old school holiday ideas

three graces

as promised, here are few more traditional ways to add some island style to celebrate the holidays. xmas cards from pacific island art cards spread the aloha spirit around the world with an eloquent holiday greeting translated in hawaiian. take a peek at their entire line of holiday cards and remember all orders over $25 receive free shipping.

island heritage has got you covered in the gift wrap department so you can have plenty of choices when you finally lock yourself away from the rest of the world for that marathon wrapping session. i'm loving the faux lauhala wrap. and if you want to give your gifts that extra special touch be sure to stock up on mele kalikimaka printed ribbon.

of course, nothing says hawaii like a lauhala box and the best source online is ailana kai which has a good selection of box sizes plus lauhala totes and wine bags. the woven boxes are also an earth-friendly option for gift giving since they can be regifted next year or reused to stash stuff for a clutter-free home.

baby gifts for xmas

many of us probably know at least one little one celebrating their very first christmas this year so here are a few baby gift ideas for the holidays. the design of this handcrafted koa baby rattle is so simple and it has way more soul than one made of plastic. the rattle will definitely be one of the few gifts that is unwrapped that will make the cut into a keepsake box to delight future generations.

wings hawaii has brought their hip surf style to island babies everywhere with their adorable onesie. take your pick of one of their delightful designs (honu, mermaid or surfer girl) printed in your choice of gender specific/neutral colors on a sweatshop-free onesie.

and this is the best gift for those sumo babies who greet meal time with gusto. i couldn't help but giggle when i first saw the pupu bib from coconut kiss and it will definitely make the entire ohana smile on xmas morning.

{update | jan 2010: the online shop that stocked the koa baby rattle featured above is nowhere to be found but a similar design can be scooped up at koa wood craft hawaii}

wrap it up

 whimsy super lucky + s&g fronds

i'm gearing up for the holidays and have been searching for xmas cards and gift wrap ideas that are stylish &/or irreverent. my favorite gift wrap so far is this adorable super lucky pattern from whimsy press. it's not every day you find a lucky cat protecting your gift and i think it may bode well for the new year.

next up, a more minimal design from snow & graham. the taupe & white fronds design could double as abstract snowflakes and would look particularly elegant under the tree. even better, both designs are suitable all year long so you won't have to store oodles of gift wrap for different occasions.

iomoi palm beach tree + rsp palm tree

i am always on the hunt for pretty stationary and last year scored a good deal on pre-printed xmas cards from iomoi. this year, customization is king and iomoi has a nice selection of tropical designs for those with the budget to splurge on personalized holiday wishes. just remember that turnaround time is currently 7 business days so get your order in soon so you have enough time to get your cards in the post.

last but not least, i am loving the palm tree holiday card from rock scissor paper. they always have the coolest retro style designs and this card will definitely stand out amongst all the others that arrive in the mail.

now that i've exhausted all the modern resources, i'll be hunting for more traditional island style holiday ideas. check back in a few days for the scoop!

stocking spectacular

mele kalikimaka stockings

expecting to be on the nice list this year and waking up to find little bundles of holiday treats waiting for you on christmas morning? the tree may be the biggest thing on your decorating list but don't forget about xmas stockings pretty enough to receive non-coal goodies from a certain someone.

i decided it was time to go hunting for stockings with a little aloha spirit for those of us who appreciate good design. the ground rules? no raffia or surfing santas and i soon discovered this was no easy task. after many, many clicks, i was relieved to find these elegant hand quilted xmas stockings from kenui quilts that mix traditional hawaiian design with the festive colors of the holiday season.

hable construction hawaii holiday

a bit too traditional for you? my favorite is this playful hawaii holiday stocking from nyc's hable construction. yes, it's a tad pricey but the feel good factor is high once you consider the number of holiday uses it will endure and that the felt appliqué design is sewn by a woman's cooperative in hungary. act fast if you love it since this is a web exclusive design and quantities are limited (fyi - the other color in this pattern recently sold out and has a waitlist for 2007!).