Although after co-founding a business together, it's safe to say you know your partner well. Find out what these co-founders are giving each other this holiday season.
Who: Raaja Nemani and Aaron Firestein, co-founders of artist-designed sneaker brand Bucketfeet
“We met volunteering in Argentina in 2008 -- we would have never crossed paths if we both didn’t love travel,” Raaja says. “Aaron loves going off the beaten path, so having a suitcase that’s nimble is important. This brand is superinnovative -- it has Bluetooth tracking and ports for charging your devices.” (Raden A22 Carry, $295; raden.com)
Aaron will also honor their roots with a travel-related treat. “Having a fun little map that helps you remember and collect your experiences from your trips is perfect,” he says. (Scratch Map Deluxe, $32; uncommongoods.com)
Who: Paul and Nik Stewart-Stand, the husband-and-wife team behind Stewart/Stand stainless steel wallets
“I’d love to get Paul immunotherapy shots so he’s no longer allergic to kittens,” Nik says, only partially joking. “And then I’d get a booking at Meow Parlour, New York’s cat café. It’d be good for him to safeguard himself against allergies. Or we can just load him up with Allegra.” (Meow Parlour reservation, $6 per half hour; meowparlour.com)
A trip to a spa near the Grand Canyon. “We travel so much for work, and often not within the U.S. By exposing ourselves to a new experience, we gain a new source of inspiration.” Added bonus: It’s an almost exact replica of where they were married in Mexico, minus the ocean. (Amangiri, $1,707/night; aman.com/resorts/amangiri)
Who: James and Alexa Hirschfeld, brother-and-sister cofounders of Paperless Post
“We live in New York, so walking is part of Alexa’s morning exercise, but she needs a bag big enough for her laptop,” James says. “This is elegant and has a sense of humor, and Alexa is such an optimist. And she doesn’t take accessories too seriously.” (Anya Hindmarch Smiley Backpack, $1,450; anyahindmarch.com)
“Movies are a way for James to enter someone else’s creative world,” Alexa says. The family has long-standing holiday-movie traditions -- the original Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life -- so this is really a gift for the whole group. (Optoma Technology GT5500 Full HD DLP Home Theater Projector, $1,299; bhphotovideo.com)
Who: Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz, cofounders of craft bitters company Bittercube
This coffee-table book from the folks at St-Germain features recipes and tips from top bartenders. “We started as bartenders, and St-Germain is one of the first cocktail ingredients you utilize in the beginning of your career and realize, Oh, I can make drinks and add new twists!” says Nick. (How to Drink French Fluently, $20; stgermain.fr)
“Cognac is having a real moment,” Ira says. “This particular XO expression from D’ussé recently launched, and it’s on the pricier side, but the liquid has been aged 10 years in French oak barrels and is the epitome of an ultrapremium cognac. And if it’s good enough for Jay-Z, it’s good enough for Nick!” (D’ussé XO, $230; dusse.com)