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Writer's pictureSuruchi Shukla

This Holiday Season, Find Some Unique Gifts from South Asian-Owned Businesses

It’s getting cold outside. The trees are changing color and leaves are starting to fall. Pumpkins and holiday lights are making an appearance in front of homes. This means the holiday season, the season of gift giving, is here. The pandemic has made everything feel a bit subdued this year but maybe we can make this season feel slightly more fun by finding just the right unique gifts for our loved ones.


I asked my friends and our fellow Neythri members for their best gift ideas and here’s what they had to say.


Ayesha swears by the two skin care companies whose range she loves- Haldi and The Sok Company. She especially recommends the solid shampoo bar!


Sruthi and Ayesha both are big fans of Brightland Olive Oil. Their oils look gorgeous and I might just get a few for myself!


Nithya’s go-to for gifts is Spice Walla. They have beautiful packaged spice sets which are so colorful and come in themes, like Starter sets, BBQ sets, or Middle Eastern sets. They are high in quality and wonderfully organized.

A box of Spice walla

Monica Kumar loves holiday decor for herself and for gift giving! She just ordered these gorgeous pillows from Anis Collections that has you covered with home decor! Anis Collections is a company by Neythri Marketing Committee member Hani Anis that offers custom bridalwear, groomswear as well as bridesmaids and groomsmen outfits. With the pandemic this year as well as figuring out how her culture could reach more people, Hani decided to launch a home product since people were spending a lot more time in their homes. These throw pillows are available for a limited time only, and are made with the same craftsmanship that goes into Anis Collections Bridal outfits. Check them out here: www.aniscollections.com


A few of our Neythri ladies recommended accessories  and crafts from Paper Samosa. Paper Samosa’s description — “Each Paper Samosa creation is a mixed-masala of Indian upbringing and Western pop culture wrapped in a crispy light-hearted shell. Whether you have an Indo-Western-influenced Shahrukh-Kanye soul, or you just enjoy a good laugh, this is the place for you” — definitely makes it sound like a place worth checking out.


Priya is a woman after my own heart: both of us believe books make the best gifts. These were a few I pulled out from her treasure trove of gift ideas. They will make great gifts for kids:

graphic of Ganesha's Sweet Tooth

I am a sucker for beauty products so here are a few more skincare gift ideas:


Sruthi recommends Live Tinted makeup by Deepica Mutyala, who is a South Asian beauty influencer. I would buy this just for the amazing work this lady is doing.


Products from Aavrani Ayurvedic are made using ancient Ayurvedic ingredients. All their products look amazing but this activating exfoliator made with turmeric and jojoba comes highly recommended so check it out.

A Product from Aavrani Ayurvedic

While you are shopping for gifts for others, don’t forget to pamper yourself too. You can’t go wrong with custom jewellery made by your very own private designer. Our Neythri member Prerna does precisely this and has very graciously offered a coupon for a complimentary 30 minute design consultation. Check out her work and email prerna@studioreves.com to schedule a consultation. Looking forward to seeing what gorgeous pieces you ladies get from her!


While thinking self-gifting, don’t forget to check out some of the unique pieces at Mor Collections, started by Mayuri, a fellow Neythri member.


As for me, I am going to be gifting the sweetness of the to-die-for chocolate baklava from Lillian Bakery and Cafe. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it.


Not only are these gifts unique, they are made even more special by the fact that they come from South Asian owned and run businesses.


HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the Neythri family to all of you! May these unique gifts bring extra cheer to you and your loved ones.


Author Bio Suruchi Shukla, VP of marketing at Tailored Brands. Grew up in India and Louisiana and has been a California resident for 20+ yrs where she lives with her husband and 2 kids. Studied electrical engineering and started with a hard hat job designing power plants. Quickly became fascinated with e-commerce though and have been doing digital/e-com for the last 20+ years and loving it. She has been with some big brands like HP, Apple, Nest and Google where she ran digital marketing teams and helped grow the online businesses exponentially. She loves to try new things, be it food or adventure sports or anything. Travel buff; Have been to 22 countries and adding 3 new ones a year!

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