The holiday season is now upon us and as we give thanks for an amazing year we are also looking for unique ways to show appreciation and gratitude to those we love through the act of gift giving. The Heart of Cool team has created our first ever gift guide and are excited to share our favorite gifts to give with you! Check out our list below:

CRIS’ PICKS:  

1. CANDLES are always a beautiful, classy and thoughtful gift to share with loved one’s and friends for the holidays. There exists a myriad of candles and each one highlights something different. Some are divine because of their brilliantly romantic aromas, while others captivate you simple by the aesthetic and the artistic imagery the wicks and wax are housed in. The best candles in my opinion possess both qualities. Check out my favorite below:
Cris' Pick: Cire Trudon Gold Leaf Ernesto Candle, $ 105.00, available at Mohawk General Store.com
Cris’ Pick: Cire Trudon Gold Leaf Ernesto Candle, $ 105.00, available at Mohawk General Store.com
 CIRE TRVDON ERNESTO
$95.00 or $105.00 if you want the Gold glass
9.5 oz, earthy, vegetable wax, burns for 60 hours
HEAD: Rhum, grapefruit, bergamot.
HEART: Clove, oak wood, patchouli, labdanum.
BASE: Tobacco, moss, leather, amber
AVAILABLE IN: Classic, intermezzo, great, room spray, travel room spray, revolutionary scents.
Cris' Pick: CIRE TRUDON Spiritus Sancti Great Candle, $495 available at Barneys.com
Cris’ Pick: CIRE TRUDON Spiritus Sancti Great Candle, $495 available at Barneys.com
 CIRE TRVDON SPIRITUS SANCTI
$95.00 or $105.00 if you want the Gold glass
HEAD: Aldehydes, incense vapors.
HEART: Lily of the valley.
BASE: Labdanum, benzoin resin.
AVAILABLE IN: Classic, great, room spray, travel room spray
Cris' Pick: Jean-Michel Basquiat Versus Candle, $48 available at Candle Delirium.com
Cris’ Pick: Jean-Michel Basquiat Versus Candle, $48 available at Candle Delirium.com
JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT VERSUS CANDLE

PRICE: $48.00

Earthy, rare combination of the Ylang Ylang flower and smoked tea, produced by Givaudin specifically to honor the politically charged artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat, created by Ligne Blanche Paris and the Jean-Michel Basquiat Foundation, food-grade paraffin wax, 40 hour burn time, 4.93 oz, made in France.

Cris' Pick: Keith Haring Black & White Candle, $48 available at Candle Delirium.com
Cris’ Pick: Keith Haring Black & White Candle, $48 available at Candle Delirium.com

KEITH HARING BLACK & WHITE CANDLE

Spicy, Ginger & saffron blend, musk base, black ceramic vessel, Keith Haring “Black & White” images, created by Ligne Blanche Paris and Keith Haring Foundation, produced by Givaudin  to honor the much acclaimed artist, Keith Haring, food-grade paraffin wax, 40 hour burn time, 4.93 oz, made in France.

All candles available at Candle Delirium 

Cris' Pick: BLVD 86 Luggage, $2500 available for order at BagSwag007@gmail.com
Cris’ Pick: BLVD 86 Luggage, $2500 available for order at BagSwag007@gmail.com
2. BLVD. 86 BACKPACK – Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton along with a host of other high end designers always seem to maximize and optimize the Christmas Holiday season as men buy bags for their ladies and ladies buy bags for their men. However, this year, there is a new high end brand that is blowing all of the aforementioned designers out of the park as far as quality, design and color selection is concerned. Each bag is one of a kind and each color is hand dipped and personally made. This year, I don’t want another Chanel bag, no offense Karl Lagerfeld. This year I want another Blvd. 86 unisex backpack.
Available in Black, Red, Turquoise & Blueberry
Price: $2,500.00
Available to order via email : BagSwag007@gmail.com
Cris' Pick: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, $9.87 available at Amazon.com
Cris’ Pick: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, $9.87 available at Amazon.com
3. THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho: The best gifts are from the heart and the most economical and intimate gifts that you can share with your loved ones are KNOWLEDGE, LOVE & WISDOM. All three of these magical words when combined create miracles and are embodied on the pages of the book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
This gilded book of knowledge has sold over 150 million copies worldwide, won 115 international prizes and awards, has been translated into 80 languages, and is still on the New York Times bestseller list today. And with this year commemorating the 25th anniversary edition of the extraordinary international bestseller, including a new Foreword by Paulo Coelho; trust me when I tell you, when you hand this book to someone, that moment will be crystallized and forever remembered. And that special someone will be grateful, not just for the book, but for having such an amazing human being in their life that thought enough to illuminate their mind, heart and spirit.
PRICE: $9.87
AVAILABLE on AMAZON:
TASHA’S PICKS 
Tasha's Pick: Lina Casale Hand Painted Handbags, $125-$250, available at Lina Casale Arts.com
Tasha’s Pick: Lina Casale Hand Painted Handbags, $125-$250, available at Lina Casale Arts.com
1. LINA CASALE HANDBAGS. Well my top pick goes to Ms.Lina Casale of course everyone knows I’m the art enthusiast and at HOC we’re always looking for that cool way to combine art and fashion! Lina has not only come up with the coolest bags, she’s sealed the deal with love. The bags range from $125 to $250 and are all hand painted by Lina with graphics to die for. Each bag is one of a kind and  Lina spends time gaining inspiration for each bag from the smallest to the largest detail, it’s a must have! You can get yours if you catch HOC at Art Basel Miami or WWW.LINACASALEARTS.COM
Tasha's Pick: Soap Scum Half and Half Tee, price available upon request, email Soapscum2015@gmail.com to order
Tasha’s Pick: Soap Scum Half and Half Tee, price available upon request, email Soapscum2015@gmail.com to order
2. SOAP SCUM HALF & HALF TEE. My second pick is the Soap Scum Half and Half Tee! This shirt is the new kid on the block and doing well for itself. The half and half tee is the perfect accent if not for yourself definitely for someone you know! The top half of the shirt is one of the finest denim picks I’ve seen in a long time, it’s soft and heavy enough for the fall chill. The bottom half a cotton terry blend plaid sourced in LA and produced in LA! The combination of materials is the new wave of fashion and will definitely soon be trending. Soap Scum which stands for Socially Conscious United Movement  is a young group of entrepreneurs who believe being conscious is the new cool! Now this is what I call supporting your local artist. Email toSoapscum2015@gmail.com  place an order for your own.
Tasha's Pick: Canon - EOS Rebel T5 DSLR Camera, $399.99 available at Best Buy.com
Tasha’s Pick: Canon – EOS Rebel T5 DSLR Camera, $399.99 available at Best Buy.com
Last but not least I had to go tech! This cannon EOS Rebel SLR digital camera is it. Not just because I think I’m a director, but because sometimes you need a camera other than your phone.  This cannon is the new way to amp up your photos and video! The cannon SLR has won best selling digital buddy this season which is quite well for a camera this day and age. The camera starts at $449 up to $699 for the bundle. Get your Cannon SLR at Best Buy.com.
YAZ’S PICKS 

 

Yaz's Pick: Outside the Lines: An Artists' Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations, $18 available at Amazon.com
Yaz’s Pick: Outside the Lines: An Artists’ Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations, $18 available at Amazon.com

1. THE ADULT COLORING BOOK.  Life gets tough and sometimes we get stressed! What better way to help a friend create peace and relaxation in their life than by coloring. Adult coloring books have made a resurgence and have been recognized as a stress relieve, non-fat, healthy outlet for those who need to unwind. I absolutely love this one by Souris Hong-Poretta and it’s a steal at $18 on Amazon.com!

Yaz's Pick: Rosanna 'Booze' Glass Decanter & Stopper, $54 available at Nordstrom.com
Yaz’s Pick: Rosanna ‘Booze’ Glass Decanter & Stopper, $54 available at Nordstrom.com

2. Rosanna ‘Booze’ Glass Decanter & Stopper. As a new homeowner, I’m always looking for ways to liven up my surrounds and add unique touches to my home. This “Booze” decanter by Rosanna is a perfect gift and addition for any hostess with a bar cart. This cute home good is available for $54 at Nordstrom.com.

 

Yaz's Pick: PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer, $20-$60 available at Uncommon Goods.com
Yaz’s Pick: PhoneSoap Smartphone Sanitizer, $20-$60 available at Uncommon Goods.com

3. PHONE SANITIZER. Let’s face it, our phones are absolutely DISGUSTING! PhoneSoap’s Smartphone Sanitizer is the perfect gift for anyone phone addict on your list and at the affordable price you can get one for just about everyone on your shopping list. Some of the best gifts are the ones that are useful but someone may not buy for themselves, this phone sanitizer definitely fits in that category! Prices range from $20-$60 and is ready for purchase at Uncommon Goods.

Welp, that’s it for our gift guide this year! Tell us who you’re shopping for this year and let us know if any of our picks piqued your interest…

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM HOC TO YOU! xo