Derek Major

2 years ago

Black Enterprise’s Thoughtful Holiday Gift Guide For the Person Who Insists On No Gifts

(Image: iStock / Hispanolistic)

We all know one or two people who it’s almost impossible to find the right gift for during the holiday season.

Even though you spend hours looking online and in every store window you walk past, no matter what you buy, they never seem satisfied. You’ve never seen that surprised look on their face that says it was the perfect gift and something they never expected. It might’ve happened so often that the person insists on not receiving gifts.

This year BLACK ENTERPRISE has you covered with a gift guide for those who insist on not receiving gifts.

The first thing you must know about the person who insists they don’t want a gift is that they’re also not looking for you to spend much. This means you can make their day with an inexpensive purchase. You can also take the opportunity to think outside the box to find a gift that might finally be the right fit.

Gifts For Drinkers

For someone who loves spirits, whether it’s making them or drinking them, during the holidays, BLACK ENTERPRISE has some Black-owned spirits and drink recipes that will have you feeling warm and festive during the holidays.

For those who love whiskey, or the taste of salted caramel, Duke & Dame’s premium whiskey contains a robust salted caramel flavor and just the right amount of sweetness without the harsh aftertaste of traditional whiskey.

Duke & Dame was started by friends Chima Burey and Amani Macaulay in 2017. In its short lifetime, it has won several prestigious spirits awards, including The Sip Awards International Spirits Competition, The International Whisky Competition, The New York International Spirits Competition, and The San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Additionally, Duke & Dame has a list of signature recipes and has created a list of several holiday drinks that will leave the person who insisted you not get them a gift wondering where they can find more Duke & Dame for their home.

Duke & Dame Holiday drink recipes:

Caramel Pumpkin Pie

2 oz Duke & Dame, 1/2 oz Real Pumpkin Puree, 3/4 oz Lemon Juice, 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters, and one Egg White.

Caramel Apple Mule

2 oz Duke & Dame, 1 oz Apple Cider, 1/2 oz Lemon Juice, Top Off w/Ginger Beer

Caramel Sour

2 oz Duke & Dame, 1 oz Lemon Juice, 1 oz Simple Syrup, Egg White (or Aquafaba)

Black-owned Plush Vodka

Another Black-owned liquor that will satisfy those who like spirits but want something outside of whiskey is Plush Vodka, which uses the essence of the soft and smooth plum fruit with the eight-time distilled vodka and Revel Spirits, a Black-owned innovative agave spirit made naturally in Morelos, Mexico.

Handcrafted agave-based spirit, Revel

When launching REVEL, founder Micah McFarlane wanted to do something incredibly bold and different, created an entirely new category under the agave umbrella called Avila, which is a handcrafted agave-based spirit, often thought of as the lovechild of tequila and mezcal. REVEL’s Avila is available in three expressions, including Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo, which can be purchased online.

Gifts For Creatives

Puzzles of Color gives you hundreds of pieces of culture in each box. The Black-owned family business was started by two siblings, William and Erika who enjoyed working on puzzles as children. The two began Puzzles of Color when they realized that many of the puzzle images had no resemblance to their appearances and experiences.

Find the frameable puzzles at https://www.puzzlesofcolor.com/.

Gifts For Eaters

For those who love eating and tasting bold new flavors while they do it, The Scotch Boyz and lifelong friends Matthew Wallace, Drew Gray, Neil Hudson, and Kemar Swaby have created a line of six wing sauces, including their flagship Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce.

Scotch Boyz Director, Matthew Wallace (L) and Neil Hudson (R) Scotch Boyz- co-founder and Sales Director. (Photo courtesy of the Scotch Boyz)

All Scotch Boyz sauces are made with natural ingredients, including peppers, onions, scallions, and thyme. Additionally, the group has stayed true to its roots as the sauce is processed and bottled in Jamaica with ingredients from local farmers.

“So our ingredients come from more than two hundred small farms in Jamaica, so that way we have a direct impact on the community so Scotch Boyz’s success has a local impact on the community, we’re their peppers can find a market on the world stage through our sauce while we Founders are Jamaican American we’re holding true to our roots by bringing the best of Jamaica to the world,” Scotch Boyz Co-founder Neil Hudson told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

The four friends, all from Jamaica, got their start by using one of their grandfather’s recipes in a barbecue grill-off competition in 2015.

“We came first in two categories, so for months after, people kept saying, ‘you cook so well’ and ‘your sauces are amazing,’ so they kept asking us for the sauce from the grill-off, so when somebody actually paid us for it we knew had to bottle it,” Hudson told BLACK ENTERPRISE.

Chocolate is always a treat

For those who have a sweet tooth, Phillip Ashley Chocolates has a collection of wildly imaginative luxury chocolates with unique blends like Sweet Potato, French Bleu Cheese, and Bacon Caramel Shortbread. Founder Phillip Ashley Rix has created chocolates for the Emmys, Grammys and Oscars and is one of Oprah’s Favorite Things.

(Image: Courtesy of Phillip Ashley Chocolates)

If the person who insists on no gift likes to dine out, BLACK ENTERPRISE has a litany of stories on the top Black-Owned restaurants across the U.S. that you can go to and treat that stubborn gift-taker to and enjoy a nice meal.

Gifts For Budding Entrepreneurs

For the person who insists on no gift because they have trouble buying others gifts this time of the year due to their money going back into their business, nothing will serve better than sound financial advice.

Fortunately, BLACK ENTERPRISE has a wealth of books, social media channels,

and podcasts it’s featured that you can put a budding entrepreneur or someone who is struggling financially on to that will benefit the wallet and bank account of those you care for.

The Your Money, Your Life podcast, hosted by BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Senior Vice President and Editor-at-Large Alfred Edmond Jr., may get a weird look at first, but the podcast features top interviews with successful Black entrepreneurs and sound financial advice on everything, including 401(K)s, the stock market, planning and saving for retirement, buying your first home, and even how to create long-lasting and generational wealth, that will have that person buying you an expensive gift in the future as thanks.

Gifts For Her

If you’re planning on getting back to traveling in 2023 you might want to check out Ooshie, a sustainable women’s resort wear fashion line founded by entrepreneur, mother and former model and actress, Melissia Hill. Ooshie products, which are sustainably and ethically produced, pair classic silhouettes like caftans and wrap dresses with vibrant colors and floral prints to create garments that are stylish, classic and comfortable.

(Image: Courtesy of Ooshie)

“I wanted to find a way to give women the feeling of anything is possible through my designs and to provide an alternative to fast and disposable fashion which is negatively affecting our planet,” Hill said in a statement.

Glamming It Up

Another gift item that can make a woman’s face light up is beauty products and Black-Owned beauty brand The Glam Room recently launched a new collection that includes products designed for women currently undergoing postpartum and chemotherapy including Postpartum Growth Shampoo and Conditioners, Chemotherapy Hair Loss Shampoos and Conditioner, Hair Repair Grease and more.

(Image: Courtesy of The Glam Room)

The Glam Room creates top-tier products for all hair types and skincare concerns. Haircare products have been proven to help dandruff, address thinning hair issues, hair growth for alopecia, postpartum and even chemotherapy hair loss. The brand also sells products for curl definition, hair growth, hair treatments and much more. The skincare collection works amazing for cystic acne, hyperpigmentation, eczema and blemishes.

Gifts For Him

If the man in your life like stylish boots, rapper Dave East and sneaker retailer SNIPES have collaborated for three new Timberland styles that capture the spirit and hustle of Harlem, NY.

(Image: 6-Inch Boot / Courtesy of Dave East x Timberland x SNIPES )

The Dave East x Timberland x SNIPES 6-Inch Premium Boot, Dave East x Timberland x SNIPES 6-inch Field Boot and the Dave East x Timberland x SNIPES Field Boot.

(Image: 6-Inch Field Boot / Courtesy of Dave East x Timberland x SNIPES)

(Image: Field Boot / Courtesy of Dave East x Timberland x SNIPES)

Timberland, the original waterproof boot designed more than 40 years ago, continues to be a best-seller when it comes to footwear today, combining it with SNIPES’ streetwear dedication, comfort and style will have you crushing it on the concrete. The durable leather protects from any punctures or piercing while Anti-Fatigue Footbeds continue to keep spirits high and lively later in the day.

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