Jamaican Stocking Stuffers

Is there anyone out there that dislikes getting gifts? I hope not. I’m a sentimental person so tiny trinkets are great, but those mostly tend to gather dust. Instead, I’m a sucker for functional and practical gifts. I also enjoy supporting local brands and small businesses, so I thought I’d compile a list of some of my favourite local companies which offer great products that would double as practical gifts. Most of these brands I’ve used personally and enjoyed, and the rest come highly recommended from friends. These items are small enough to serve as stocking fillers so take out those stockings from last Christmas, dust them out and let’s get ready to fill! I’m 100% sure all these gifts will be loved– none of them will end up regifted in the New Year.

Buy Jamaica, Build Jamaica.

Note: This post is not sponsored. All pictures are either my own or obtained from the companies’ Instagram account.

10 Jamaican Stocking Stuffers

1. Spread Christmas cheer by gifting a festive scent from Laura Alexis Candles. Clappas is the name of their Christmas candle, named for the firecrackers we light during the festive season, and is pine scented. This is an ecofriendly way to bring the smell of fresh pine trees into one’s living room at Christmas. Their other signature scents such as Duppy Conqueror and Bedroom Bully are also on sale of course, but if your fellow isn’t a fan of candles, gift him or her a diffuser or spritzer instead. Laura loves it when we “stick a nose in her business”, and I guarantee your nose will love you right back.

2. Bamboo straws, keychains and coasters from Bambusa Jamaica are in! I won a set of their durable bamboo straws last year in a giveaway hosted by simplylocal.life, another fellow local blogger, and while I took a while to collect the set based on living in different cities from her, it eventually found its way into my lovely possession and I’ve been making good use of them since. You know those paper straws they give out now at fast food places which don’t hold up well after being in the drink for five minutes? Well, with a set of Bambusa straws you won’t have that problem anymore. Carry this case in your bag, use when necessary then wash when you get home with the convenient brush that comes inside. How the tables have turned though! Last year this time I won a set of Bambusa straws from simplylocal.life, now this year I’m GIVING AWAY THREE! 🙂 Stay tuned to my Instagram page to hear more about that giveaway later on this month, and also, stop by Bambusa’s Instagram too to check out the other bamboo items they stock such as personalized keychains, coasters and more.

3. Bag and Pan Ja waistbeads are the perfect accessories to the crop tops and bikinis for the gals in your life. Not only are their waist beads fashionable, but they help with tracking weight loss and maintenance too. The secret is, your abdomen may expand or get flatter but the waist beads are rigid, so they’ll slide up or down accordingly to allow you to keep track of your weight and waistline without a scale. As someone who struggles with seeing the actual number on the scale sometimes, my waist beads keep me in check! I also enjoyed how prompt and professional this company was from ordering, execution to delivery. I recommend them 100%.

4. Swimsuits from Quaint Swim belong in her drawer until the beaches and rivers open up for 2021! There’s no such thing as too many swimsuits! Thus, you can’t ever go wrong gifting someone a swimsuit, once you know their swimsuit size of course. These afrocentric swimsuits are absolutely gorgeous, and that kaleidoscope of colour? I’m here for it!

5. Soaps from Dee’s Natural Beauty belong in your and your friends’ daily skin routine. These soaps are handmade from natural ingredients like turmeric and aloe vera to not only cleanse but tone your skin and leave you blemish-free. Also, throw in one of Dee’s oils and body butters to complete their skin care routine. We’re leaving ashy behind in 2020, and taking only silky smooth and luxuriously soft skin to 2021.

6. We’re also leaving dull hair behind in 2020 with hair products from Ettenio. Their products are locally made and feature only the healthiest natural ingredients. Their skin care line and male grooming products are also quite popular. Treat the males in your life to their cleansers and beard oils.

7. Do you realize how much we’re leaving behind in 2020 already? Split ends are also on that list and we’ll accomplish that goal with satin bonnets from Satin Bonnets Ja. I must say, their bonnets are the most durable and stylish I’ve found! I bought my bonnet at a Christmas expo in 2018 and it still looks almost brand new even though I sleep in it most nights.

8. Enhance the flavours of their dishes with the spices, flavoured salts and sauces from Simo’s. Their pastries are ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, especially their ice cream cake, tiramisu and chocolate mousse BUT I don’t think those would hold up well in a stocking for obvious reason. Instead, gift your friends some spices such as the ones pictured below. Hopefully they’ll make you something with them for your next get-together, a delicious win-win situation.

9. Enjoy local artisan chocolate from Mount Pleasant Chocolatiers. I fell in love with their chocolate from the inaugural Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival in 2018. Your chocolate-loving friends will LOVE this gift; Mount Pleasant organic chocolate bars are rich, not too sweet and perfectly complimented by the various fruits, nuts and subtle spices added to their different bars. The bar below is my favourite.

10. Your friends need a Planna from Those Creative People to get their lives together for 2021. No hot messes for the New Year! These unique locally made planners, journals and other stationery are the perfect inspiration to encourage better organisation and time management. Kick-start your friends’ efficiency and goals with TCP, and check out their creative totes and crafty greeting cards as well.

11. Have you made it this far and realized you don’t have a stocking large enough to fit all these goodies in or… You. Don’t. Actually. Own. A. Stocking? Skip the stocking and put these goodies in a backpack or sling/ chest bag from Heavy Mannaz instead. After all, the stocking goes up after the holidays, but durable vegan leather Heavy Mannaz bags are in style all year round. I was fortunate enough to win a chest bag from them earlier this year and the smile below shows the satisfaction. Your friends will be smiling as broadly with a bag from their Goat Isle line.

Wrap Up

Any product or company above caught your eye? DM them on Instagram or visit their online stores and tell them Adventures from Elle sent you. Also, tag @adventuresfromelle in your photos and stories on Instagram to show me the smiles ’round the Christmas tree or while emptying the stockings later on this month. I know all these gifts will be well appreciated.

Pssssst! I have EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS to share with you today as well! Enjoy while they last, and order your gifts early.

Take care! See you on Sunday. There’s so much in store for Blogmas 2020. 🙂

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