Localiiz recommends: Christmas gift ideas from the team

Just a few weeks left until Christmas and the countdown has begun. Whether you’re shopping for a loved one or yourself, these Christmas gift ideas that are much loved by the Localiiz team should get you started on your hunt.

For the adventure-loving pet owners

Stephanie, our marketing manager and resident pet expert, is interested in exploring the great outdoors with her dog Lola; she has the lowdown on how to stock up for outdoor adventure lovers:“When you’re hiking in the great outdoors, you don’t want to be carrying a lot with you, especially if you’re already keeping an eye out for your pet. That’s why I like the Crua’s Hybrid Tent (US$259)—it’s a one-person tent that also doubles as a hammock, so you can camp out on the ground or suspended between trees! It’s lightweight as well, has an aluminium lining to boost its insulating capacity and a handy anti-bug mesh, and comes with a waterproof flysheet to keep you dry in rainy weather.Of course, if you’re going into nature with your pooch, it’s best to be prepared. RC Pet Products’ Pocket Pet First Aid Kit (US$12) has the essentials: first-aid tape, gauze pads, antiseptic wipes, an assortment of bandages, and a first-aid pamphlet to give you pointers on how to attend to your pet. And if their furry majesty is expecting a special gift for themselves under the Christmas tree, why not treat them to a Christmas Dog Box ($500) by the Dog Box? Each box comes with a handpicked selection of two engaging toys, two bags of Cookie Street Dog Treats, and one bowtie, bandana, or sailor bowtie that is exclusive to the Dog Box and handcrafted in Hong Kong, so your pet can look its best this holiday.”

For the eco-warriors

What do you get for someone who doesn’t really want anything—at least, anything that’s wrapped in packaging? Our content director Jen has a few Christmas gift ideas for the zero-wasters in your life:“Try building a gift basket filled with bathroom essentials or cleaning products, like soaps, shampoos, conditioners, face washes, cleaning detergents, and more. Places with refill stations like Bathe to Basics, Live Zero, and Slowood are great options, as are brands that use paper packaging, like Coconut Matter and ZeroYet100, or shops that use no packaging at all, like Lush Naked Shop. Just remember to bring your own reusable containers—a couple of glass jars and bottles will go a long way.”

Photos courtesy of Hypebae

For the fashionable traveller

Photos courtesy of Yahoo News and Be-Juiced

For the fitness freaks

We have quite a few team members who live and breathe fitness and wellness. This one goes out to your loved ones who swear by, “New year, new me!”—let’s hope that these Christmas gift ideas can help them stick to their new year’s resolutions. Localiiz’s sales director Sharifa and business development manager Eunice both swear by looking and feeling their best:“We love Lululemon’s Align Crop 21-inch Leggings ($) and Align Pants ($880)—they are form-fitting and come in a huge selection of colours. And the best part—they have pockets!You can also start your loved ones off on a clean slate with a 3-Day Juice Cleanse (HK$1,450) by BeJuiced right after all the holiday festivities. And to encourage their exercise goals, why not consider gifting them a ClassPass Membership (starting from HK$158), so they can ease into the new year with a few well-instructed yoga stretches.”

For the beauty queens

Know someone who loves make-up maybe a little bit too much? Is it you, perhaps? Well, go on, it’s Christmas—treat yo’self! To step it up with something festive, our senior editor Catharina recommends:“The Bomb Baby 2 ($) set by Fenty Beauty should be every beauty lover’s go-to kit this Christmas season. Work the Killawatt Foil Highlighter onto the highest points of your face for an enviable glow, then slick on the Gloss Bomb Lip Gloss for the killing blow. Be the belle of the ball no matter which party you hit up this season. It looks amazing both under strobe lights and by candlelight.”Similarly, our editors Ching and Inés have a few Christmas gift ideas for the make-up hoarder in your life:“You can’t go wrong with Charlotte Tilbury’s Glittering Galaxy of Make-up Magic Advent Calendar (HK$1,244). It is what it promises to be; an advent calendar filled with signature hero products hand-picked by the legendary make-up artist herself so you can get through the holiday season looking flawless. Best-sellers like Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk shade and Goddess Skin Clay Mask included!For a custom experience that shows thoughtfulness and care, help your giftee create their own lipstick at Skin Retreat! Opt for the Lip Couture Signature Pack (HK$560), where you can get a customised lipstick as well as a Hydrafacial Perk lip treatment.”

For the playful fashionista

Bucket hats and Fila stompers are so last year—our content director Jen has a few thoughts on how to add whimsical pieces to your wardrobe that only get better with age:“Menswear start-up Wristbone just launched their very first collection of finely crafted cufflinks, and one of them is Hong Kong-themed, too. We’re partial to the adorable Dino ($495) design, their timeless take on the iconic stegosaurus, which is crafted from antique brass and coated with silver-tone rhodium for a smooth and refined finish. Each order comes with a black case for safekeeping.Additionally, for the sock collector in your life, we bet they’ll love Sloow Socks’ plentiful selection (starting from HK$35). From cute and artsy designs to abstract and minimalistic patterns, these sock purveyors have them all. They’re so affordable, you can craft your own little gift box with loads of different pairs. Plus, it’s always good to support local Hong Kong businesses!”

Read more! Here are a few of the best places to get interesting Christmas decorations.

For the whole family

Looking for something that’s going to delight the whole gang? Ivy, our finance manager and mother of two, recommends:“A luxury family dance camp is the perfect opportunity for mummy and daddy to connect with their kids through music, dance, and laughter. Dance@Central provides you with experienced instructors and a suitable venue, whilst offering a lot of different styles of dance, including street dance, ballet, and jazz. Give the gift of quality time this Christmas with a one-off Family Dance Camp ($400 per person). The two-hour class can be attended by a maximum of five family members!But having a family isn’t all fun and games. When you have little ones around, sometimes it’s hard to keep the germs away. We love AQ Bio’s series of formulated air sprays that utilise natural plant-based ingredients; the biotechnological substance decomposes and splits bacteria and viral structural chains, hence reduce open-air cross-infection and the spreading of disease. Try the General Purpose Spray (HK$228) from AQ Bio; you can spray it directly into the air, or onto hands, tableware, toys, or any contact surface for instant disinfection and sterilisation. You can also use it to prevent itching and promote wound healing!If you need something more heavy-duty, AQ Bio also provides air sterilisation products like the Air Defender (HK$1,998), which provides air purification and prevents cross-infection and allergic reactions.

Photo courtesy of Gyrofish

For the overworked stress ball

Photos courtesy of Bakebe and Lazy Baking Studio

For the budding chefs

Our accountant, Fion, moonlights as an accomplished baker and pâtissier in her spare time; her Christmas gift ideas centre around budding chefs and those interested in the kitchen:“Treat them to a cooking or baking course! There are plenty of studios around Hong Kong that offer classes, either led by an instructor or in an open format where you get to experiment and teach yourself. Clear and easy-to-follow recipes are provided, and you can take them home to recreate your works of art! Cooking classes also make for great group presents, as you can all attend a course together.That said, Bakebe offers cake-making classes (and some holiday-themed ones, too!) where you learn to assemble your sweet creation step-by-step from video instructions on iPads, I Love Babycakes does courses for cupcakes, cake pops, and cakes that are led by Chef Pallavi Sheth, Lazy Baking Studio offers cookie workshops, and ABC Cooking Studio has a well-rounded series of cooking classes centred on Japanese foods like bento boxes and tempura.”

Read more! Find out where to buy Christmas trees in Hong Kong or explore the rest of our Shopping section.