Winter is coming. And with it the annual Christmas stress. Who doesn't know it? You wait and wait for the perfect gift idea and forget the time. And boom it’s too late. So, what do you give away so close to Christmas? We reveal our secret gift list and there is really something for everyone. You search for an exclusive gift for a vegan loved one? Perfect. You want to gift your family and show them how amazing vegan products are? We got you. All presents on our list are handpicked items of small, independent or female-founded brands, who care about animals, the environment and making bomb-ass products at the same time!

Disclaimer: We do not work with any affiliate links. All products and brands are chosen by us according to our personal taste as well as their sustainability approach and efforts for the animals.

A classic that never gets old: chocolates. Everyone loves chocolate, especially if it is handmade with lots of love. No one can say no to that! There are a lot of recipes out there for homemade pralines and truffles, for example from The Minimalist Vegan or Bianca Zapata. If you do not have the dexterity to do it yourself, you can also order some vegan, exquisite handmade pralines from experienced chocolatiers. Our favorite: chocolates and much more from La Mara – a vegan and female-founded German startup!

Vegan Chocolates and Pralines from German startup La Mara (© Design Melina Bucher, Product Pictures La Mara)

Of course, jewelry is always a lovely gift, but let it be something special this time. Have you ever seen jewelry made of concrete? No? Then let yourself feel enchanted. This jewelry is not only fascinating, but also handmade in Frankfurt, Germany, with recycled materials (like copper from cables). Convince yourself of Concrete Jungle!

Jewelry made from Concrete and Recycled Metals from Concrete Jungle (© Design Melina Bucher, Product Pictures Concrete Jungle)

If you've ever looked for vegan shoes, you know how difficult it can be to find the perfect pair. We've picked our personal team favorites - which of course go perfectly with our bags! Beautiful boots made of apple leather, perfect to upgrade any outfit from Sylven New York. They even have a pair in a black and nude two-toned design complementing our BAILEY bag. And if you plan to stay inside this holiday season: To protect yourself from cold feet in the winter, we have picked the coziest woolen slippers - of course as a vegan version of Allkind!

Our favorite pairs of vegan shoes - from classic to cozy (© Design Melina Bucher, Product Pictures Sylven New York, Allkind)

Luxury handbags are one of the most popular gifts, what about a luxury handbag without animal abuse? We offer you a luxury handbag, handcrafted by the best craftsmen in the world. All Melina Bucher designer bags are sustainably made in Europe without any animal cruelty involved. And do not forget to follow the launch of our newest innovation: the BAILEY Bag, made of first of its kind plant-based, circular vegan leather!

Melina Bucher vegan designer handbags are the perfect precious gift for your ethical-minded special one (© Melina Bucher)

Warm candlelight belongs to every Christmas and winter time. What could be more beautiful than watching the snowflakes out of the window, feeling the warmth inside and smelling the scent of a yummy candle? We have picked a small selection of vegan and handmade candles for you to try out. Up Candle creates candles handmade in Berlin from all-natural oils and regional rapeseed wax. They offer delicious, fresh scents like “forest walk” – infused with swiss stone pine to keep you calm. Champagne lovers out there? Design Bubbles creates candles out of old champagne bottles, that do not only smell delicious, but are also an interior eye-catcher!

Sustainably handcrafted vegan candles (© Design Melina Bucher, Product Pictures UpCandle, Design Bubbles)

Get the cucumber slices ready! We reveal the best gifts for a spa day with your best friends. You can bring the luxury home and really relax from the Christmas stress. The hand-woven gown from Turkey by Lüks Linen gives you the perfect wellness feeling. Matching a luxurious wellness evening, we have picked for you the Skincare Set for the perfect skin from Dezi Skin, so you can try out the products directly!

Our faves for an at-home spa day (© Design Melina Bucher, Product Pictures LüksLinen, DeziSkin)

Since Christmas is all about giving love, we'd like to introduce you to our most favorite gift that allows everyone to help – an animal sponsorship. For all the animal lovers out there, an animal sponsorship offers to help both your favorite shelter and the animal itself! Especially in times of a pandemic, the number of animals in shelters that must be cared for are high – even though donations are decreasing. Also, shelters are not allowed to work with volunteers in times of distance. All this causes not only financial difficulties for shelters, but also a lack of time for the employees who take care of the animals. With an animal sponsorship you help both individual animals and the animal shelters in your area. Many shelters offer special opportunities for the animal “godparents”, like pictures and regular mail updates about their chosen animal. Isn’t that the cutest thing ever?

The most precious gift for animal lovers: an animal sponsorship (© Design Melina Bucher, Animal Pictures Tierheim Nürnberg)

Don’t forget: Christmas time is not about gifting – it is about spending time with your loved ones. So do not feel pressured to spend a lot of money. We wish all our Bucherbabes a happy holiday time with your family and friends and hope you can enjoy some cozy moments.