A handmade festive gifting guide for the season

Puzzles and 3D calendars @ The Curiosity Store

This year, Chennai-based artist Sanjana Balaji kickstarted her brand, The Curiosity Store, with two products — a 2025 desk calendar (₹1,899) with a layered 3D design and a handcrafted mahogany wood stand, and a 280-piece Wildflower Garden Puzzle (₹999).

She explains how the calendar’s artwork is drawn digitally, and brought to life with laser-cutting and die-cut printing. “Each month, you can swap out the layers, creating a mindful ritual of transitioning from one month to the next. At the end of the year, you can repurpose the artwork as home decor,” says Sanjana, adding that the stand is handcrafted in Chennai by artisan V. Gopinathan and his team.

The puzzle, she says, is a black and white monochrome variant that is digitally drawn. “With no bright colours to guide you, it encourages one to focus on shapes, patterns, and details. It is as challenging as a 1,000 piece puzzle because of its monochromatic theme,” says Sanjana.

Shop on thecuriositystore.in/

Handmade cards @ The Garden House

This year, artist Valli Muthuraman has collaborated with Chennai-based candle brand Splurge to put together Christmas hampers. One variant (₹1,190) features a non-toxic fabric spray, car freshner, travel candle in a tin, soya wax closet freshner, and a set of handpainted Christmas cards with envelopes. Another hamper (₹1,450) comes with notecards, gift tags, a notebook, etc. “We also have palm leaf stationery gift pouches in vibrant colours that are handwoven by Rahila Begum, an award winning craftsman from a fishing hamlet in Tamil Nadu,” says Valli, adding that ceramic tree ornaments with pressed leaf imprints, notecards, and gift tags, are also available. 

@thegardenhouse_valli on Instagram

Ornaments @ ​Chrismiss Designs

Growing up, artist Christina Fernandez was “fascinated” by fellow American artist Lisa Frank. “This was around the late 80s, and I used to buy and collect all her products which were colourful and whimsical.” During the pandemic, Bengaluru-based Christina decided to explore her own artistic style and launched her brand influenced by Lisa. At her art studio and gift shop, festive launches include kulhad-scented candles, artist-illustrated playing cards, eco-friendly baskets, stationery, tote bags, and festive packaging. Also available are illustrated Christmas cards, handmade tree ornaments, and mugs. 

Upwards of ₹50 at No 13, 1st floor, 4th A Main, Indiranagar 2nd Stage, Bengaluru

Festive Arties @ LiloRosh 

Kochi-based stationery brand LiloRosh’s latest launches make for the perfect Secret Santa gift. “Using deadstock, export-surplus fabrics, we breathe new life into materials that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Our new collection of the signature Smarties, compact travel sketching kits, and Arties, versatile travel sketch bags, come in an array of colours such as red, green, and festive prints such as pinecones, hearts, and stars,” says co-founder Lilia Jose, who kickstarted the brand with her husband, Roshan Kurichiyanil. Earlier this year, the duo collaborated with Oscar-nominated Disney director (Brother Bear) Aaron Blaise on a collection of premium watercolour sketchbooks, “featuring his breathtaking, life-like watercolour paintings on the covers”.

Books upwards of ₹150 on lilorosh.com

Kidswear @ BaeBee Wings

Here is something for the children. Sisters Vinu and Tinu Simon from Kochi, software engineers by profession, have taken their love for hand embroidery and crochet to a full-time business inspired by their mother. This year, a special Christmas ‘For Gingerbread Lovers’ features dresses with hand-embroidered gingerbread men with French knots. “Each dress is paired with a matching hair accessory, and the embroidery can be customised as well,” says Tinu, adding that their other collection, The Ho-Ho-Hos, has velvet dresses and hair accessories with hand embroidered Christmas wreaths. 

Upwards of ₹1,000. @baebeewings on Instagram

Upcycled goodies @ Studio Cadambari

Rajeswari Ravi of the Chennai-based design studio believes in “anti-consumerism”. “It is our brand’s core value,” says the architect-designer turned textile upcycling artist. “We only make on order to ensure zero wastage. Our work is inspired by the crafting traditions that create wonders out of waste. The team comprises women artisans who transform fabric off-cuts from boutiques and export surplus into lifestyle products.” Their festive catalogue for the season has roll-up pouches for sunglasses, and sanitary napkin pouches in varied colours, and potli bags, tote bags, and table runner sets can be made out of clients’ unused saris. “These products work well for Navarathri, Deepavali, and now Christmas,” says Rajeswari, adding that they also undertake orders for custom hampers.

Upwards of ₹75 @studio.cadambari on Instagram

Bamboo bells @ GreenKraft

GreenKraft, a producer company, is collectively owned by women-led producer groups spread across rural communities based in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Odisha. Incubated by Industree Foundation, these groups specialise in creating high-quality, hand-woven products crafted using natural materials such as banana bark, bamboo, and sal leaves. For Christmas, their offerings include stars, festive wreaths, fairy lights, bells, tree ornaments, and other artisanal creations.

Upwards of ₹469 on greenkraft.co.in

Embroidered baubles @ The Stichery Room

From embroidery to book binding, artist Sneha Susan started her brand in 2018 to spotlight her various creative pursuits. “Over time, it has blossomed into a small boutique business that I now dedicate myself to entirely. Every year, for Christmas, I take a step back from my usual creations and indulge in making ornaments, DIY kits, and other decorations,” she says. This Christmas, Sneha has launched embroidered tree ornaments, leather minibook tree ornaments, sheet music banners with embroidery, and DIY Christmas ornament kits. 

Upwards of ₹400 on thestitcheryroom.com/

Clutches @ Heartfully Handmade

Kochi-based Anjana Philip turned her hobby — experimenting with fabrics, colours, and patterns — into a business post-2017. Anjana now crafts custom handcrafted bags, wallets, pouches, and other lifestyle products. For Christmas, the artist is back with her eco-friendly Christmas ornaments such as stockings, bells, and stars that are “stuffed with scraps and offcuts from other projects”. “After the success of our Onam collection, we introduced Christmas-themed bags and clutches,” she says of the bags in festive shades of red and white. Also available are table runners, cushion covers, monogrammed pouches, key fobs, and travel lingerie bags.

Christmas products upwards of ₹150, and bags are priced starting at ₹800. @heartfully.handmade on Instagram

Handmade elves @ Dhinakaran’s Arts and Crafts

At the Tirupati-based brand — that specialises in crochet and embroidered artefacts — founder Christina Dhinakaran is keen about their Christmas collection. The range comprises crochet snowmen, elves, and penguins; a miniature wooden cooking set, nesting dolls, Christmas ornaments, and more, all handmade by a team of women artisans.

Upwards of ₹499 on dhinakaransartsandcrafts.com

Embroidered goodies @ Power of Sura

Upcycled fabric Christmas trees, embroidered frames with tree and snowflake motifs, fabric buntings, cushion covers, ornaments, fabric pouches, and embroidered tote bags are part of Power of Sura’s festive catalogue for the season. If you are looking for combos, a range of Christmas bundles are available. One of the many bundles (900) comprise an embroidered frame, a 36-inch bunting made from scrap fabric, an embroidered custom tote, and a pair of cushion covers. 

Upwards of ₹150 on powerofsura.org