2021 Holiday Gift Guide: Kawaii treats, for the foodie, and lifestyle
My second and third (and fourth) gift guides are finally here and I am excited to share them will all of you! Since I had a few weeks before I start my new job, I wanted to take the time to compile this list that ranges from small, local, woman-owned, and BIPOC businesses that I am a huge fan of. The local shops are within the Pacific Northwest area (mainly the greater Seattle area) and all are shops I’ve personally shopped at or had items gifted to me. I will be breaking up this list into 3 parts: Cute/Kawaii Japanese snacks, a list for foodies, and then the last part will be a compilation of lifestyle items. For the most part, many of these businesses will have online shops available so you can shop anywhere (I think) within the U.S. If you’re local, I do recommend giving these shops a visit in person!
Cute aka Kawaii snacks
I am a sucker for Japanese candies and snacks and this list in particular will feature childhood favorites and more that are perfect for stocking stuffers but also standalone gifts. I actually (finally) made a YouTube video you can watch below, but I’ve detailed the items out below as well.
Products can be found at your local Asian grocery store such as Uwajimaya (if you’re in the PNW) - this is where I got my products from, Asian Family Market, H-Mart, Ranch 99, and more.
Items include:
Giant Pocky, Popin’ Cookin’ Hi-Chew, Choco Baby, Marukawa mixed gum. Boro baby cookies, Botan rice candy, ramune, Gummy Choco, Peko Poko chocolate sticks, ramune candy, Kinako biscuits DIY dip candy, Doraemon Furikake, Japanese Kit Kats.
For the Foodies
This next list consists of some food items from mainly small and local businesses, whether they’re the makers of the product or curated by one of the retail shops.
Items include:
Boon Boona Coffee: You can either enjoy some coffee and seasonal drinks at one of their shops (Renton and Seattle) or if you’re not local, shop their African sourced coffee beans online! They have stand alone bags. a trio set, and a subscription available for purchase.
The Qi Flower Teas: For a delicious and calming tea, be sure to check out The Qi flower teas (I recommend The Floral Tasting collection. I actually discovered them through Good Sister Shop located in West Seattle where they curate a selection of BIPOC wellness products (and also offer beauty services now). They have a PF candle thay I really enjoyed that i purchased earlier this year and it’s available on their site. They’re also a Black and AAPI womxn-owned business!
Flying Bird Botanicals: If you know someone that loves chocolate, I would recommend gifting one of the drinking chocolates from Flying Bird Botanicals located in Bellingham, WA. They’re rich but not too sweet and is nice for sipping by the fireplace. I discovered them through The Lakehouse Bellevue thanks to my friend and head pastry chef there were she kindly gifted me some to try (i also purchased another flavor for myself). They are mainly a restaurant but they have a retail selection of curated goods including wines, salts, chocolates, and more. Flying Bird also does tea blends if you’re not looking for a chocolate based gift.
Orasella Maraschino Cherries: A nice and unexpected item are these artisan cherries handcrafted in the PNW. I received this as a gift myself and it was a nice surprise. I do enjoy a good cocktail and making them at home and this adds a nice touch! You can also find these at The Lakehouse Bellevue.
Umami Kushi: If you haven’t tried Umami Kushi’s okazu pan, then first I would say go and try it! They’re locate in south Seattle and their okazu pans are delicious. They also have sauces available for sale and my pick would for a gift would be the Yuzu Kosho, a peppery citrus sauce) that has such a nice and unique flavor. The jar is a cute little size and would be a nice addition to a gift basket or as a stocking stuffer.
Sake set: This gift is a little easier to find but I found this set at Uwajimaya. This one is made in Japan and for anyone that enjoys sake, it’s definitely nice for the home. I also recommend adding a few small bottles of sake to the set so the gift receiver can try a few flavors!
Lifestyle gifts
The last items on my list are a collection of lifestyle-esque items including bath products, clothing, prints, and more, also from local businesses and small brands.
Sairen: Woman and POC-owned, and located in the International District area in Seattle’s Japantown is Sairen and they have some of the cutest items in the store! There’s a lot of Japanese and Hawaiian products there as well as home items, clothing, jewelry and more. At the shop I went ahead and picked up a couple prints from a local illustrator, Art by Ciara, based out of Bellingham, WA and born and raised in Guam.. Her prints are some of my favorites (the Spam and Cup of Noodle one) and you’ll see more of her items mentioned below. Her prints would absolutely make for cute gifts. She also does cards, stickers, and jewelry. Another print and artist to check out for gifts is Stasia Burrington Art. You can see the black cat coffee print in the photo above that I picked out for my friend’s daughter. I love her style and she also offers prints, cards, stickers, and more. The last item from Sairen are these tea bath salts by the brand Bathing Beauteas. They combine bath salts and tea blends for a very unique bath experience. I recommend for anyone in your life that loves baths!
Wyldwood Creative and The Rose Gift House and Coffee: These are two additional places located in downtown Renton where you can not only shop local but find local artists (like Art by Ciara) and other works of local artists. The snake earrings about by Arts by Ciara I found at Wyldwood Creative and gifted these to myself =D. For those on your list that love unique and cute jewelry pieces, I would again, recommend Art by Ciara. Both stores also feature great gift items so I recommend checking them out if you’re in the area.
Dreamy Suds at Sweet P Beauty: Some of my favorite local soaps and bath products are made by Dreamy Suds and Sweet P Beauty in Renton carries their products. Both businesses are woman-owned and the owner of Sweet P is the best (this is also my go to spot for lash lifts). This is another item I’d recommend for the bath lovers. And if you’re looking for other items like candles, skin care, makeup, etc. make sure to check out Sweet P Beauty also in downtown Renton.
Esme and Elodie: New to the downtown Renton area is a woman and plus-sized clothing boutique that has the cutest accessories and clothing items! I have been gifted a few items but the items I have featured above I purchased myself. For the fashionista, really any piece you find here would be a great fit but if you’re looking for a recommendation, I would recommend the Alpine Bikinis & Beanies Beanie found at this shop. It’s so comfortable and such great quality and made here in the PNW.
Refugee Artisan Initiative: For small batch, handcrafted goods, look no further than RAI. Based in Seattle, they partner with refugee and immigrant women to foster an inclusive, prosperous transition to the US through artisan skill training and micro business development. Their products are made with care and are great quality. I love using the fabric holders and think any item from this business would not only make a great gift but goes towards an amazing mission.
Northwest Native Expression:The last item on my list is Native American Art. if you’re looking for prints, sculptures, books, and mor, then I recommend checking out this native art gallery (in person or online) that supports artists from around Washington state and more. The Coast Salish print I have is by Joseph M. Wilson titled Two-Headed Serpent.
That is it for my 2021 Holiday Gift Guide! If you want to watch and learn a bit more, check out the video below.
