Holiday Gift Guide 2025

Our son is a senior in high school this year, which means my wife and I are acutely aware of all the “lasts.” This hit me in October, when, on our annual family trip to Blue Ridge, Georgia, I realized it might be the last fall trip with all five of us. 

And so yes, even though he’s 17 and taller than Santa Claus, we have just one more opportunity to sit him up on the Big Guy’s lap for one more embarrasing photo. I booked our time slot as soon as they became availabile.

I also pulled our Christmas tree from its garage hibernation just days after taking down our Halloween inflatables. It’s twinkling in our front room as I type.

Oh yes, we’re ready to make the most of this holiday season.

In that same spirit, the Observer is ushering in the season with our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide — our handbook for the holiday season!

Yes, it’s a week before Black Friday, and that’s by design!

This year, we’re decking the halls by showing off many of our awesome hyperlocal businesses and their incredible offerings in West Orange’s official “wish book.”

This guide is chock full of gift ideas for every person on your list. Better yet: They’re all available at a shop in our community owned by someone who might see at Publix from time to time.

In addition to our physical wish book, we again have partnered with these merchants to create our online O-Mazing Holiday Gift Guide! Make sure you check it out at OrangeObserver.com! 

So this season, we’re inviting you to get off your couch and into the stores. It’s so much more personal — and fun — than clicking “buy now” and then watching the Amazing delivery driver stack carboard boxes — Tetris style —on your front porch.

HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS
Of course, our guide also includes  all the information you need to make your 2025 holiday season one to remember.

West Orange residents are blessed to live in a community teeming with Christmas cheer. Check out our exclusive calendar of holiday events (pages 26-29) and make your plans for some Christmas fun with friends and family. There are so many events right here in our communities — Winter Garden, Ocoee, Windermere, Horizon West, Dr. Phillips, Oakland and Gotha. And if that weren’t enough, we even included some favorites from throughout Central Florida.

If you’re sending gifts to loved ones across the state, the country or the world, we have shipping deadline information (page 5). And whether you’re traveling or staying home for the holidays, be sure to check out some safety tips courtesy of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (page 36).

Finally, we invite you to learn about many of the local non-profit organizations that do such important work in our community (page 10). We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the season of giving than supporting one of these worthy operations.

From all of us at the Observer: We wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!