From grandma to your little brother or your best girlfriend, everyone will love these 15 natural indulgences
1. Napa Soap Company
Beautifully wrapped in handmade papers embedded with rose petals, Napa Soap’s fragrant bars make ideal gifts for those in need of midwinter indulgence.
2. Dirt Candles
Made from organic, American-grown soybeans, essential oils, and recycled glass and paper, these fragrant candles come in 20 creatively named scents. Best Friends’ blend of hibiscus, hyacinth, and jasmine, and Bah Humbug’s cranberry and cinnamon bark are especially festive.
3. Tarma Designs Pendant
Named for a village high in the Andes, Tarma makes adventure-themed pendants and earrings out of recycled steel, featuring images of skiers, mountains, and other outdoorsy elements.
4. Divine Chocolate
Sure, this fair-trade chocolate is creamy and dark, but the real joy comes in knowing that as a result of your gift giving, farmers of the Kuapa Kokoo co-op in Ghana can afford clean drinking water, entrepreneurship clinics for women, and better schools.
5. iRELAX with Numi
This box of organic, fair-trade teas is paired with a CD of soothing sounds from India, China, and the Middle East. Holiday craziness getting you down? Throw on some tunes, sip some freshly brewed tea, and relish in the art of self-healing.
6. Taylor Connoisseur Tea Thermometer and Timer
Never under- or oversteep your tea again with this egg-sized kitchen essential. It contains settings for seven types of tea—white, green, black, Darjeeling, herbal, oolong, and puerh (a type of broad-leaf tea)—and beeps when your brew is done.
7. Hugo Naturals Gift Pack
Choose any combination of sumptuous all-natural soaps, lotions, bath salts, and shower gels. This good-enough-to-eat body-care line was inspired by Argentinian chef Hugo Saavedra, and is cruelty free and contains no parabens or artificial fragrance.
8. Kotobuki Trading Ceramics
Add an exotic twist to holiday giving with these elegant, authentic Japanese serving pieces. Sake sets, teapots, chopstick holders, and flatware are made in Japan by traditional artisans.
9. The Virtuous Consumer (New World Library, 2007)
Truly the gift that keeps on giving, this factoid-rich guide written by journalist Leslie Garrett offers tips on how and where to shop for socially and environmentally conscious items year round.
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10. Vivo Bento Box
Colorful and convenient, these stackable, dishwasher-safe melamine trays clamp together and keep foods separate. Plus, their various shades are fun to tote and look cool in the office or classroom fridge.
11. DaVoila Gourmet Pizza Peppers
Kick your pizza up a notch with Smoky Chipotle, Spicy Ancho, and Hot Habanero toppings. The all-natural peppers contain no additives and are loaded with heart-healthy capsaicin and immune-boosting vitamin C.
12. Trudeau Flipper Measuring Spoon Set
Don’t take these measuring spoons at face value—each one has a silicon bowl that inverts, giving spoons reversable dual sizing for ultimate usability.
13. Square One Organic Vodka
As if the totally chic bottle weren’t reason enough to add Square One to your wish list, this spirit made from organically grown rye is smooth and elegant. Plus, the California company distills spirits using 25 percent wind power.
14. Virgin Lands Avocado Oil
Use it like you would olive oil. Cold-pressed avocado oil is perfect for cooking, tossing with roasted veggies, or even drizzling over rich vanilla ice cream. Its light taste and nutrients (vitamin E and monounsaturated fat) make it a good bet for any foodie.
15. The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without (Hyperion, 2007)
Mollie Katzen, sometime
Delicious Living contributor and author of nine cookbooks, divulges 96 of her all-time favorite recipes, including Roasted Asparagus with Pomegranate-Lime Glaze, and Broiled Portabello Parmesan.
The best holiday gifts that managing editor, Katy Neusteter, has ever gotten include a canoe paddle, a moon calendar, and a red-plaid flannel bathrobe. This year, she’s hoping for a hybrid car and a puppy.
