Spending time in crowded malls is still not the best idea in 2021, no matter how great your mask is. So, for the second year in a row, Christmas shopping is best done online – and is therefore very time-sensitive. The good news is that there’s still enough time to stock up with kaunastic gifts – even send them straight to your close ones. You can treat yourself, too! Here are a few ideas of unique things created, designed and produced right here in Kaunas.
Kaunas-inspired goodies that fit in a gift box can be found in the collections of two urban brands we looooove. Firstly, it’s Garbės Žodis, best known for its KAU NAS line – the (literally) bold statement can be seen on t-shirts, sweatshirts, snapbacks and even socks.
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Secondly, it’s The WALL, a brand that has transferred some of the best-known Kaunas street art onto t-shirts, leggings, caps and sweatshirts. Wearing walls has never felt so comfortable.
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CELSIUS 273 is a contemporary jewellery brand handmade in Kaunas. It’s made of concrete and, according to the amazing woman behind the brand Gerda Liudvinavičiūtė, every item is a piece of a city that you can wear. We love how she interprets the Kaunas modernist architecture, Japanese metabolism architecture, and soviet apartment blocks that can still be seen in many countries in Europe.
A quality leather bag or a backpack can become a truly inspiring gift. We love what the Kaunas-based brand Gėda Pelėda does – their creations combine wild ideas and contemporary urban perspectives. Their sister brand called Juicy Jules is just as lovely.
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Another handmade leather goods brand we can’t resist is kARTu. It’s both for the charming details of every creation and their names. Who wouldn’t love to wear a bag called “Marigold”?
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The fashionistas of Kaunas (and beyond) know the brand Toks Visoks very well, as it marks bags and backpacks resistant to all seasons and everyday challenges; at the same time, they are light and elegant. Handcrafted with love!
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The last (but not least) option in this section is Bad Hunter, a brand offering minimalist yet functional and durable solutions for your money, cards, laptop and even knives.
Photo by Monika On Photography
Not into leather that much? Check out the online shop of Native LT. It presents durable and sustainable tote bags decorated with full prints of ethnic and kaunastic motives. The brand also offers tablecloths and cushion covers, which are perfect if you wish some Kaunas feeling while at home.
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Linen fans worldwide (especially Japan!) love the salon wisely called Cosy Homes. Located in a red brick building that was once an army barrack, the tiny shop also offers ceramics, graphics and other locally made art. Shipping worldwide, of course.
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The darkest months of the year are the best time to create cosiness at home. The Kaunas-based brand nešalta, which offers accessories made of wool from Lithuanian manufacturers – not just blankets, but also scarves and coats – is precisely about that.
Photo by Eglė Jasiukaitytė
Not sure about favourite colours and sizes? Consider giving experiences as opposed to material things. A ticket to EuroLeague match in Žalgirio Arena will surprise every sports fan.
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Kaunas City Chamber Theatre and National Kaunas Drama Theatre also offer gift vouchers – some of the shows are surtitled in English, and both theatres quite often host dance performances.
Moreover, a gift coupon to a SPA is universally great – here is our article about the best options in Kaunas.
For food lovers, Monte Pacis, a hospitality complex in Pažaislis monastery, offers tasting dinner coupons. You can add a night at the boutique hotel, too. Want something more urban? Check out the gift offers at Moxy Kaunas Center – the hotel is so contemporary one can spend an entire weekend there without getting out! It’s worth it, though, as one of the finest restaurants in Kaunas, uoksas, is across the street – and also offers gift vouchers for its seasonal tasting menu.
Eatable and drinkable gifts are the best! The smells and tastes create the holiday mood everyone is craving for – and can become your daily habit for next year. We only recommend healthy options!
What about a crate of kombucha? Tealure is a small socially responsible company located in Kaunas – it buys tea, the main ingredient, directly from farmers in Nepal (you can get some tea from them, too).
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Another kombucha brand born in Kaunas is Acala – it offers premium packaging and doesn’t even need an additional gift bag.
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You can match a selection of kaunastic drinks with peanut butter – Sviestas Sviestuotas is made in Kaunas and offers a variety of festive recipes. A quicks and delicious solution for a gift can be a vegan cake or a set of cupcakes from Chaika Kaunas, if your gift recipient is in Kaunas, too.
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The above mentioned Monte Pacis also has an online shop offering monastic wines and locally grown products.
Looking for a wall calendar like no other? Two talented kaunastic women, Gabrielė Gudaitytė and Inga Navickaitė-Drąsutė, teamed up and opened an independent print house, Hands on Press, dedicated to graphic design wonders, illustrations, silkscreen prints, zines etc. – everything that’s too small for traditional publishing companies. The team has just illustrated and published a fantastic calendar for 2022 – the run is very limited, so be quick…
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Yet another tiny brand called Kaunas I Love You offers cute maps of Kaunas in different versions, all in the vintage mood. There’s even one for colouring, and we really, really want it.
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Of course, we can’t resist inviting you to browse our very own e-shop. In it, you can find Kaunas-themed Christmas baubles, chocolate boxes, sweatshirts, t-shirts, socks, pins, board games and gift cards. Only the best products and designs get to be marked #kaunastic. Happy shopping!
Photo by Andrius Aleksandravičius
