The Tash Mashup 2024 Holiday Gift Guide

Cue the holiday jingles and pop some bubbly—IT'S GIFTING SEASON! In my household, we’ve been playing the Punjabi Christmas Album Hits on repeat (yes, it’s a thing). Please tell me I’m not the only one obsessed and that you too, listen to it every year. I NEED to know!

If you’ve been following my blog or social media for a while, you already know I’m all about creativity, charm, and bringing sparkle to everyday moments. That’s exactly what this guide is here for: thoughtfully curated gifts that are as fun and fabulous as the drink recipes, entertaining tips, and hostess-with-the-mostess vibes I share with you all year long.

You’ll find everything from cocktail essentials to gastrotourist-approved finds, chic hosting upgrades, and gifts that will have everyone asking, “Where did you find this?” Whether you’re shopping for the newly minted home bartender in your life or the friend who swears by a perfectly curated chaat-cuterie board, this guide saves you from endless scrolling and searching. Cause honestly, who’s got time for that? Think of it as your ultimate cheat sheet for gifting your favorite people (or yourself—cause you deserve it) with finesse and ease. Let’s get into it!

Click the > arrows next to each header below to reveal a drop-down list of all my gifting recommendations for that specific category!

For the Cocktail Enthusiast —

• Martini earrings: I absolutely love my Retrofête earrings pictured here and while they are sadly sold out, a cute pair of martini earrings make for such a great conversation starter at holiday parties. I am eyeing these from Kate Spade for myself. They are fabulous for $40 as are these timeless stunners from Mignonne Gavigan. Also while on the topic, these fruit drop earrings that my friend Shiv wore to her baby shower were the CUTEST thing IRL. I also love these cherry ones, both 30% off right now at Anthro.

• Vibrant coupe glasses: I will die on the hill that glassware makes for the best gifts. You'd be surprised how many people have basic glassware covered (glasses for drinking water + mugs for coffee in the AM) but don't have a proper set of glassware to host! Coupe glasses are a great place to start. I gifted these coupe glasses to my best friend Karish as a housewarming gift, made drinks at her place with them for us, and then ended up getting myself a matching pair. It's a no-brainer they are a CB2 best-seller and lucky for you, a set of 4 only runs you back $22 during Black Friday. A few other stunning options are the tried-and-true Ramona glasses from Anthro (30% off when added to your cart) and these Viski stunners now 20% off that come as a set of 2. I own so much Viski glassware that I've had for years and the quality is truly, unmatched. I'd vouch for anything made by the brand if you're looking for any glassware at all this season.

• A one-of-a-kind wine charm set: Wine charms are such a lovely gift and have a permanent spot on my bar cart. It's wild to say that this year, I don't have to look elsewhere and can gift my own. I created the first Indian-inspired wine charm set in collaboration with Tinted Heritage and they are just the sweetest. They were intentionally designed to fit in a stocking but I also love the idea of gifting them as party favors. Use THETASHMASHUP for 10% off!

• Candles that smell like a favorite cocktail: For our engagement, our sweet friends Jenny and Anish gifted us a Big Ass Luxuries candle and goodness - what a statement. The first thing guests notice when they come over is this candle and boy, is it a big ass luxury to light a candle like this! The burn time is INSANE - we are talking up to 500 hours and the sparkling Paloma scent is delightful. I also am excited to come across the brand, Wixology. This particular Coffee & Bourbon cream candle screams 'Christmas is near' to me and is less than $20 right now.

For the Designated Home Bartender —

• Personalized ice cube tray or stamps: Talk about a quick way to make your home feel like you've stepped into the swankiest of bars! These from Siligrams are now 25% off and are wonderful since you can make them before your guests arrive and just pop them out when ready to serve. My fiancé gifted me this ice cube design tray last year and I love how simple and efficient it is to use. There are also a ton of options for hand stamps available on Etsy like this one which is now over 50% off and allows customization on all fronts - down to the handle!

• A Crew® cocktail infusion kit: Functionality is the name of the game for every home bartender when it comes to tools and this infusion kit (now 30% off) is a spectacular gift that ensures you have everything you need to infuse your spirits at home with fresh ingredients. I love this as a gift because it comes with preservative-free mixes like Lavender Lemonade to demystify the process of infusing spirits yourself in addition to 850mL and 450mL sized bottles!

• Glass rimmer kit: I know this may seem silly but stick with me here! It's an incredibly useful tool and looks fantastic on a bar top. If you're making a lot of drinks, it's much more efficient than using plates AND looks cute. I love the 3 tier ones especially (so marg drinkers can choose between salt OR tajin) like this one that is less than $20 right now. I especially love making it a 2-parter gift with a flavored salt set like this one. Like are you kidding me? So many fun uses for drinks and desserts alike which makes it ideal for holiday gifting! A little pinch of the espresso salt directly in the shaker when making an espresso martini OR on top of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies would be DIVINE.

• A cocktail book that doubles as coffee table decor: In sticking with the functionality theme for this bit, I ADORE a good cocktail book that also looks beautiful on my coffee table. I've said this before but it's worth saying again - I read both Death & Co. books front to back when getting into bartending and equate a lot of my current skill set to what's in these books - one was gifted as a Secret Santa present and the other I bought myself when I moved in with my partner for our coffee table. I've never seen them priced lower than they are right now thanks to BF/CM sales (both $15 when each was originally $40). Get Death & Co. here and Cocktail Codex here. I'll still pick up the book from my coffee table when looking for some recos on liquor to buy/balancing of flavors and I'd qualify these two books as fundamental required reading for every aspiring home bartender. I also think a book like this (now 25% off with the code BLACKFRIDAY) would be such an excellent present.

For the Gastrotourist —

• A masala dabba: I've been gifting this beautifully designed masala dabba from Arjuna Design Studio for as long as I can remember. Every single person that I know who owns it LOVES it. It is great to repurpose for mukwaas options after a big meal during the holiday season or even as a masala hot cocoa topping station. Think candied ginger, orange peels, and/or marshmallows.

• Flavored olive oils: The most underrated gift during the holidays but the most used! People cook with oils almost every day but it's a game changer when you add something extra... a little flavor goes a long way. Like a chili-infused olive oil with some fried eggs? Scrumptious. I adore this set and this one from Brightland (both now 25% off for Black Friday). My boss last year gifted me this precious set of olive oils from her hometown that she loves that lets you mix and match mini olive oils (and even bottles of vinegar) from Lowcountry Olive Oil - the spicy mushroom onion and garlic one was incredible as a finishing oil on a simple bowl of pasta with red sauce. I'd recommend doing a quick Google search to see if you can find a local olive oil company like this one in your area to purchase from. Southern CA friends - so many people I know swear by Temecula Olive Oil Company. I love having the cute bottles displayed right next to my masala dabba on my countertop right next to my stove. Beautiful AND purposeful!

• A co-ord set for long flights: For the mum, sister, or best girlfriend in your life - gift them this set (half-zip here and pants here) from Spanx. It's now become my travel uniform and we might as well call it an emotional safety sweats set. It's incredibly comfy and the wide leg is so flattering (they even have a petite version which is unheard of for this style in sweats). I have this set in the color Fig but am thinking of purchasing it in black as a gift for myself this Christmas! :) Be on the lookout for a discount code as they have great promos for Cyber Monday - I bought mine last year this way for the cheapest they are priced ALL YEAR! My sister also gifted me this Sani set for Christmas last year (pictured here) and it's super cute to lounge in at home, as a cover-up by the pool, AND on the flight headed to your beach vacay destination. Be like us and get one for you and one for your sis with the code SANIHOLIDAY2 for 30% off when you shop 2+ sets. I love this color and this one. Honorable mention: my favorite cousin Sammi has gifted me Skims (everything is now up to 30% off on the site) each and every bday without fail and I love her for it. When traveling, their undergarments (especially this bralette in Ochre) are the move. I own and wear this one all the time too!

• A functional water bottle: I know last year gifting Stanleys was all the rage (I am a Simple Modern gal myself lol) but I understand the gift-ability of a water bottle all the same. It's something someone will use A LOT and it doesn't hurt when it's sleek and stylish to boot. My girl Sal has one of these and raves about how useful it was when traveling to India as it's a self-cleaning bottle. The LARQ bottle is the ultimate travel flex that would be a great gift for the adventurous traveler in your life.

• Cookbooks: This one may be a no-brainer but here's the kicker: I typically only gift cookbooks that I myself have used + found incredible. When gifting, I often write a little note with my favorite recipes that I've tried from the book itself and ones that I know they'd love. It's a small personal touch that goes a long way. I have gifted Palak's cookbook, The Chutney Life to many friends AND family since she released it (now $15 here) and everyone is SO happy cause she is a gem of a human and her recipes just hit. Other books on my radar that were released this year are Khushbu Shah's Amrikan (available discounted here), Devan Rajkumar's Mad Love (linked here), Carolina Gelen's Pass the Plate (linked here), Kiana Moju's Africali: Recipes from My Jikoni (linked here), and my one of my all-time favorite Top Chef contestants Nini Nguyen's Dac Biet (linked here).

For the A++ Party Host —

• Kulfi Zari eyeshadows: These are spectacular- I have Bronze Brocade and Sitara Sparkles and hope to have Sona Sona (that is if it ever comes back in stock). I know gifting makeup is always tricky but these are in a different category and ideal for the holiday season to compliment any look. As a brown girl, there's just something about sparkly eyeshadows that have us in a chokehold. I'm not too proud to admit that I've tried almost every single one out there on the market and this is the best. Kulfi Beauty gets extra brownie points for releasing a formula that is antioxidant-rich AND moisturizing. The shadows make an excellent stocking stuffer too - shop all things Kulfi for 20% off here. :)

• A cake stand: You'd be surprised to see this on this list ONLY if you do not own a cake stand. These are incredibly versatile and can be used for much more than cakes - I especially love adding dimension to my table when hosting with a few cake stands set up to display little bites/hot sauces/chutneys to pair alongside the mains. My not-so-secret trick when gifting these is to pair them with some baked breakfast goodies (donuts or croissants from my favorite local bakeries such as Wayfarer and Izola are my go-to's). Hosting is such a craft and this is a v kind way for you to ensure that your host can wind down the morning AFTER the party with breakfast covered. There are so many cake stand options to choose from (I'd recommend also checking your TJ Maxx and/or Home Goods for some wonderful options). Here are a few I'd personally love + available online: this one from West Elm that's discounted currently, this stunner that comes with a dome from Estelle Colored Glass, this one on clearance (it's 59% off!) from Crate and Barrel, and last but not least - this 4-in-1 cake stand, punch bowl, dip server, and serving platter from one of my favorite kitchen brands Godinger priced at $40 (down from $100).

• N/A bubby or wine wrapped in a tea towel: There's a lot of talk this time of the year always on what it takes/means to be a good host, but not enough on how to be a good guest. I take this art seriously, most probably definitely since I am my mother's daughter. :) I like stocking up on cute dish towels/tea towel sets when shopping throughout the year as I see cute ones/a pack goes on sale, which I then wrap bottles of wine with during the festive season for all of the holiday parties. These from Pyarful have been gifting favorites for well... forever and are currently on sale. I also love these from Diaspora Co. and this one from World Market. On that note, do not be afraid to show up to a party with a non-alcoholic wine or apertivo like these options from Zero Proof (use THETASHMASHUP15 for 15% off) or Le Fizz now 20% off from Ghia. The host usually has stocked up with bottles of wine and will adore you for bringing a zero-proof option! Trust. Personally, every single time I see a n/a option at a party, I am incredibly happy because EVERYONE at the party deserves to have a yummy drink in hand.

• A batched mocktail or cocktail: I've said this a million times over but there's nothing like showing up to the party (BRINGING THE PARTY might be more appropriate terminology) with a batched bevvie. Here are some delectable suggestions: this fall sangria that I bring to every Friendsgiving I'm invited to or this n/a Tamarind Ghia Spritz using this  Ghia Soda (another bar cart favorite from Ghia and available at Target and in a case of 4 at Total Wine). The recipe for the spritz can be found in the pinned comment up top - for 8 servings, at that. I also highly recommend bringing this wine punch or this (aka the most perfect margarita recipe for the festive season).

• Aura digital frames: If you are being hosted by your in-laws, staying over at a friend's place while they are out of town for the holidays for an extended period of time, or want to put the biggest smile on your parents' faces this season - give the gift of an Aura frame. These digital photo frames are so chic and I love mine that was gifted to me by my fiancé. I gifted one to my in-laws who also adore it and if you want to be extra like me, set it up so it already has photos that represent core memories loaded onto it! This is the most discounted I've seen available, so Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are the way to go if you've been eyeing one!

For the R&R Connoisseur —

• Ayurvedic goodies: My best friends and I have all been on such an Ayurvedic beauty kick and don't plan to EVER stop. I own this perfume oil from Soma Ayurvedic and I like how I can pop it into my purse when I'm heading out for the night. I especially love wearing it during weddings, it makes me feel extra feminine and I have been stopped by both friends + aunties alike to ask what scent I have on. One of my best friends Sarah bought this one immediately the second it came out and responded to me by saying 'Bought. For the culture.' A whole mood. It doesn't hurt that the entire site is now 30% off. Additionally, last Christmas, Sal gifted me this hair serum from Forest Essentials and I've recommended it to many of my friends who have since purchased it and now rave about it, too. They offer free shipping for international orders over $150.

• The Chai Box founder's chai sampler set: The first time I visited my future in-laws, I gifted this set to my bonus mum. She loves her chai and I knew that she'd appreciate the incredible flavors included in this set. It makes for an excellent gift and is now 30% off on their site. The brand also sells gift sets at tons of retailers like Anthro (linked to my bonus mum's favorite blend) and Nordstrom (linked here). For someone new to the world of chai, I'd recommend Kola Goodies's lazy-girl-approved chai sachets here. It's worth mentioning that they are having tons of great mix-and-match deals right now on their site. While you're at it, there would be nothing sweeter than getting chai for the holidays paired with this monogrammed chai mug from my friend Neha of Neha Assar Artistry that's 25% off right now and be sure to use my code on your orders -TASH15.

• CraftyRxMama sweatshirts: There are sweatshirts and then there are personalized sweatshirts like these that cannot get any cuter! You can find me most often dressed in sweats and comfort is key. While cute throw blankets make for a great gift for any R&R girlie, I love to mix it up and gift extra cozy sweatshirts. I gifted these matching sweatshirts for Mother's Day (amaze for new mamas and grandmas) this year and own these ones. I am actually wearing mine as I type this and cannot recommend it enough. The fact that you can personalize them based on whoever you're shopping for makes things extra easy.

• Cute pajamas: Okay, we must normalize gifting cute pajamas during the holiday. Upgraded everyday essentials are my ideal gift. Do I buy myself fancy pajamas a lot? No. Do I get incredibly excited when I receive them and then end up wearing them ALL the time? Yes. Speaking of pajamas, I gifted my sister these Rani lounge pajamas for her bday and got myself a pair too (pictured here). Use my code NATASHA15 and shop here. They are also gifting matching scrunchies with each order! For a more affordable option, I am obsessed with anything from Auden available at Target. These are also giving Eberjey for less and are 40% off right now from Gap- I am loving the neon hot pink colorway.

For the One that Values Experiences > Material Gifts —

• A permanent jewelry date: I have matching permanent bracelets with two of my best friends and I think they make for the most wholesome gifts for your sister/mom/daughter/best friend. For my best friend Shanelle's birthday, I visited her in NYC and we got them done at Ana Luisa. We did a walk in but you can also book an appointment in advance here. That reminds me - for my 30th birthday, she surprised me by taking me to Mejuri where we got matching third piercings on our left ears with birthstone studs. They did a great job and were incredibly professional so be sure to check them out. We both got the diamond lotus flat-back studs (linked here) which are currently on sale thanks to Mejuri's Black Friday promos.

• Local activity-based events: As y'all know, I started teaching mixology classes this year in partnership with Walkabout - an amazing local San Diego organization that puts on amazing events. I actually found out about the organization when I signed up me and my friend for a Pickle Party (yes a party where you make your own pickles and meet cool new people). As I met people both that day and in my mixology classes, I was in awe of how many people were there because someone gifted them this experience. HOW CONSIDERATE. I highly recommend checking out local events via Eventbrite like this one where you can make your own candle, charcuterie board, or pasta! There are endless options and I am sure that you'll find one that's just right for you and the gift recipient!

• Candlelight concerts: Rajat and I did a double feature concert situation earlier this year where we went to this candlelight concert and then headed straight to a Raf Saperra concert. It was one of the best days ever. We saw a Bollywood and Tollywood on Strings concert and it was such a pinch-me moment. Incredible hearing some of our favorite songs in this format and I couldn't think of a better gift during the holidays considering they are offering 20% off tickets using the code CDLBF20. It looks like they have a few Bollywood and Tollywood on Strings events coming up in Chicago and Jersey City - but I'd say any of the Candlelight events would be stunning.

• Great Jones baking sheet paired with Sweet Loren's cookies: I know this is getting REALLY specific but good girl nights are more important than ever this time of the year. I count my lucky stars daily to have the kinds of girlfriends I've got and while the holidays get really busy - it's crucial for my mental health to spend quality time with my best friends. It may be simple but this bright baking sheet from one of my all-time favorite cookware brands Great Jones with some easy-bake cookies (this brand is my current fixation) is just everything and is a gift that screams I LOVE YOU. I have this baking sheet in every color and love everything Great Jones. At this point, you might as well cue up Jab We Met (or any rom-com of your choosing) and preheat the oven! I love this gingerbread flavor right now from Sweet Loren's ('tis the season, baby) but a foolproof year-round option are these in the chocolate chunk flavor.

  
  

All of the shoppable links can also be found via my ShopMy page, here. Happy shopping and most importantly, happy holidays to you and yours! Xo,

Tash