This Christmas, Draw Your Box is celebrating the festive season with a gift guide that puts heart, culture, and community front and centre. We’ve put together a feel-good Christmas gift guide celebrating 10 South Asian-founded brands from across Australia, with ideas to suit everyone.
Whether you’re shopping for a foodie, jewellery lover, skincare devotee, art enthusiast, or your homewares-obsessed friend – there’s something here for different ages, tastes, and budgets. You’ll find thoughtful gift ideas that feel warm and special. Even better, every purchase supports brown-owned businesses, so you can shop with purpose while spreading a little extra festive joy. Check out the Xmas gift guide below!
Note: This guide is a brand partnership with Draw Your Box and the brands featured in the gift guide.
Spa Ceylon
Soothing skincare and wellness products are not only versatile gift options for all, but speak of luxury and relaxation. Sri Lankan brand Spa Ceylon prides itself on stocking products inspired by Ayurveda – from face masks and exfoliators to hair oils and fragrances. You can either order online, or pop into the QVB store if you’re based in Sydney.
Aloe Lemongrass Mandarin – Summer Wellness Head To Toe Ultra-Hydrating Gel (100ml): $47
This ultra-hydrating gel is a crowd favourite because of its light formula that melts as easily into hair as it does for skin. Some of the nourishing ingredients include aloe & witch hazel, sandalwood, moringa, grapeseed and more. This goodie is all about achieving super soft and revitalised skin and hair.
Neroli Jasmine – Floral Room Aromizer – 200ml: $80
With a truly stunning decorative flair for any room, this natural room aromizer combines vintage-styled glass, solar flowers and fibre diffuser sticks with an aromatic blend of Ceylonese floral essential oils & natural fragrance compounds. We can smell the sweetness already!
Inner Spice
Giving a culinary gift may very well be up your alley, and if that’s the case, look no further than Inner Spice. Founded by Rutchi Kaushal, the brand sells a curated collection of traditional spice box kits and blends that can help enhance everyday dishes, as well as wait for it… our favourite: masala chai! Rutchi says of starting the business: “After years in the corporate world, I felt a deep desire to connect more with my roots and share the beauty of my heritage”. A warm message we can definitely get behind!
Handmade in India, these everyday spice collection kits are traditional wooden spice boxes filled with spices, plus information, inspiration, and recipe cards. They also come without the spices and info cards if you have your own favourite spices for adding.
Handmade in India, the wooden pestle and mortar combos are specially designed to be lightweight for everyday crushing and grinding – perfect for masala chai!
Nadhi Artistry
Homewares and handicraft lovers, rejoice! From handwoven cushions to intricate paintings, Nadhi Artisty’s products intend to elevate any space with a warm and cosy feel. Thoughtfulness is key to a great Christmas present, and the brand embraces this sentiment in multiple ways. How so? Well, founders Theju and Bharat say they’re dedicated to celebrating native Indian artistry by working with artisans across India to create the products. Also environmentally conscious, they say products are made using eco-friendly materials and time-honoured methods including natural dyes and handwoven textiles.
Handmade Wall Art – Cascading Red Blossom Painting: $69.90
Have you heard of a Pattachitra painting? These Indian artworks are usually done on cloth, palm leaf or silk, and often feature mythological stories, devotional themes, and stylised figures drawn from Hindu epics and folklore. The Cascading Red Blossom Painting’s intricate border and statement red splashed across silk makes it an ideal gift for someone who loves statement pieces with a touch of culture.
Handmade Wool Cushion Cover – Natural Ivory & Indigo Mustard Motifs: $45.90
With earthy tones and handpicked motifs crafted by skilled Vankar weavers from Bhudoji, Gujarat, this handwoven cushion cover speaks warmth and depth in our eyes – perfect to rest on a bed, sofa or chair. This one’s made of wool (including local sheep wool, merino, or blends) and features natural dyes, with overall dimensions of 50cm x 50 cm.
Handmade Layered Brass Bead Necklace: $64.90
The inner accessory lovers in us can’t ignore a statement necklace, so we’re throwing this recommendation in. Nadhi Artistry’s Handmade Layered Brass Bead Necklace is an example of tribal jewellery made using ancient lost-wax casting techniques. No doubt a bold accessory in gold that makes for a great present… and if you’re tempted, pick up an extra to mix and match with your own wardrobe.
Uns By Tina
Earrings, bracelets and necklaces: $30 up to $200
Forget jingle bells… we call it jingle jhumkas come Christmas and New Year’s Eve! Keeping your bling-ready friends and family in mind, a buy from Uns by Tina makes for a precious and memorable gift. The best bit? It’s all high quality jewellery that will last you for years, with various price points and budgets – talk about value for money! Earrings prices start from $30, diamond bracelets sell from $50, and if you’re spoilt for choice and can’t make up your mind, you can purchase a set including a timeless necklace (prices from $75). Gift voucher options are also available.
According to Sydney-based founder Tina, the cubic zirconia pieces are highly popular thanks to their versatility in complementing South Asian and western outfits. With new collections of all jewellery styles now in stock during the festive season, we cheekily recommend that upcoming brides also get in quick to take a look – even if it’s for an initial bridal styling consultation with Tina. In-person purchases at Tina’s Sydney studio (or a virtual video call) are made by appointment only, while online product sales are through the brand’s Instagram page here.
Tala Thrive
Whether it’s for someone specific, or for a ‘white elephant/bad Santa’ gift exchange, a buy from Tala Thrive makes for a thoughtful and versatile gift across genders and age groups. Focused on ‘culturally competent’ mental health care and support, Tala Thrive was founded by Sonia Kaurah in 2023 after she had to educate her therapist about her cultural background and how Asian parents operate. The business’s main offering is connecting people with certified practitioners who understand their culture, language, or religion – but we love that its online shop sells affirmation and conversation cards (we’re talking 30+ cards in a deck!).
Cultural Affirmation and Conversation Cards: $49
As we come to the end of year, chances are that many of us will attend social and family gatherings. And we know what that means – probably dealing with more Aunty Gossip about relationships, body image, you name it. The team at Tala Thrive have been there! So they made these affirmation cards and they’re very relatable to different cultural backgrounds and lived experience. Tala Thrive’s affirmation cards are perfect for using with your friends or family (if you dare) or using it for self-reflection and healing. The conversation cards bring variety to the dinner table, sparking meaningful chats and the chance to strengthen friendships and relationships. These cards make for a truly thoughtful gift for someone else, or even for yourself. A little bonus: the deck of cards comes with a wooden stand for your daily affirmation.
Bang On Brows
You can never have enough brow-care products on hand. Afterall, keeping those arches looking fab is not just a one-time thing during the festive season. If you’re looking for a Christmas present that will not only be memorable, but something that your loved one or friend will regularly use, these picks from Bang On Brows make for great stocking fillers. Founded by couple Shahin and Kunal Joshi (who have been involved in the beauty industry in Perth for over a decade), the brand prides itself on stocking vegan, cruelty-free products. Bang On Brows is stocked across various locations in Western Australia, as well as online.
Bang on Brows Brow Soap: $29-$39
As a go-to for effortlessly defined, sculpted, and natural brows, this brow soap is available at two price points: either with the brush for extra convenience and ease ($39.99) or without the brush ($29.99).
Bang on Brows Rapid Growth Serum: $69
Made in Italy and powered by Tri-Peptide technology, the Bang on Brows Rapid Growth Serum is perfect for anyone who’s looking to enhance their beauty by honing in on achieving fuller, healthier brows and lashes. With a dual applicator, you can use the fine tip for lash lines and the brush wand for brows. We always love a two-in-one product!
Bang on Brows Eyebrow Pomade: $29
Truly keeping South Asian tones in mind, the Bang on Brows Eyebrow Pomade comes in Medium Brown and Soft Brown shades for just $29. Expect a creamy, smooth texture when applying this one – where you can shape, sculpt and fill sparse areas, all the while avoiding smudges or wearing off during the day.
Bang on Brows Foam Cleanser: $29
If you’ve got eyelash extensions, you’ve come to the right place because the Bang on Brows Foam Cleanser is formulated for brows and eyelash extensions. It’s perfect for removing makeup, oil and impurities, while maintaining fluffy lashes and outstanding, fresh brows.
Spicecraft
Have you ever tried an incredibly tasty dish but struggled to replicate the flavour at home? Sydney couple Ambika and Vikram absolutely hear you! For a long time, they heard their friends’ frustrations by how hard it was to get the right recipes and ingredients for traditional-style Indian cooking. This helped spark the idea of creating Spicecraft, with cooking kits not only available on the business’s website, but also in Woolworths supermarkets!
Gourmet Butter Chicken Cooking Kit Bundle: $20
For the foodie friend in your life (whether that’s being a fan of cooking, eating good food or both), give the gift of flavour this Christmas. Imagine creating restaurant-quality Indian meals from scratch for Xmas dinner, which Spicecraft cooking kits make possible on a budget and with easy-to-follow steps. There are different dishes to choose from on the Spicecraft website, and this one’s our top pick because… who doesn’t love butter chicken?
POC Beauty
Fancy avoiding those last-minute long queues at department store makeup counters? POC Beauty has customers sorted for gifts in time for Christmas day. Dancer and entrepreneur Deepa Mani founded POC Beauty, an idea born out of her desire to see more inclusive beauty and skin products for people proud of their skin colour. By the way, all purchases over $50 include free shipping.
The Lip and Cheek Tint is our top pick, not just because it’s lightweight, blendable, nourishing and complements brown skin, but because it celebrates a new drop to the brand’s collection of celebrated products. Over a year in the making, this goodie from the brand’s ‘Holiday Edit’ comes with an exclusive launch offer (10% Off + Free Shipping) between December 15-17 is available for waiting list signups here.
This product is a great addition to someone’s exfoliation routine – where you can say goodbye to dry flakes, and hello to a smoother texture, even tone, and perfectly prepped lips whether you’re wearing makeup or not.
Lip Mask: $24.95 or bundle and save by buying 2 for $36 or 3 for $55
If you’re shopping for multiple people, this lip mask is a great option because you can buy several together at a discounted price, as above. POC Beauty emphasises that it’s designed to deeply nourish and restore lips overnight, using natural ingredients (there’s a list of them on the website too!).
POC Beauty Ultimate Lip Care Duo (Lip Scrub +Mask): $50
Keen for a matching set to gift your favourite people this Xmas? POC Beauty has combined the Lip Scrub and Lip Mask with a special combo deal at $50 plus free shipping. You are oh so welcome!
The Maharani Diaries
After swapping her science career for her creative flair, Poonam Gururajan launched The Maharani Diaries. It started off as a South Asian wedding blog, created to make the wedding industry more representative of the wider Australian society. But before you know it, she found her expertise was in high demand by South Asian couples tying the knot. So, what’s the Christmas gift connection here? Read on!
100+ Essential Questions for Multicultural Weddings: $20
It may appear as a more niche pick for a Christmas gift, but with the end of year being a famous time for engagements, we’re putting the 100+ Essential Questions for Multicultural Weddings on your radar. Created by award-winning wedding planner Poonam Gururajan of The Maharani Diaries, this beautifully designed guide is handy for anyone who’s newly engaged or knee-deep in wedding planning. It includes a vendor checklist made for couples navigating South Asian and multicultural weddings, giving you the questions that actually matter (not hundreds of vague ones), helping to protect your budget, set clear expectations, avoid miscommunication, and confidently choose vendors who truly understand your culture and vision.
Janani Peiris Art
Sydney-based art and art therapist Janani Peiris is known for creating pieces that are carefully curated with symbolism, colour and meaning. Storytelling is always at the heart of her work. Her custom artworks are particularly popular, tailored specifically for you and the concept you have in mind. She also offers art therapy classes that adopt various artmaking techniques including drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, mixed media, craft and sand play.
Art therapy classes and workshops: From $80
Looking for an experience-focused gift to give this Christmas that’s different to popular go-to’s such as cooking workshops, dance classes or skydiving? A gift voucher for Janani’s art therapy classes and workshops is the answer! Art therapy sessions provide a safe, nurturing space where artistic creation becomes a pathway to insight, intuition, balance, and wellbeing, with no artistic experience required. Your loved one can choose a personalised experience – from one-on-one sessions to therapeutic programs that help deepen connection with the self, process emotions, and restore harmony. It’s all about having an enriching experience that’s customised and tailored to suit individual needs. Gift vouchers are available from $80 for an individual child session, with personalised options for children and adults at varying prices.
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