Good news, super Santas! You don’t have to go broke nabbing gifts that your loved ones will appreciate this holiday season. Here at UncommonGoods, we’ve got plenty of impressive wares priced at $50 (or less), and we’ve collected 14 of our favorites here. Whether you’re on the lookout for something edible, play-with-able, or merely functional, we’ve got a good that fits the bill… and then some. Read on for more.
We don’t have to tell you that teenagers go through a crazy roller coaster of changes. They’ve bid farewell to the “little kid” years and they’re on a quest to find a voice (and, perhaps, the #perfecthashtag). This period of self-discovery is really awesome and we’re all about encouraging individuality. So we hand-selected 20 of our coolest items for the savvy, curious, and fun-loving teens in your life. These gifts aren’t just Instagram-worthy keepsakes, they’re also little stamps of uniqueness during this holiday season and beyond.
She’s a master of mindfulness, an arbiter of incense, a face mask aficionado. She’s your most wellness-obsessed friend—and thanks to all the gift choices on our list, you can easily add to her self-care stockpile. Let’s do a few deep, cleansing breaths…and let the shopping begin.
Stop us if this guy sounds familiar: He already has everything he needs (and a lot of things he doesn’t). He owns every book ever written on his favorite subject and definitely doesn’t need another sweater. You feel like it’s impossible to surprise him with anything short of a monogrammed hovercraft. He is… Mr. Impossible-to-Shop-for. Never fear—read on for some of our most uncommon offering to tackle your trickiest guy-gifting conundrums.
You love her… but you don’t know what to get her. Don’t fret, friend—we’ve all been there, and this year, we’re here to help. Even the toughest-to-shop-for gals will love something from our list of suggestions, whether it’s a custom-crafted heirloom cutting board or a travel pillow that’s also an infinity scarf. Read on to find just the thing.
The holidays can be a stressful time of year. On top of juggling parties and trying to enjoy Christmas cookies responsibly, there’s an often-unspoken seasonal antagonist: gifting anxiety. The sinking fear that your recipient already has what you got them. Or worse, won’t want it ‘cus they’ve seen it everywhere and They’re. Just. Over. It. The good news is, there are plenty of “Where’d you find this?!” gifts still out there. In fact, they’re right here. Go ahead and consider us your secret weapon for battling gifting anxiety. (Whether or not you want to let your giftees in on the secret is totally up to you!)
When the holiday season starts creeping up on us, so does that nagging feeling that it’s time to get out the ol’ gift list. This year, spend more time drinking eggnog while streaming holiday classics and less time wondering, “Does [friend or family member] already have this?” If you pick up a gift from this list of our newest goods, you’re sure to steer clear of an accidental double-up.
Industrial designer Luke Hobbs in his Hollywood, California, studio, photos by Emily Hodges
Knowing that Luke Hobbs’ handcrafted lamps carry a mix of industrial-vintage flair, it wasn’t a surprise that his space held the same allure. Luke’s Hollywood studio is the perfect spot for a scavenger hunt if marquee signs, tiny brass animals, and posed mannequins are on your list. A corner display mimicking an old-timey parlor—charming bookshelf wallpaper, steel cocktail shakers, and antique encyclopedias—was revealed right when I walked through the garage entrance.
A few steps away from what Luke calls “the whiskey lounge,” lamps were placed in sections that were in different stages of production: wooden block bases being cut, bases ready-to-be stained, and tiny sculptures about to get polished. “How did you come up with this hand-touch concept?” I asked as I placed my index finger on and off the Mr. Owl Touch Lamp, watching the light bulb flicker. “It’s honestly not a brand new concept, it’s the design that makes it different.”
When I continued to check out the rest of Luke’s garage space, alongside several of his tools and machinery, dozens of spray paint cans and paint buckets were lined up against the wall shelves. In the very back, I noticed piles and piles of sculptures ranging from airplanes to cats—waiting to be selected for his next lamp design. In awe of Luke’s organized chaos, I decided to challenge him a bit by asking if he had my favorite animal, a whale, swimming in these piles. Challenge accepted! He disappeared and returned in two minutes with a little brass whale sitting on his palm. He went on to tell me why he can’t complete one lamp in one day, how Mack Trucks inspired his first design, and why a getaway car might be needed when it’s time recharge his creative juices.
Hands. My hands definitely qualify for the most essential. Nothing would get done without them.
I’ve created different areas within my workspace, including the “whiskey lounge” which is generally used as a finished display of product staging, but also for inspiration. And maybe some whiskey.
Mr. Owl Touch Lamp, photo by UncommonGoods’ creative team