It is better to give than to receive (which even applies when you’re giving yourself a gift!). We’ve put together a list of the some of the products currently inspiring us so that you can give to the best of your ability this season.
Even if you don’t celebrate any holidays this time of year, consider some of these pieces for your own needs (or, ahem, wants) or for a loved one. There’s never a bad time to give someone a present!
We’ve also included experience-based gifts, organisations to which you can donate, and a bunch of special discounts!
Here’s what we recommend putting under the tree (or wherever your preferred gift area is) this season:
Design
There’s nothing better for winter than a cosy blanket, and these ones are made from leftover material so you can feel extra good about buying them. 100% wool and made in Wales.
A study of color by the master, Danish designer and color-expert Nina Bruun. What a simple yet beautiful print; great inspiration for an office or any creative space!
Discount! Our readers get 25% off the entire Nina Bruun collaboration with Paper Collective with the code SCANDI25 at checkout. Offer runs until 24th December. These are so great as creative inspiration or colorful accents in any space.
Need to breathe new life into that old (but still good!) IKEA sofa? Bemz is seriously genius. They make custom covers for a wide range of IKEA sofas in a variety of colors, patterns and textures. You can even get a few and play around as your mood changes. You can request fabric samples (for free) in advance to make sure the color and feel of the cover is right for you. Such a good gift for an interior design-lover.
Discount! From 21 – 27 November, Bemz is offering 20% off everything in their webshop! Go, go, go!
Looking to disconnect from your iPhone at bedtime? This little clock has an alarm function and is so classically stylish.
These high-quality, affordable and fun headphones are perfect for day-to-day use.
If you’re looking for a small but powerful home speaker system that syncs with all your music apps, from YouTube to Spotify, Libratone’s Zipp Mini series is a great choice. They come in a range of colors – you can even change your cover – and the sound quality is very good.
The Meet the Locals series from Hamide is a favorite of ours because it gives special focus to some everyday icons that we may take for granted when we live here. This is a great gift for someone who loves Copenhagen and wants a daily reminder.
Discount! Use the code SCANDI20 to get 20% off anything from the Hamide Design Studio webshop until 24 December. We love this local, handmade brand! You’ll get additional free print of your choice with every purchase.
This minimalist white porcelain teapot with wooden handle is wonderful for a tea-lover.
For a minimalist-meets-maximalist vibe, try the classic Oiva Siirtolapuutarha print. Any day that starts with a cup of coffee and a Marimekko print is bound to be a good one!
Fashion
Swedish loungewear brand Sunday Stockholm makes absolutely stunning pieces and these simple black trousers are one of our favourites. Wear them around the house, wear them for a night out – they’re high-quality and always chic.
A classic white sneaker worn by everyone from Björn Borg to Andre 3000. Comfortable, well-made and stylish!
Since launching in 2014, Organic Basics have formed a cult following. People keep coming back for staples like their Black Boxers 10-pack. They’ve creating sustainable clothes you’ll be wearing every day…for the next ten years.
Discount! Readers get 10% off anything in the Organic Basics webshop with the code SCANDINAVIA10. Why not get all your basics for the year in one go!
An homage to the kind of pyjama set “Humphrey Bogart would wear,” the Uno Old School in burgundy and blue is timeless. Made from 100% cotton, these pyjamas will last a lifetime and look good the whole way along.
The new fashion brand from Happy Socks! Fashionable, high-quality and fun, these are great to pair with high heels, even open-toed ones.
A soft leather pump with a cleated leather sole that will look chic and last for years. A great shoe for holiday parties.
This mohair blend sweater is cosy enough for winter and light enough to wear during seasonal transitions.
Accessories
A waterproof backpack that’s also stylish enough for work and wherever you’re heading after work? Yes please!
Stockholm-based TRIWA makes great watches at reasonable prices and the Falken is a classic.
A Swiss-made, Swedish & British designed watch? If that’s not enough to convince you that it’s high-quality as well as beautiful, we don’t know for what other keywords you’re looking. We love that all Larsson & Jennings’ products are unisex. The faces are slim but substantial with a range of colorways and metalways.
A minimalist and elegant hoop earring with a small pearl hook detail that curls around the top of the lobe. Such an elegant and cool piece! This comes in sterling silver or gold-plated sterling silver.
Discount! Use the code SCANDI20 to get 20% off anything in Vibe Harsløf’s webshop until 28 November!
This Norwegian fashion brand makes fantastic outerwear; their scarves are high-quality and exactly what our need to survive the Scandinavian winter. This one is a wool, alpaca and mohair blend.
Beauty
For the person who is very into styling facial hair, this is a luxurious treat. You get a pre-shave oil, shaving cream, shaving brush and aftershave. Red bumps be gone!
Discount! Use the code SCANDI25 to get 25% off anything in the Barbarians webshop until 24 December.
With top notes of pink pepper and Turkish rose petals, a heart of Turkis rose absolute and base of papyrus and white amber, Rose of No Man’s Land is a strong but gentle scent that is long-lasting on the skin.
Wash and moisturise your skin out of its scaly winter blues with this great duo. Nothing looks as good in your bathroom as an Aesop bottle, and nothing works as well, either.
Books
Find out about the history of Scandinavian design, from the high end to the highly democratic, and how to incorporate it into any room in your home. The book includes color schemes and various material/texture categories.
Covering architecture, furniture, lighting, glass, and more from 1925, Charlotte and Peter explore the Nordic countries’ design aesthetic and tradition. This is a definitive book – one that you’ll go back to again and again.
600 coffee spots across 50 countries, chosen by some of the top baristas and coffee experts in the world. You’ll never go uncaffeinated again!
Food & Drink
With notes of red grapes, nougat and wine, this coffee grown in Guatemala and roasted in Sweden is perfect for the cold season.
Know someone who loves beer (maybe it’s you!)? Mikkeller has bundled their Christmas brews. Cheers to that!
Experience
Maybe your apartment is too small to hold even one more thing, or perhaps you just prefer your gifts in the form of experiences. These kinds of gifts are especially good for families with young kids!
At Louisana, a 1+1 Membership allows you and a guest free entry. You also get 10% off at the gift shop, access to exclusive events and previews, and free entry at a number of other museums including KUNSTEN and Utzon Center in Aalborg, HEART in Herning and Munchmuseet, Henie Onstad Kunstsenter and Nasjonalmuseet in Oslo. You’ll get their beautiful catalogue sent to you quarterly as well.
Moderna Museet has two locations, so a membership gets you access to both. In addition, you get free entry to the following museums: Arkitektur och Designcentrum, the Nationalmuseum, Gripsholm Castle, Färgfabriken and Wanås Konst in Sweden, as well as Astrup Fearnley Museet for Moderne Kunst and all Nasjonalmuseet museums in Oslo. There are a host of other benefits including special invitations to events and 10% off the restaurants and cafes of both museums.
Marine biology-lovers rejoice! This is a particularly good gift for parents with children under 3 years old, as admission is free up to this age. An annual card gives free entry, plus you can skip the queues (which can be extremely long!). You also get a 10% discount at the restaurant and access to special events.
Donate
If you’d rather show you care by donating money to a worthy cause, there are plenty of organisations that need donations.
You can’t go wrong with International Committee of the Red Cross or Médicins Sans Frontieres, both working to reduce suffering in disaster and conflict zones.
Other organisations for your consideration:
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood provides reproductive health care and education for women at the community level.
Trans Lifeline
A hotline for transgender people experiencing crisis, run by transgender people who are ready to help.
The Trevor Project
A non-profit dedicated to suicide prevention and other mental health issues experienced in the LGBTQI+ community.
Kiva Microloans
A non-profit allows you to finance small business ventures around the world. Every year, this is our go-to present. The receiver of the gift even gets to chose the loan themselves. Also, when you donate through our link, you give an additional 25 USD for Scandinavia Standard to reinvest (the money goes directly to projects, not to us).
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We have tried to make sure links contained here do not include import tax for those living in the EU. These things often change, however, so always check before you buy!