The 2024 Alpine Holiday Gift Guide
Mountain-inspired gifts for your favorite people. Or maybe yourself
I don’t know about you but my brain still thinks it’s early October. Hard to believe that the December holidays are almost here but here they are indeed. Normally, it’s tricky for me to get into the spirit of Christmas and New Year’s in November — I’m not ready for holiday storefront displays until long after Thanksgiving — but putting together our gift guide has kicked off the festivities early. As always, we’re emphasizing products and companies that are committed to quality and craftsmanship, many of which we use ourselves. Hope you enjoy it!
Spirited
Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur for a divine apres ski hot chocolate
I rarely drink vodka but Alexandra’s tipped me off to Destillerie Freihof’s Edelweiss Alpine Vodka. It’s bright and lively, and I’ve been enjoying it in Vesper martinis as well as on its own, shaken icy cold, with sushi
Vinalia is a very cool and new wine club dedicated to under-appreciated grapes. A gifted monthly subscription is sure the provide even the most seasoned wine drinker with new discoveries
I spend too much time on ebay, which how I find things like these vintage beer mugs and fondue pots for Alpine festivities
Rosenthal’s Tour du Mont Blanc might the ultimate winter splurge (for yourself!)
Alpinists
I rarely say that anything is a MUST HAVE but this little contraption actually is if you ski or engage in other activities where dropping your phone could be a disaster. It’s saved me numerous times on the chairlift and I’ve gifted it to other skiers as well as hikers, cyclists, motorcycle riders, and fly fishing folks
Custom wool and quilted vests from Roman atelier Le Tre Sarte
Hiking boots from Sentier Italia, a family-run company in the Dolomites
Montamont A.T.C. and Atelier Zilla in Bolzano collaborated on a canvas rucksack that’s equally useful as an airplane carry-on as it is on a mountain day trip
For the mountain climbers in need of multi-day packs, Alpine Luddite in Vermont creates custom packs and bike bags
Susanne Kaufman’s soaps and skincare made in the Austrian Alps
What pooch doesn’t want an Alpen collar?
Art & Objects
Stephanie Dawn Matthias is an L.A.-based ceramicist whose work is inspired by her travels in Europe. I’m obsessed with her Alpage line and would be happy to have any and all of her platters and vases. The Black Forest line is equally amazing, and clearly I’m not the only person who thinks so because many of her pieces are sold out. She has been releasing new ones and will also take commission requests.
Limited Edition Wine Map of the Alps: Archetyp’s founders recently teamed up with legendary wine cartographer Ed Merritt of Merritt Cartography to design the first Wine Map of the Alps.
Speaking of maps, ARGCartography makes gorgeous wine region copper etchings. His Jura edition has definitely caught our eye.
Made in NYC, these modernist branch lights are a pipe dream for my dream chalet. Their smaller table lamp too.
Taschen’s The Alps 1900: A Portrait in Color is more than a coffee table book.
There’s something charming about Penkridge Ceramics’s fruits and foliage collection. The pewter acorns and ceramic chestnuts, in particular, will bring a bit of the forest to urban desks and dining tables.
SeedHead Floral in upstate NY crafts the most beautiful seasonal wreaths with foraged dried flowers and grasses.
Foodies
The Meadow food shop, with locations in New York and Portland, curates a brilliant assortment of quality pantry goods. Among them pine syrup and quince vinegar from the Dolomites and small batch shoyu from Japan. They ship across the U.S. and offer gift baskets.
Mrs. Robinson’s Tea Shop carries several excellent herbal teas, including Almkrauter and Schlummertrunk. Perfect for an end-of-day infusion.
Kitchen Arts and Letters is a wonderful cookbook store on NYC’s Upper East Side. They ship internationally and can help you find a great gift for anyone looking to to deep dive into Alpine cuisine
Gift card to an Alpine-inspired restaurant. We wouldn’t mind one to Stable in Washington D.C.
The gift guides are thick on the ground the year, but the AWS's is one of the few I've stopped to read and love. So many beautifully chosen artisanal ideas here. Brava!