There’s nothing like the holiday gift hustle. Expensive, high-end, high-tech. It’s tempting to think the best gifts are those that sync to our smart devices and make life “easier.”
What if, in fact, the best holiday gifts are those that add joy by being truly simple?
The ones that make someone’s home warm and festive. Ones that consider someone’s health. The gifts that you can feel good giving because they’re free of the very fragrances and chemicals that often make trendy products trend.
These top five products are perfect for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and holiday presents for family and friends. Better yet, you can find them in our shop today and support local women-owned businesses this holiday season.
Hillbunker Farms Elderberry Syrup Kit | $28
Everything you need to make your own immune boosting elderberry syrup is included in this kit from Hillbunker Farms, a small family-owned and operated farm and honey producer in Woodstock, Illinois. The kit includes pre-measured dried elderberries, Hillbunker Honey, cloves, cinnamon stick, and ginger that can make up to 32oz of syrup.
Elderberries are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A and anti-inflammatory antioxidants and have long been known to boost the immune system and reduce the duration of cold and flu symptoms. Raw honey also acts as a natural cough suppressant and inhibits viral replication.
For immune support, people are instructed to take 1 tablespoon for adults or 1 teaspoon for children under 12 daily. For immune boosting during times of sickness, the same amount can be given 5-6 times a day. Elderberry syrup gives the body the extra boost it needs to stay healthy, especially during the winter months of stress, sickness, or sleep deprivation.
Candle Cubby | $27
Candles are the most versatile gender-neutral gift, fitting into any home style and occasion. When you aren’t sure of personal preferences, size, or dietary restrictions, candles are a thoughtful way to make a person feel good, especially when they can feel certain that the ingredients are safe and non-toxic.
Candle Cubby, a candle company based in Crystal Lake, Illinois, specializes in soy wax candles. Unlike paraffin-based candles from large brands in department stores, soy wax is non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, and doesn’t emit harmful substances into the air. Soy wax candles also burn at lower temperatures and produce less soot and smoke that can cling to walls and surfaces. In wintry fragrances like Woodsy Pine, Peppermint & Hot Chocolate, and Winter Forest, these 16oz candles are great for the ingredient-conscious and eco-friendly person on your list.
Studio Syx Simmer Pots | $12
A simmer pot is an all-natural product perfect for easy aromatherapy. Open, boil, and enjoy. Studio Syx, an herbal apothecary located in Maine, creates 4 oz blends that can be simmered in boiling water throughout the day, filling the home with soothing natural aromas.
Simmer pots can even be used to create natural room and body sprays. After straining the tea, the liquid can be poured into a spray bottle–witch hazel added–and used as a spray for body and home. With ingredients like vanilla bean, orange peel, nutmeg, eucalyptus leaves, mint and sea salt, simmer pots are a unique gift that can be customized to meet your preferences.
Odds & Ends Soap Variety Bag | $14
Bare Natural Soap Co.’s Odds & Ends shea butter soap sampler is special for its zero waste goal. Instead of throwing away the imperfect edges and cuts from large uniform soap blocks, every paper bag is stuffed with a wide variety of fresh handcrafted soaps, un-wrapped bars, slivers, ends, irregulars, and underweight cuts. They might look different, but they work just the same.
The bag is filled with approximately one pound of all natural soap. These are perfect for travel, children’s little hands or that little guest bathroom soap bowl. Each soap set also comes with a soap saver bag made of sustainable sisal, a 100% natural fiber. These are crafted in small batches by the Maine-based company using high-quality ingredients that gently cleanse and keep skin moisturized throughout the year. No two bars are alike.
Mann Made Rice Hot/Cold Packs | $12
Showing someone you care about their well-being can be as simple as a warm (or cold) hug. Handmade from a small woman-owned business in Mountainburg, Arkansas, Mann Made heat and cold therapy packs are great for aching necks, shoulders and abdominal cramps.
Made with 100% cotton and filled with rice, the packs can be popped in the microwave for 30 second intervals, or they can be stored in the freezer until needed. The Rice Hot/Cold Pack is perfect for large body parts like the back and legs, while The Monthly Bean Heat Pack works for menstrual cramps and the Heat Therapy Neck Wrap for neck pain.
Cary Apothecary opened in June 2024 with a vision to offer natural and homeopathic health solutions, non-toxic alternatives to home and self-care products, and unique products for people to explore for their daily beauty regiments. Nearly 90% of items are bought from independent brands and small women-owned businesses in the United States. The shop is located at 395 Cary Algnonquin Rd Ste G.