Let’s face it, you’re not going anywhere for the holiday season this year. But is that so bad? Your friends and loved ones in Beijing will keep you warm all the same.
To return the favor, make sure you get a head start on gift shopping to let them know you care – but forget Taobao, because a truly meaningful gift should either be crafted by your own hands (yeah right) or produced locally, thus cementing your relationships into the here-and-now rather than dooming them to the lonely same-old of a globalized economy.
After all, there’s a reason the Wise Men didn’t buy the frankincense and myrrh through an e-commerce super-platform! And good luck finding oil that will stay alight for eight days from a Taobao vendor.
Luckily, Beijing is awash with local artists, artisans, and entrepreneurs who would love to have the support of gift-givers like you. Check a few of them out below:
Affect their heart with affordable local art
For that friend whose walls are bare and in desperate need of decoration, stop them in their tracks before they throw up a tacky poster.A fine opportunity for a browse through such prints will be afforded to you from Dec 2-4 from 11am-3pm at the Winter Art Fair in Haidian's Raycom Infotech park. Organized by TinyOrcaPress, independent artists and workshops like Liuba Draws, Walie, and Meet-Edinburg will be selling their prints at the fair, and if you’d rather go with a three-dimensional gift, then the pottery, iPhone cases, soaps, and needlefelt monsters at the fair will have you covered.
Butter them up with the vegan delight formerly known as Naked Nut ButtersAs long as you’re on a local-lifestyle gifting kick, you might as well tack on a product that won a China Social Impact Award, namely Naked拿颗酱. With almond butter, cashew butter, and of course peanut butter, a jar – or even membership – is a perfect gift for the vegan in your life – or to anyone you’re trying to convert. Search WeChat official accounts for NAKEDnutbutters to find them.A gift they won’t turn their noses up at: Oil of the Phoenix
Now that we’ve touched on sight and taste, let’s move on to the gift of fragrance. Oil of the Phoenix uses all-natural materials to create enticing perfumes and other oil-based goodies like face serums, diffuser blends, and pillow sprays, all of which can be ordered via WeChat ID: Nixxx346. You might also consider their new diffusers that let off special smells made just for this holiday season, including gingerbread, winter dream, and home away.
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The most 2020 gift of all: Clean hands (with soapberries from Kiyani)
Don’t let anyone tell you that soap doesn’t grow on trees. Kiyani sells zero-waste soapberries, which are in fact the naturally occurring fruit of the wuhuanzi tree. Simply add water to create a liquid soap for your hands. Dish soaps are also available, as well as glass soap dispensers and locally grown luffas. Add WeChat ID mirandamullett to order.Smooth things over with the gift of skincare from Zest
People of all genders need to take good care of their skin, and Zest is here to make it possible with simple and natural, yet effective ingredients. They also make other giftables like beard oil and lip balm – whatever that is! Add ID zestislife on WeChat to get in touch.
Make them work for it with a Make Me shoe-making kit or workshop
If making a gift just isn’t in the cards, then turn the tables on your loved ones and have them make the gift for themselves! Make Me will provide a kit with everything they need to craft their own shoes, all without a sewing machine or glue. Of course, you could order the kit and make the shoes yourself before giving them away, but isn’t the real gift to keep them busy with a new project? Visit www.yeahmakeme.com/ to join their mailing list.Nothing beats good old booze
A gift-giver's greatest fear is that their gift will be appreciated for but a moment before being damned to a lifetime in a closet. If you really want to give a gift you know your friends will actively enjoy, make it a subscription for their favorite drink. Enter Drinking Buddies, the service that imports beers from around the world and shares them with subscribers each month. At prices between RMB 699 and 2,299, it’s one of the pricier gifts, but it also lasts from three months up to a whole year. Follow account 啤友汇DrinkingBuddies to sign them up.
Images courtesy of the vendors
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