy and Pinterest are seeing big interest in cozy, maximal home vibes, literary and nostalgic aesthetics, and playful, expressive pieces that feel like “this is so you.” (Better Homes & Gardens)
So this guide leans into that: smaller brands, local makers, and women, Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ owned businesses across Canada, the UK, and the US. Think “I’ve never seen this before” instead of “Oh, thanks… another gift card.”
Below you’ll find:
- Cozy clothing and wearable pride
- Housewares and decor
- Games and toys
- Food and drink
- Books and paper goods
- A quick “music” idea to round it out
Cozy Clothing & Wearable Pride
1. Canada Flag Cotton Knit Sweater – Province of Canada (Canada)
If you want to quietly flex your Canadian pride on Christmas morning photos, this is the one.
- Brand: Province of Canada, Toronto-based, all made in Canada (Province of Canada)
- Price: Approx. $248 CAD (Province of Canada)
- Who it’s for: Proud Canadians, expats, anyone who wears a “nice sweater” to every family gathering.
- Why they’ll love it: It looks like a vintage varsity knit but feels modern and easy to wear. 100 percent cotton, unisex fit, and genuinely heirloom level quality.
Buy It Here:
https://provinceofcanada.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/canada-flag-cotton-knit-sweater-unisex (Province of Canada)
2. Rainbow Belt Bag – Rainbow Certified (Canada)
Hands-free, full of snacks, and a little bit gay. Perfect.
- Brand: Rainbow Certified, LGBTQ+ focused Canadian brand based in London, Ontario (Stroked Ego)
- Price: Approx. $27.99 CAD (Rainbow Certified)
- Who it’s for: Pride festival goers, dog walkers, theme park fanatics, and anyone who always misplaces their phone.
- Why they’ll love it: It’s a simple, practical belt bag with a bold rainbow strap and enough room for phone, keys, wallet, and a couple of bribes for the kids.
Product link (collection, with belt bag variants):
https://rainbowcertified.com/collections/belt-bag (Rainbow Certified)
3. Loud And Proud Streetwear – Awarewolf Apparel (USA)
For the queer friend or family member who’s allergic to subtle.
- Brand: Awarewolf Apparel, trans owned queer streetwear brand based in the US (Awarewolf Apparel)
- Price range: About $30 to $70 USD for tees, crews, and embroidered pieces. (Awarewolf Apparel)
- Who it’s for: Teens and adults who want their clothes to say what they’re thinking.
- Why they’ll love it: Graphic tees, punk leaning designs, and in house screen printing and embroidery mean everything feels intentional and small batch.
Shop the brand:
https://awarewolfapparel.com/en-ca (Awarewolf Apparel)
Housewares & Decor They’ll Actually Use
4. Kwe Indigenous Blanket – MINI TIPI (Canada, Indigenous owned)
Gorgeous, meaningful, and very “curl up with a movie after the kids finally sleep.”
- Brand: MINI TIPI, Indigenous owned brand based in Quebec, collaborating with Indigenous artists across Turtle Island. (MINI TIPI)
- Price: Approx. $198 CAD (MINI TIPI)
- Who it’s for: Anyone who always steals the couch blanket, or the friend who hosts everyone.
- Why they’ll love it: Size for a queen bed or oversized throw, made from recycled wool and polyester, and the “Kwe” design honours the jingle dance and the strength and healing of Indigenous women. (MINI TIPI)
Product link:
Shop Now
5. Aanu Mermaid Cushion – The Cornrow (UK, Black female-founded)
This is not your standard throw cushion. It is a glorious Black mermaid with big main character energy.
- Brand: The Cornrow, UK home and lifestyle store founded by sisters Kemi and Lara, celebrating African and Caribbean heritage. (The Cornrow)
- Price: Around £50 (The Cornrow)
- Who it’s for: Design lovers, Black families who want to see themselves represented at home, and kids going through a mermaid phase.
- Why they’ll love it: 100 percent wool embroidered cushion, with a joyful, detailed illustration that looks like art propped on your sofa.
Product link:
https://www.thecornrow.com/products/mermaid-cushion (The Cornrow)
6. Canoe On A Lake Dip Set – Maxwell Pottery (Canada)
Charcuterie, but make it extremely Canadian.
- Brand: Maxwell Pottery, Ontario based ceramic studio. (maxwellpottery.com)
- Price: Around $85 CAD at stockists such as the Art Gallery of Ontario shop. (maxwellpottery.com)
- Who it’s for: Hosts, cottage people, and anyone whose love language is “I made way too many snacks.”
- Why they’ll love it: The platter is a “lake,” the dip bowl is a canoe, and it comes with two little paddle spreaders. It’s functional and also a conversation starter.
Product link (example stockist):
https://shop.ago.ca/94242/canoe-on-a-lake-dip-set-seaside/ (shop.ago.ca)
7. Hanlan’s Candle – VIGYL (Canada, LGBTQ+ supporting)
A candle that smells like summer on Toronto’s queer beach, gifted in the dead of winter. Perfect.
- Brand: VIGYL, Canadian candle brand, hand poured in Montreal. (VIGYL)
- Price: Approx. $55 CAD for the 10 oz candle. (VIGYL)
- Who it’s for: The friend who lights a candle the second it gets dark at 4 p.m.
- Why they’ll love it: Scent notes like pistachio, coconut, tuberose, and tonka bean feel like warm sunscreen and late afternoon sun. Plus, $5 from each candle supports Rainbow Railroad. (VIGYL)
Product link:
https://www.vigyl.ca/products/hanlans-10-oz-candle (VIGYL)
8. Snow Gazer Candle – The New Savant (USA, queer owned)
Cookies and milk for Santa, but imagine it was created by a cool perfumer who reads a lot of novels.
- Brand: The New Savant, queer owned, small batch fragrance and candle brand. (THE NEW SAVANT)
- Price: About $42 USD for the standard 7 oz size. (THE NEW SAVANT)
- Who it’s for: Candle obsessives, bookish friends, and anyone who lives for “cozy but elevated.”
- Why they’ll love it: Green tea, coconut cream, hojicha, black sesame cookies, frothed milk, warm ambers. It smells like watching snow fall through a window while you pretend to read and actually just people watch. (THE NEW SAVANT)
Product link:
https://thenewsavant.com/products/snow-gazer (THE NEW SAVANT)
Games & Toys They’ll Choose Over Screens
9. The Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow (France / global)
Social deduction, accusations, and someone’s uncle taking it way too seriously. Ideal.
- Type: Party / social deduction card game.
- Players: 8 to 18 (or more), ages 10+ (Wikipedia)
- Who it’s for: Big families, New Year’s Eve parties, cottages with minimal wifi.
- Why they’ll love it: Everyone gets a secret role and the village has to figure out who the werewolves are before they get picked off. It’s chaotic in the best way and works for mixed age groups.
Info & rules:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25821/the-werewolves-of-millers-hollow (BoardGameGeek)
Product page (Canada):
https://www.asmodee.ca/en/product/werewolves-of-millers-hollow-the-the-pact/ (asmodee Canada)
10. Spot It! (a.k.a. Dobble) – Zygomatic / Asmodee
Fast, loud, and somehow kids always beat the adults.
- Type: Pattern recognition card game.
- Players: 2 to 8, ages 6+ (Amazon Canada)
- Who it’s for: Families with kids, stocking stuffer hunters, teachers.
- Why they’ll love it: Every pair of cards shares exactly one symbol. Be the first to spot it, yell it out, and win the round. Great for travel and restaurant waits.
Official info:
https://store.asmodee.com/collections/spot-it (Asmodee North America)
Product page (Canada):
https://www.mindgames.ca/spot-it-classic-eco-blister-card-game/ (Mind Games Canada)
11. Just One – Repos Production
Cooperative, easy to teach, and weirdly heartfelt when someone nails a clue.
- Type: Cooperative party word game.
- Players: 3 to 7, ages 8+ (rprod.com)
- Who it’s for: Friend groups, game nights, “we’re not really board game people” families.
- Why they’ll love it: One player has to guess a mystery word. Everyone else secretly writes a one word clue. Any duplicates get erased, so the best clues are creative but unique. Lots of laughing when the team whiffs an obvious one.
Official site:
https://www.rprod.com/en/games/just-one (rprod.com)
Example Canadian retailer:
https://boardgames.ca/products/just-one (Mission: Fun & Games)
12. LEGO Brick Like This! – LEGO (global)
Party game meets LEGO chaos.
- Type: Team based building and guessing game with mini LEGO models.
- Players: Teams of 2, recommended 7+ (LEGO)
- Who it’s for: LEGO kids, AFOLs (adult fans of LEGO), and families who want an activity that’s not just another set to build once and forget.
- Why they’ll love it: One teammate describes the model on the card, the other races to build it from a pile of bricks. It’s frantic, funny, and you can reuse the bricks for free play later.
Product link:
https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/brick-like-this-5009372 (LEGO)
Food & Drink That Disappears Quickly
13. Indigenous Box – Curated Indigenous Gift Box (Canada, Indigenous owned)
A full box of Indigenous made products, curated so you don’t have to guess.
- Brand: Indigenous Box, Indigenous owned gifting company based in Alberta, curating goods from Indigenous businesses across Turtle Island. (Indigenous Box)
- Price: Boxes often start around $99.95 CAD and up, depending on size and theme. (Pinecone Box)
- Who it’s for: Anyone who loves discovering new brands, or that person who says “just surprise me.”
- Why they’ll love it: Each box is themed and can include snacks, coffee, bath products, and more. It is also one of the easiest ways to shift your holiday budget toward Indigenous makers.
Shop:
https://www.indigenousbox.ca/ (Indigenous Box)
14. Spirit Bear Coffee – Indigenous Holiday Coffee Gifts (Canada, Indigenous owned)
For the relative who is somehow on their third cup by 10 a.m.
- Brand: Spirit Bear Coffee Company, Indigenous owned, organic and Fair Trade coffee roasted in British Columbia. (Spirit Bear Coffee Company)
- Price: Bundles and samplers vary, typically in the $30 to $70 CAD range depending on size and treats included. (Spirit Bear Coffee Company)
- Who it’s for: Coffee nerds, new parents, night shift heroes.
- Why they’ll love it: You can go simple with whole bean or pods, or grab a holiday bundle that pairs coffee with mugs or snacks. They ship across Turtle Island and beyond. (Spirit Bear Coffee Company)
Holiday collection:
https://spiritbearcoffeecompany.com/collections/spirit-bear-coffee-holiday-collection (Spirit Bear Coffee Company)
15. Holiday Cravings Box – Zac’s Sweet Shop (USA, Black owned)
Like raiding the good snack drawer, but everything is actually good.
- Brand: Zac’s Sweet Shop, BIPOC owned dessert company based in California, founded by Zac, the self-proclaimed “Gen Z Black Wonka.” (Zac’s Sweet Shop)
- Price: About $39 USD for the Holiday Cravings Box. (Zac’s Sweet Shop)
- Who it’s for: Sweet tooths, office sharing, or the tween who lives for nostalgia and cereal.
- Why they’ll love it: You get dessert cereals and crunchy chocolate mixes in one limited edition gift box. It screams “holiday movie marathon snack board.”
Product link:
https://zacssweetshop.com/products/holiday-cravings-box (Zac’s Sweet Shop)
16. Indigenous Roots Coffee – Coffee That Gives Back To Community (Canada, Indigenous owned)
If you want your morning coffee to actually say something about your values.
- Brand: Indigenous Roots Coffee Co., 100 percent Indigenous owned (Haida and Métis), based in Victoria, BC. (Indigenous Roots Coffee Co)
- Price: Varies by blend and format; think in the typical specialty coffee range for whole beans and merch.
- Who it’s for: People who read the back of the coffee bag to learn the story, not just the roast level.
- Why they’ll love it: Each blend is partnered with grassroots Indigenous initiatives, and a portion of sales supports those projects directly. Packaging features Indigenous artwork and beadwork designs. (Tourism Victoria)
Brand site:
https://indigenousrootscoffee.com/ (Indigenous Roots Coffee Co)
Books & Paper Goods
17. A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
A timely, emotional novel about an Indian immigrant family in California whose world shifts after their teenage son is arrested.
- Author: Shilpi Somaya Gowda, an Indian-Canadian author. (Penguin Random House Canada)
- Who it’s for: Fiction readers, book club friends, and anyone who likes layered stories about family, race, and belonging.
- Why they’ll love it: It digs into model minority myths, class, and the pressures on immigrant families without feeling like homework. (Goodreads)
Publisher page (Canada):
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/726921/a-great-country-by-shilpi-somaya-gowda/9780385688987 (Penguin Random House Canada)
18. “Guard Your Spirit” Journal – Be Rooted (USA, Black female-owned)
A daily reminder to protect your energy, but in stationery form.
- Brand: Be Rooted, Black woman owned stationery brand centered on women of colour seeing themselves in their paper goods. (Be Rooted)
- Price: Around $18 USD for the Guard Your Spirit lined and spiralled journal. (Be Rooted)
- Who it’s for: Friends in therapy, new grads, tired parents, and honestly, you.
- Why they’ll love it: The cover art and messaging are uplifting without being cheesy, and the design is made specifically with Black and Brown women in mind. (Be Rooted)
Product link:
https://berootedco.com/products/be-rooted-guard-your-spirit (Be Rooted)
Sleep & Sanity Tech
19. QuietOn 4 Sleep Plugs – Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds For Sleep
If you sleep beside a snorer, live on a noisy street, or share walls with very enthusiastic neighbours, this is the “oh wow, I didn’t know this existed” gift.
- Brand: QuietOn
- Type: Active noise-cancelling sleep earplugs
- Price: Around $459 CAD on Amazon.ca
- Who it is for: Light sleepers, shift workers, new parents grabbing sleep when they can, and anyone who is one snore away from moving to the sofa.
Why they’ll love it
QuietOn 4 uses active noise cancellation to reduce low frequency sounds like snoring, traffic, and humming building noise, the stuff regular foam plugs struggle with.
The earbuds are tiny and featherlight, with soft foam tips in multiple sizes so they sit snugly in the ear and still work for side sleepers. Battery life is up to 28 hours on a single charge, and they come with a compact charging case that lives easily on a nightstand or in a travel bag.
There is no Bluetooth, no app, and no sound to manage. You pop them in, the active noise cancelling kicks in, and you just get quiet.
Product link (Amazon.ca)
https://www.amazon.ca/QuietOn-4-Sleep-Plugs/dp/B0FD33HJVJ
Quick “Music” Idea To Round It Out
If you want to tick the “music” box without guessing someone’s favourite genre:
- Gift idea: A vinyl or digital album from an indie or local artist, plus a gift card to your favourite independent record shop or Bandcamp, paired with one of the cozy items above.
- Why it works: It turns into an experience: light the candle, wrap in the blanket, put on the new record. That’s a whole evening, not just another thing on a shelf.
socialdad.ca 
Leave a comment