It's been a long, hard year, and nothing says "I care" like offering a sex-positive gift to a loved one to help ease the pain of 2017. Yes, the past 12 months have been packed with attacks on bodily autonomy and a tsunami of sexual assault accusations which is enough to turn anyone off from physical pleasure for a good while. But on the other hand, there are many ways to cope with living in these trying times, and some folks (for good reason) are looking to focus on the sweeter things in life as the world burns.
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule — or just the start of a brand new year — giving pleasure in its myriad forms is an easy way to show your affection to a platonic pal, FWB, or long-term significant other. Patriarchy be damned, consensual sexual pleasure should be an inalienable right, and there's no time like the present to share it with a fellow human.
The following are nine holiday offerings that range from outright erotic to subtly sensual, from kinky to vanilla, and from cheap to kinda pricey. If you know a sex-positive person in your life who deserves some extra TLC, look no further for gifting ideas:
1A Cutting Edge Vibe
Mimic Vibrator, $125, Clandestine Devices
This ergonomic, waterproof vibrator designed to resemble the elegant wings of a stingray has been winning over fans left and right — and was recently nominated for Sex Toy of the Year by XBIZ. Not only is the Mimic a gender-neutral toy, but it also offers 90 minutes of fun in a palm-sized package, feels soft and silky to the touch, and is 100 percent submersible so you can take your pleasure to new depths.
2A Buzzworthy Book
Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy, $16, Amazon
For all the skintellectuals on your gifting list, Hallie Lieberman's book is the perfect combination of smut and smart, tracing the history of pleasure tools from ancient times through today. The author literally has a PhD in Sex Toy History, so you're learning from the best of the best — and you just might even be inspired to try out a new vibe or dildo as you read.
3A Sex-Positive Tarot Deck
Slutist Tarot, $50, Slutist
An ideal present for the sex-positive witches in your life, the Slutist Tarot by Morgan Claire Sirene is a fun, flirty, divining tool that centers femmes, sexual deviants, divine whores and curious maidens. Suited for tarot newbies and pros alike, this colorful, evocative deck aims to put a woman’s voice behind eroticism, and to create images of people on the feminine spectrum in a way that honors their sexualities.
4A Magical Bath Bomb
Love Bath Bomb, $4, Witch Baby Soap
If you don't want to break the bank but do want to offer your fave babe a night of spellbinding bath time, Witch Baby Soap makes a luxurious Love Bath Bomb scented with apple and rose, and crafted out of soothing rose clay, rose petals, sunflower oil, and rose absolute — all ingredients fitting for a sensual ritual for manifesting more love in your life.
5A Sex Box Subscription
Babe Box Subscription, $65, Unbound
Unbound's quarterly subscription Babe Box is the gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. Each delivery comes stuffed with pleasure products from vibes and dildos to kinky toys to post-sex wipes all made to enhance your solo or partnered play.
6Sex-Positive Panties
Slut Panties, $24, Babe Coven
Babe Coven is a queer and femme-centric collective that hosts witchy events in the NYC area, and crafts one-of-a-kind, unapologetically feminist wares that are irresistible to sex-positive witches.
7Kinky Crystals
If you're shopping for a kinky sexpert who already has every toy under the sun, surprise them with this next level object d'art. A custom piece complete with stainless steel chains to affix the obsidian ball gag in place, the Talu has been designed to tap into the lesser-known chakra located in the mouth.
8Sensual Candles
Sex Ritual candle, $20, Magic Hour Astrology
A thoughtful present for someone going through a dry spell or in need of a sexual reset, this long burning ritual candle is infused with Peony petals, Lady's Slipper flower essence and Honeysuckle oil nestled around a red Tiger's Eye gem, and is handcrafted to get your juices flowing and put you in the mood.
9A Political Pin
Storm Pin, $15, Sophia Wallace
Whether you have a clitoris or love someone who does, Sophia Wallace's groundbreaking feminist campaign to heighten our nation's cliteracy is worth repping on your leather jacket or lapel. This electric enamel pin comes in a variety of colors but has the same powerful message in every hue.
But whatever you decide to buy for your bestie or ride-or-die babe, remember that fully embracing a stigma-free practice of pleasure — particularly if you're a woman or queer person — is a powerful way to spread self-love this holiday season.
