2020 has definitely been a weird year, but we couldn’t let it it end without releasing our official holiday gift guide! More than ever, it’s time to shop & support small businesses. They are people like us - trying to support their families, making their dreams into a reality. This year’s gift guide includes some of our personal favorite shops. They’re owned by super mamas, mamacitas, and some of our closest friends. We’ve picked some great options for your kids, partners, parents, friends, and more. And like always, you can’t forget a little something for yourself for being such a dope super mama all year long. 😉 So what are you waiting for? Start shopping now to get those gifts to your loved ones in time for Christmas!
1. Guelaguetza
Shameless plug for our restaurant! If you have local LA foodie on your list, a gift card (or even a delivered meal!) from Guelaguetza is the way to go. Not in Los Angeles? You can also shop some of our restaurant favorites online! Get our famous mole, ingredients for meals like and even a signed copy of our cookbook, Oaxaca: Homecoming from the Heart of Mexico, which is full of personal family recipes and others from the restaurant too. The perfect gifts for those venturing into cooking or someone who’s moved into a new home and need a beautiful, colorful cookbooks on display.
2. Shop Latinx
This new marketplace has quickly become a favorite one stop shop this year! You can shop anything from lifestyle, beauty, and fashion products on this site, all by Latinx owners and creators. There’s nothing like supporting the small business created by mamacita Brittany Chavez, but when you can support multiple shops like Vive Cosmetics, GRL Collective, and El Cholo’s Kid, it means so much more. Follow @shoplatinx on Instagram to learn more about their featured brands and what they do.
3. Hija de tu Madre
We have to shout out our girl, Patty Delgado, and her brand Hija de tu Madre. These are the gifts for the ladies in your life who are busy owning their shit and hustling their way to Jefa life. You can get a Jefa Toolkit, stocked with all the desk items a Jefa needs to WERK. She also makes super cool jewelry and awesome graphic tees for when you really want to make a statement about what you want and how you feel. And since you know we have more time indoors to look forward to, you can stay cozy in her cool hoodies. Like Patty says on her site, ‘The brand is an ode to mujeres who are unapologetically Latina.”
4. Orox Leather
This brand made our list last year when Bricia was obsessed with the hat she purchased here, and guess what, she still loves it! You can buy a gorgeous leather wallet for your husband, who has probably has the same one for years, leather coasters for your mixologist friend who is planning the first party after quarantine, and even a dog collar for your four-legged best friend. This Oaxacan family owned business has quickly become one of our favorite shops to shop all year round, especially during the holidays!
5. Emma’s Magical Boutique
Everybody loves a princess. Emma’s Magical Boutique is an Etsy shop created by super mama who makes the most incredible princess dresses! You can choose from custom made Disney Princess dresses or adorable white dresses for flower girls, bautizos, quinces and more. These are some of Paulina’s daughters favorite dress up items, and we can imagine Augustina wearing them all one day too. Send Emma’s Magical Boutique a DM for more info or to place an order!
6. Latinx with Plants
If you’re a regular show listener, you know we spent the beginning of quarantine being plant moms and propagating our plants. We fell in love with @LatinxwithPlants last year, and since she opened her storefront in Los Angeles during quarantine, there’s no better place to shop plantas like begonias, cacti, pilea, and more plants that we didn’t even know existed. And you can even shop cute plant themed masks in her online store! Being plant moms has really helped our emotional wellbeing this year, so these are not only great gifts for other plant parents, but also the friends who need a pick me after a tough year.
7. La Libreria
For the book worms, bilingual learners, and teachers in your life, La Liberia has a wide variety of books en español. This local Los Angeles bookstore carries titles from Latin America and Spain for your tiny toddlers to preteens and teenagers. When the storefront is open (closed for now due to Covid) it’s one of Paulina’s favorite places to take the girls for an afternoon out. Check out their roundup of holiday books and their virtual events (for now) and book fairs.
8. Lola’s Mercadito
Even if we can’t travel this year, we can still get a taste of gifts inspired by Mexico from Lola’s Mercadito. You can find stocking stuffers for everyone on your list! Beautifully embroidered handmade aprons straight from Oaxaca for your mama and abuelita to wear when cooking Christmas dinner, pompom garlands and palm ornaments to add to your Christmas tree, and even a handmade baby gown for the expecting mama in your life. There’s nothing better than helping a small business owner AND Mexican artisans who are supporting their families too.
9. Bloomi
Let’s talk about gifting sex items, baby! Earlier this year, we interviewed sexologist and Bloomi founder Rebecca Alvarez Story, about really getting intimate with our partners amid the pandemic. She recommended a bunch of items to try in the bedroom (with a partner or by yourself), and these would be great gifts for yourself or those amigas who have always talked about exploring but were never ready to take the leap. Their new massage oil is great to help you or your partner relax and arouse the senses, the infamous yoni egg, and various items for menstrual care for those who can’t decide if they’re team tampon, pad or cup. You can even book a virtual session with Rebecca herself! Learn more now.
10. L.A. Taco
Where are all the foodies at?! L.A. Taco was founded by a team of journalists, including our friend and cookbook co-author Javier Cabral, looking to share things about the city they love. They share articles and reviews about local restaurants, and have created some of the most delicious guides on where to find the best mariscos, the top taco spots delivering during the stay-at-home order, and where to find Christmas tamales. When you purchase a membership to L.A. Taco, you not only join a taco loving community, but also get free tacos, exclusive merchandise, a MUST READ weekly email, and support authentic local journalism. Read away!
11. Super Mamas Swag
We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to plug ourselves. Super Mamas swag is one of the best gifts for the super mamas in your life! Share your love with abuelita, mom, your amigas, primas, and sisters who are also moms, or even yourself, with super mama swag. You can start your year with our Feed Your Confidence bundle which includes a notebook for journaling, a zip up pouch for storing your mama necessities, and a pin to show your sisterhood support on the daily! We also have tees , hats, and phone grips to remind you of and show others the strong mama you are.
12. Viva La Bonita
2020 was the year of working from home in matching sweatsuits and VLB has the best options! Bricia is personally a fan of the tan tie dye version (sweatshirt and sweat pants sold separately) that your cool little sister would love to rock during her Zoom classes. Founder and creator, Rachel Gomez, also makes jewelry, coffee mugs for the obsessed latte lover in your life, and hats for those days you don’t feel like doing your hair. You can also shop exclusive VLB merch from their exclusive partnership with Foot Locker.
13. N4 Skincare
For those who need a little treat and self care in their life, how about a facial from Bricia’s esthetician, @N4Skincare. Sheet masks, CryoGlobes, and at-home facials are just a few of the treatments they can help you with. Their team has been featured in media like Coveteur, Byrdie Beauty, and Today.com about products you should be using, how to treat and prevent maskne (it’s a thing), and how blue light from screen time is affecting our skin. Check out their Instagram for more info on treatments and even great holiday giveaways!
14. I Love Micheladas
You have to admit that when the times get tough, sometimes you just need to surrender and pour yourself a drink. Our I Love Micheladas mix might not cure the quarantine blues but it will help get the party started this Christmas with our celebration pack! Besides the drink mix, you can also shop miche gear like sweatshirts and pins. And even if you’re not into beer, our mix goes great with a sparkling water too - a favorite choice for mom’s to be.
15. Sweet Street Cosmetics
For the beauty lover in your life - you know we can’t get enough of Sweet Street Cosmetics. Every single one of their products has us wanting more! The perfect liquid eyeliner for that crisp wing, the thick & thin lipliner that’s great for the on-the-go mom to throw in her bag when she needs it, and liquid lipstick for the friend who is always on Zoom interviews and needs the perfect shade to look like she has it all together. We are SO obsessed with these makeup products!
16. The Designing Chica
Another incredible super mama and friend of our’s! You may recognize Susana’s art from our previous partnerships with her. Her coloring books and paint kits are filled with images of inspirational Latinx leaders and cultural items, and they are the perfect gifts for the artists in your family. Her art with soothe the souls of stressed out mamas, abuelos looking for new hobbies with the grandkids, and other aspiring designers looking to make her art their own. Also Susana can put her art on almost anything - coffee mugs, shirts, framed prints, you name it - for an easy, customizable gift.
17. Lil Libros
You know we had to include our favorite children’s books! These are the best gifts for the little ones in your life. From learning about legendary Hispanic icons like Pelé and Ellen Ochoa, to beautiful cities like Havana and Oaxaca, these books offer lessons about colors, anatomy, counting, and more. Their online store also offers great games like Lil Lotería, a Lopez family favorite, and downloadable activity sheets to add to their stay-at-home curriculum.
