London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

11 Relaxation Gifts for a Soothing, Stress-Free Holiday Season

11 Relaxation Gifts for a Soothing, Stress-Free Holiday Season

The year 2020 will go down as one marked by enormous trials and tribulations, which is why this time around, the most thoughtful gifts to give are ones that provide something we could all benefit from: rest and relaxation.

After all, during the height of the holiday season, who wouldn’t welcome the opportunity to light up some mind-clearing incense or unwind on a gemstone-infused therapy mat, which uses infrared heat and pulsed electromagnetic fields to ease tension both inside and out? (Rest assured: even wellness skeptics will find themselves turning to it once the temperature drops.)

From soothing tinctures to Brazilian bath salts, here are the 11 best relaxation gifts to shop now.



Leave it to the former Calvin Klein women’s creative director Francisco Costa to create one of the most lust-worthy gifts of the season. Housed in a chic silver tin, these bath salts simultaneously soften the skin and ease tension thanks to a unique blend of Brazilian white clay, orange flower water, and a natural aromatic resin.



Crafted in Spain from a single block of alabaster stone, Cire Trudon’s newest candle-a woody citrus scent comprised of citrus, leather, and patchouli notes-is both an olfactory and visual masterpiece.



Now, even the most monotonous of household chores can have a meditative effect, thanks to The Laundress and Aromatherapy Associates’s new collection of elevated home cleaning and laundry solutions, which are formulated with essential oil blends that promote a sense of well-being. (Think: detergent inspired by the Japanese practice of forest bathing and a surface spray that smells like a spa.)



Lull yourself into a peaceful state with Kate McLeod’s chamomile and lavender-infused solid cocoa butter blend, which miraculously melts into limbs for soft-to-the-touch-not to mention soothingly-scented-skin.



Anytime the holiday stress starts to wear on you, simply reach for one of Supernatural’s tasty plant-based gummies, which quiet the nervous system by way of lavender, skullcap leaf, oat straw, and cortisol-lowering ashwagandha.



For those willing to splurge, look no further than Healthyline’s Goop-approved heat therapy mat, which is surely one of the most decadent relaxation gifts on the market. Combining hot stones, far-infrared light, red light, pulsed electromagnetic fields, and negative ions with 13 pounds of natural tourmaline and jade, it can help align our bodies and souls-a holiday season must.



Light up Bodha’s made-in-Japan, violet-colored incense sticks to fill your home with the calming aroma of lavender, clary sage, and rosewood. Breathe in, breathe out.



Based on a guarded Medieval pharmacopeia recipe, this potent botanical tonic-containing extracts of lavender, California poppy, skullcap, lemon balm, elderberry, elderflower, and catnip-quiets the mind without making you drowsy.



No matter if you’re on the road or staying put this holiday season, London-based label Ven Store's super-soft cashmere travel set-a blanket, an eye mask, fine-ribbed socks, and a pillow cover-slash-bag to stash it all in-has got you (very cozily) covered.



“Netflix and chill” might be the phrase on our minds these days, but film buffs will tell you that even the monstrous streaming service doesn’t hold a candle to the Criterion Channel’s vast library of cinematic masterpieces, ranging from those of the Australian New Wave to the work of legendary directors Agnès Varda and Claire Denis-all available for just $11 per month. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.



It may not be possible to step foot inside Los Angeles’s Flamingo Estate-the fantastical 1940s home of Richard Christiansen-but now we can experience a bit of its magic in our own abodes, thanks to Christiansen’s new lifestyle line, which is made up of the likes of tinctures, hand sanitizers, and biodynamic steams, such as this sustainably-made, soothing blend.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Great Western Exit: Why Best Citizens Are Fleeing the Rich World [PODCAST]
The New Robber Barons of Intelligence: Are AI Bosses More Powerful Than Rockefeller?
The End of the Old Order [Podcast]
Britain’s Democracy Is Now a Costume
The AI Gold Rush Is Coming for America’s Last Open Spaces [Podcast]
The Pentagon’s AI Squeeze: Eight Tech Giants Get In, Anthropic Gets Shut Out [Podcast]
The War Map: Professor Jiang’s Dark Theory of Iran, Trump, China, Russia, Israel, and the Coming Global Shock [Podcast]
Labour Is No Longer a National Party [Podcast]
AI Isn’t Stealing Your Job. It’s Dismantling It Piece by Piece.
Lawyers vs Engineers: Why China Builds While America Litigates [Podcast]
Churchill’s Glass: The Drunk, the Doctor, and the Myth Britain Refuses to Sober Up From
Apple issues an unusual warning: this is how your iPhone can be hacked without you doing anything
Kennedy’s Quiet War on Antidepressants Sparks Alarm Across America’s Medical Establishment
The Met Gala Meets the Age of Billionaire Backlash
Russian Oligarch’s Superyacht Crosses Hormuz via Iran-Controlled Route
Gunfire Disrupts White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Trump Is Evacuated
A Leak, a King, and a Fracturing Alliance
Inside the Gates Foundation Turmoil: Layoffs, Scrutiny, and the Cost of Reputational Risk
UK Biobank Breach Exposes Health Data of 500,000, Listed for Sale on Chinese Platform
KPMG Cuts Around 10% of US Audit Partners After Failed Exit Push
French Police Probe Suspected Weather-Data Tampering After Unusual Polymarket Bets on Paris Temperatures
CATL Unveils Revolutionary EV Battery Tech: 1000 km Range and 7-Minute Charging Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
Crypto Scammers Capitalize on Maritime Chaos Near the Strait of Hormuz: A Rising Threat to Shipping Companies
Changi Airport: How Singapore Engineered the World’s Most Efficient Travel Experience
Power Dynamics: Apple’s Leadership Shakeup, Geopolitical Risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's Energy Strategy Amidst Global Challenges
Apple's Leadership Transition: Can New CEO John Ternus Navigate AI Challenges and Geopolitical Pressures?
Italy’s €100K Tax Gambit: Europe’s Soft Power Tax Haven
News Roundup
Microsoft lost 2.5 millions users (French government) to Linux
Privacy Problems in Microsoft Windows OS
News roundup
Péter András Magyar and the Strategic Reset of Hungary
Hungary After the Landslide — A Strategic Reset in Europe
Meghan Markle Plans Exclusive Women-Focused Retreat During Australia Visit
Starmer and Trump Hold Strategic Talks on Securing Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Unofficial Australia Visit by Prince Harry and Meghan Expected to Stir Tensions with Royal Circles
Pipeline Attack Cuts Significant Share of Saudi Arabia’s Oil Export Capacity
UK Stocks Rise on Ceasefire Momentum and Renewed Focus on Diplomacy
UK to Hold Further Strategic Talks on Strait of Hormuz Security
Starmer Voices Frustration as Global Tensions Drive Up UK Energy Costs
UK Students Voice Concern Over Proposal for Automatic Military Draft Registration
Rising Volatility Drives Uncertainty in UK Fuel and Petrol Prices
UK Moves to Deploy ‘Skyhammer’ Anti-Drone System to Strengthen Airspace Defense
New Analysis Explores UK Budget Mechanics in ‘Behind the Blue’ Feature
Man Arrested After Four Die in Channel Crossing Tragedy
UK Tightens Immigration Framework with New Sponsor Rules and Fee Increases
UK Foreign Secretary Highlights Impact of Intensified Strikes in Lebanon
UK Urges Inclusion of Lebanon in US-Iran Ceasefire Framework
UK Stocks Ease as Ceasefire Doubts in Middle East Weigh on Investor Confidence
UK Reassesses Cloud Strategy Amid Criticism Over Limited Support Measures
×