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10 Last-minute Gift Ideas from Small Businesses

You can support small businesses and find that perfect gift this holiday season with this curated list sure to please even the hardest-to-buy for person!

WASHINGTON — Forgot someone on your shopping list? Or maybe you still haven’t found the perfect gift!

Here are some last-minute gift ideas for your holiday gifts and celebrations. We’ve got ideas for The Fashionista, The Hostess, The Hard-to-Buy for Man in your life, The Social Butterfly and more!

 

Let’s start with one my new favorite brands! It’s fashionable and functional for the active woman on the go.. who wants to look good and feel good.

Kastel UPF Activewear

Kastel UPF activewear is a female-founded and operated brand founded by international athlete and skin cancer prevention advocate Charlotte Jorst. With UPF 30-50 sun protection, Kastel’s collection of tops, jackets, vests, and skorts is perfect for golfers, gardeners, tennis players, equestrians, and lovers of chic athleisure., these are must-have gifts for women who love the outdoors but want to keep their skin safe.

Right NOW, you can get a free gift with purchase from the "12 Days of Kastel Christmas" promotion!

Credit: Kastel Denmark

 Why it matters: Did you know that UV-protective clothing provides better skin protection than sunscreen alone (source)?

Kastel’s newest Ambassador is television star and equestrian athlete, Beth Behrs (Two Broke Girls, The Neighborhood)

Credit: Kastel Denmark

I will say, I have 2 of the ¾ Zip long-sleeve tops and they are my new favorite. (One is the Black Floral Sun Shirt and the other adds a little sparkle to my day) They are super soft and light weight and I love the confidence that I am adding an extra layer of sun protection!

You can find Kastel’s beautiful collection at KastelDenmark.com

(They have a new resort collection dropping January 2nd!)

Mission Cocktails (cocktails that give back!)

Now you can enjoy a delicious cocktail knowing the ingredients are locally and carefully sourced and your purchase is supporting those in need!

Founders Amit and Marcin set out on a mission to find a quality, ready-to-pour cocktail made with premium ingredients that felt like something they’d get at a swanky bar. However, a classic drink with the best ingredients doesn’t just taste good, it does good; 5% of proceeds gets poured right back into the communities they came from.

Credit: Mission Cocktails

Amit and Marcin have funded over 84,000 meals to families in need and they plan to fund over 500k meals by the end of 2025.

Check out their delicious cocktails at MissionCocktails.com

Credit: Mission Cocktails

Untitled Art

Now if you want to go alcohol-free this Holiday Season, enjoy the party with no regrets the next morning, are gearing up for Dry January, are a new Mom or maybe your Sober-Curious… Untitled Art has something for everyone. Their non-alcoholic beers offer the authentic craft taste of traditional beer, achieved through state-of-the-art filtration—without the alcohol or hangover! They make art - inside and out!

Untitled Art serves up  Vegan and Kosher offerings, Gluten-Free selections, majority of their products contain no dairy or lactose and most products are low in calories, sugar and carbs!

Credit: Untitled Art - Non-Alcoholic beers

BEHIND THE BRAND: Founded in 2016, Untitled Art set out to bring fresh innovation to the beer industry. By collaborating with brewers, visual artists, and photographers, they craft unique beverages that combine bold flavors with striking artwork. Each can is a masterpiece, blending creativity and taste in every sip.

You can find their offerings at DrinkUntitled.com

UrbanStems

UrbanStems has gift options for several of your loved ones… You can send a beautiful bouquet of fresh, flowers right to their door step. Or, if they have a bit of a green thumb (or even if they don’t) Urban Stems has a wide variety of plants to choose from!

UrbanStems takes a modern approach to floral gifts with their designs and delivery.

Credit: Urban Stems

The co-founders launched UrbanStems on Valentine’s Day in 2014 in Washington, D.C. Their focus; freshness, sustainability, and outstanding customer service, aiming to transform the flower delivery industry with a fully integrated supply chain. They have coast-to-coast next-day delivery and in NYC, DC, LA, Chicago, Atlanta, and Miami, you can get same day delivery!

Check out their beautiful assortment of gift ideas, wreaths, flowers and plants at UrbanStems.com

Damn, Man Bar Cart Snacks

Here's a unique and yummy gift you can share with the man in your life or the hard to buy for person! (or simply enjoy them yourself!)

Damn, Man Bar Cart Snacks offers a nostalgic collection of salty snacks in a creative vintage case. Each tin is packed with an assortment of snacks, perfect for pairing with your favorite beverages. From classic salted pistachios and cashews to cinnamon flavored almonds (my personal favorite!) and savory trail mix.

Credit: Sugar Plum Chocolates

The crate includes twelve 2 oz. tins of Stout Beer Almonds, Bourbon Crunch Blend, Sweet and Smokey Blend, Salted Pistachios, Honey Sea Salt Almonds, Trailmaster Mix, Salted Cashews, Cinnamon Butter Almonds, Salted Corn Nuts, Grand Slam Mix, Tap Room Mix, and Harvest Zest Sticks.


Damn, Man Bar Carts Snacks was created by Sugar Plum Chocolates, a mother and son founded company. Twenty-eight years ago, Fran and Neil began making delectable chocolates in their kitchen but soon found a unmet demand for nuts and snacks with a unique twist. That led to the creation of Damn, Man…Snacks Guys Love!

On Amazon, you can find a wide variety of gift options including cheese and meats, beef jerky and even chocolate lollipops!

Puffer Hug

Brrrr! It's getting cold out there... Even down South! Sometimes though you don't need a big, heavy coat to stay warm! Sometimes you just need a warm hug.

Credit: Puffer Hug

The Puffer Hug 418 scarf is a twofer – scarf and vest! You can wear it under a coat for an extra layer of warmth or by itself when you just need a little! This lightweight and versatile 2-in-1 design can transform from a cozy scarf to a vest in a snap.

It features a built-in hidden zipper pocket to keep belongings secure, two oversized fleece-lined pockets to keep hands warm and includes a heart keychain tucked into the left pocket to show extra love!

It comes in 5 colors – black, blue, green, grey and red!

Plus, if you “get a hug” you will “give a hug” – 15% all sales are donated to children’s mental health programs nationwide

You can see all their products at PufferHug.com

Plants for Pet Parents

One of my goals this year was brighten up my home with more plants and greenery! However, I never know what the best plants are to buy considering we have a new puppy in the house who of course has to sniff and chew everything!

I was introduced to this company called Plants for Pet Parents and go so excited once I started to learn more about them!

Credit: Plants for Pet Parents

Plants for Pet Parents is an AAPI woman-owned small business. The owner, Katherine, loves house plants but was worried for the safety of her senior dog, Watson! (You can learn more about Katherine’s story here!)

So Katherine set out to build Plants for Pet Parents and all of their gorgeous greenery is non-toxic to dogs and cats so you can leave the house confident in your pets’ safety.

They have air plants, trailing plants, tabletop plants and sustainable home and garden accessories. I recently got the Calathea Peacock Plant in one of their 3D printed pots! It sits right on my windowsill and love how well it is thriving!

Houseplants contribute to cleaner indoor air which creates a healthier environment for you and your pets!

You can see all their selections at PlantsforPetParents.com

Vitapod

I want to share with you one of my most favorite new products (well, new to me!) that helps me reach my wellness goals!

Vitapod!

Credit: Vitapod

Vitapod supercharges your tap water with essential vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols to increase your daily nutrition. They are sealed in small, recyclable pods that you pop into the lid of your Vitapod Go water bottle, twist and shake! They contain no sugar or artificial sweeteners and each pod contains only 8 calories.

Choose from sugar-free flavors like Blackberry Mint, Watermelon, and Peach Iced Tea for a delectable swap without the guilt.

Learn more at www.vitapodworld.com

Alpha Skin Care

Let's keep going with the good-for-us stuff! We're getting nutrients inside our bodies but we can't forget about taking care of our skin on the outside.

Alpha Skin Care has been creating simple, effective skincare for over 30 years. They have something for many different skin care needs.

Credit: Alpha Skin Care

I like Alpha Skin Care's Essential Renewal lotion. A must for healthy, younger-looking skin, this lotion is formulated with 10% Glycolic Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) to gently release dead skin cells revealing.

Glycolic AHA is an ingredient derived from natural sugar cane which helps reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles for a younger-looking you. Glycolic AHAs work naturally to gently lift away dead skin cells so new healthy skin can emerge and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Vitamins and nutrients moisturize and soothe your skin while anti-aging ingredients work to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

You can find Alpha Skin Care's products on Amazon.

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