A List of Gifts for the Photo-Curious and the Food-Lover
Some ideas on what to gift for all budgets, including DIYs
Yes, this is another gift-list, and it may be too late for this, or even some of you may be fed-up with them already. But I thought I’d send it out nonetheless for the ones of you that still need some inspiration.
I have tried to put together some ideas that are linked to food and photography without putting too much emphasis on specific products but rather on a concept that hopefully can be purchased locally wherever you are.
I know this is a season of contradictions. We don’t want to fall on the capitalist trap but we also want to embrace tradition. We want the gifts to be honest but we also need to manage the social expectations of perhaps gifting to people we don’t know so much or we don’t even like… It’s a lot.
So I say, let’s be kind to ourselves and try our best and, if possible, shop locally and support small businesses around us. Also, you may not need to spend that much at all!
Under $25/25€
Some friends, big families and companies organise a Secret Santa. It’s kind of fun but also one more thing to add to the list of gifts to make. For the ones of you that don’t know what I’m talking about, Secret Santa, or “amigo invisible” in Spanish, consists of putting the names of the participants in a bag or box and each needs to take a name out without revealing it to the rest. The name written in a folded paper will be the person you have to prepare a gift to. Normally there’s a limit of price, so here are some ideas on how to gift on a budget.
DIY Tote bag or kitchen towel
I love this one because it’s so customisable. You only need to get a plain tote bag or kitchen towel and a fabric washable marker and make your designs! You can think of the person’s hobbies or personality and draw and write accordingly. It’s a really cute gift and very low risk as even if you don’t know their decor style, everybody loves a fun tote bag!
Idea credit: The Sorry Girls. Check out their tutorial here.
DIY Food magnets or Place card holders
This is another DIY also taken from The Sorry Girls that I would love to get! You need creativity, magnets and polymer clay. You will need to shape the clay in the shape of the item you want (ice cream cone, sushi, chocolate bar, cheese, olive…), let it air dry or bake it in the oven (follow product instructions) and stick a magnet on it. If you prefer the place holder version, think of an object that can stand on it’s own and mark a line on it to put the card with the name. So simple and fun!
Idea credit: The Sorry Girls. Check out their tutorial here.
DIY Garlands / Ornaments
Another nice DIY to make and gift if you know the person likes decorating for the holidays is to make a dry orange garland or some ornaments with cookie stamps! I will cost next to nothing!
I left a tutorial on my latest newsletter, find it here.
Cookie box
This gift requires dedication but it costs very little. You need to find a nice box (tin, thrifted or reused perhaps) and make a bunch of different biscuits! The person gifted will be able to enjoy the treats and keep the box!
Here are some recipes from fellow Substack writers:
“My ideal Christmas cookie box” by
.“12 DAYS OF COOKIES: FRENCH BRETON COOKIES” by
“A Christmas Cookie Box: from Siena with Love” by
“Make Your Own Festive Biscuit Box” by
Be mindful of food allergies!
Spices
This is a very thoughtful gift for the cook, and affordable too! You can try to find a local spice company, possibly sustainable as well, that has good quality products. Depending on your budget, you could opt for one pot or for a set.
I have recently discovered this small spice company based in Cambridge, MA, and I love it! Great product, beautiful labels and a company with high morals based on sustainability and fair trade.
Photography Backdrop
I would be thrilled if I got this as a gift! It’s perfect for someone into food photography that wants to expand their styling options. Vinyl backdrops are great quality, durable, multi-use and you get to have a wooden table, marble countertop or French tiles for less than $25!
My favorite ones are from Errer, a small company based in the Netherlands; and from Capture by Lucy, also a small business, from the UK.
Read more about photography backdrops here.
Under $50/50€
If your budget is wider and/or you know the person a bit better, these ideas are for you.
Phone tripod
An affordable gift for the photo-curious is a phone tripod. In my photography newsletters I always try to show how you can capture beautiful photos with just a phone that has a good camera. It’s more about understanding fundamentals like the light, the subject and the angles than having an amazing (and expensive) setup.
A phone tripod will give many more creative options as your hand will be free from holding the camera and ready to be used in the scene instead!
These are the ones I own and have served me well. All my videos are shot with my phone: KraftGeek 66’ Phone Tripod and Arkon Mount remarkable Creator (this one is over budget but it’s great for top-down shots and quite sturdy).
Cookbook
This is an obvious gift but not less joyful to receive! And some may even be below $25!
It would be great to find a cookbook that you know may interest the person in question, otherwise here’s a list of “The Best Cookbooks of 2024, According to Food & Wine Editors” and another one of “The 25 Most Influential Cookbooks From the Last 100 Years” according to The New York Times.
Candle
This is one of my favourite things because it creates a very nice atmosphere with very little. I know it can be hard to gift candles, but if you know the other person’s preferences, it’s a beautiful gift, and one that you can for sure buy locally.
I love going to a small store in the town I live to get new candles every season. My favourite ones from Boston General Store are “Sunday Morning”, “Japanese Citrus”, both very fresh, and “Christmas tree” and “Montana Forest” for the holidays because they smell like a forest of firs. They are from a company based in Brooklyn, NY, called Brooklyn Candle Studio.
Always try to buy natural materials like coconut and soy wax to avoid inhaling toxics. They are more expensive but also better for you and the planet.
Ceramics
This is a gift for the host and also for the food photographer. You don’t need to find a full set of anything, but I think gifting a hand-crafted plate, a thrifted platter, or a pitcher from a local shop would make a lot of people happy.
If you know their style, try to find something in that realm, but otherwise it’s good to go minimal with colors and patterns, so they can mix it with the rest of their existing collection.
I talked about the best ceramics to get for food photography and what to avoid here.
Bundt tin
If the person you are thinking of is a baker, this is for them! You may need to know if they already own a bundt tin and if so, which one do they own to avoid repetition.
Bundt cakes photograph so beautifully as well!
The best company I found in the US is Nordic Ware.
Under $100/100€
These are a bigger expense but will make a very thoughtful gift.
Apron
I have been asking for aprons for several Christmases already. I know the ordinary person will not need more than one, but the home cook cum food photographer will be very happy to have multiple to use in their photos as well.
The ones that photograph best are linen aprons, and if you invest in a long one, you can use it folded as well, so you have one in two. In terms of color, a neutral beige or grey one is always very useful but if the person already owns one, think of a block color or one with subtle stripes!
I love these brands: Vikolino (I have one of their aprons in purple and I’ve also used it as a table cloth for my photos!), Linen Tales and The Citizenry. I think this one by Hedley & Bennett is super fun for a more pop inspired look!
Magazine / newsletter subscription
I love this gift because it supports culture, writing, journalism and creators. You could make a nice graphic in Canva with a QR code, print it out, put it in an envelope and hand it as a gift! With $50 you could get a yearly subscription to many creators and magazines!
Here’s a list of “The Best Food And Drink Magazines In 2024” according to Toast.
And here are my recommended newsletters.
Print
Another way to support a creator or artist you admire is to buy a print from them!
Domenica Marchetti is now offering the beautiful illustrations that Daniela Bracco creates for her newsletter as prints!
Vittles is doing the same with the illustrator Sing Sun Lee.
Over $100/100€
The following ideas are treats!
Table cloth
If your budget is not an issue, a beautiful gift for the host is a table cloth set. I have recently purchased a bundle from Bed Threads and I love the quality. It includes a linen tablecloth, 4 placemats and 4 napkins in the colors you choose.
Be mindful of the size the person may need and try to find a local company if possible.
Food basket
This used to be a tradition in Spanish companies back in the day. Employees used to get a food basket for Christmas with different products from turrón (nougat) to paletilla de jamón (ham leg) for the lucky ones.
Nowadays that’s more and more uncommon as companies are trying to cut costs, but if you are feeling generous, I’m sure the chosen person would be thrilled to get a curated food basket!
Choose your favourite products (mine would be olive oil, tinned tuna and clams, Iberian ham and spicy sauce), find a nice basket or box and fill it up with love and colored tissue paper!
You can see an example in Alison Roman’s newsletter.
So many things on this gift list I would love!