The one-of-a-kind gift guide
We love remembering the burnt CDs our best friends made for us in school. There was Toto, there was MGMT, there were the Stones (Angus and Julia).
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Then there was the CD cover hand-drawn in coloured pencil with a title featuring our name and the word “mix”. Few of us have CDs players anymore, but most of us can recall the sweet sensations of receiving such a personalised gift and listening to each track, top to bottom, layered with poignance and memories.
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That’s the vibe we’re going for these holidays: Heart-felt, hand-crafted heirlooms.
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Personalised playlists
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Image via Pinterest
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Recreate the nostalgic giddiness of your youth friendships with a curated playlist for a loved one.
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You could pick a theme, share a portrait of your musical taste or conjure songs that represent special memories you’ve shared over the years. Music is a language that allows us to express things that words or physical gifts sometimes cannot.
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Baked sweets
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Image via Pinterest
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Who doesn’t love a parcel of freshly baked goods?
This year, we’ll be making Pepparkakor, a deliciously crisp and richly spiced Swedish ginger biscuit. Try making a batch, decorating them with piping pens and gifting them to friends for the holidays. Decorating pepparkakor makes a fun social ritual if you fancy inviting people over for a crafty afternoon together.
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Pepparkakor
150g butter, softened at room temperature
210g caster sugar
50ml golden syrup
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 ½ tsp bi-carb soda
100ml water
480g (2 ½ cups) plain wheat flour
1 egg white, beaten
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Beat the butter, sugar and syrup until smooth using electric beaters. Mix the spices and bicarb soda into the butter mixture. Add the water and flour and work into a dough until the flour is combined.
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Shape the dough into a thick disk and wrap it in cling film. Rest the dough in the fridge for at least 1 day to allow the spices to develop and deepen in flavour.
Preheat the oven to 225°C.
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Place a sheet of baking paper on your work surface and lightly dust it with flour. Cut off a handful-sized portion from the dough and place it in the centre of your baking paper, layering another piece of paper on top.
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Roll out the dough until it is very thin (about 3mm thick). Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a lined baking tray. Repeat with the remaining dough and then brush the surfaces of the shapes with egg white.
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Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Allow the biscuits to cool on a wire rack before decorating as desired.
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Storage:
Pepparkakor dough keeps for 6-8 days in the fridge, but can also be frozen. Store the finished biscuits in an airtight container.
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Christmas ornaments
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Image via Pinterest
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Transform your biscuits into ornaments by cutting a small hole at the top of the shape before baking. Simply thread through some string and you’ve got an edible ornament for a tree or table.
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Other delightful decorations include dehydrated orange slices and hand-sculpted clay ornaments.
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For the oranges, thinly slice an orange and dehydrate them in the oven at 90°C for 2-4 hours, flipping the slices every 30 minutes to ensure even drying.
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For clay figures, use quick-drying clay to shape small ornaments, cutting out small holes for string. Bundle the ornaments into a box with a ribbon and you have a unique little gift that will look adorable and smell heavenly.
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Love letters and pressed flowers
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Images via Pinterest
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When was the last time you received a handwritten love letter? The familiar handwriting, the scent of crisp paper, your name inked with affection—there’s nothing quite like the intimate pleasure of reading or writing thoughtful words filled with love. Let’s revive this beautiful art form.
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For starting cues, consider what you love about your recipient, why they matter to you, your dreams for the future and your fondest and funniest memories together.
Then, for a touch of extra romance, include some pressed flowers in your letter.
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To make them, pick some relatively flat blooms, trip their stems and place the flowers face down on a piece of baking paper, leaving space between each to avoid overlapping. Cover with another sheet of baking paper, close the book and place a heavy object on top to apply pressure. Leave the book closed for 2-4 weeks to allow the flowers to dry completely.
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Jars of flavour bombs
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Image via Pinterest
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If you’re partial to more savoury notes, consider whipping up a batch of relishes, chutneys or infused oils. These tasty condiments are perfect additions to festive feasts, and especially welcome post celebrations when you’re armed with leftover cuts, wedges of cheese and cold salads.
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A great relish can make a sandwich or antipasti board with its burst of flavour. And like all homemade gifts, a jar of condiment shows that you’ll always carve out time and love for someone special.
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For inspiration, start with Ottolenghi’s miso mayonnaise, Maggie Beer’s eggplant relish and Lumen People’s smoked pimenton oil.
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Will you be making any gifts for the holidays? Feel free to share your ideas with us at hello@lovaanstudios.com or on Instagram.