The holiday season provides us plenty of reasons and opportunities to give a good hug. And what better gift is there to give this time of year?

A hug shares warmth at the onset of these cold-weather months. It can greet a friend or relative, who we don’t often see, and say, “I’ve missed you.” It can show joy, compassion, and affection all in one gesture.

The holidays are a time for embracing those we care about, and similarly, we must wholly embrace the season itself. There’s no side-hugging the holidays… This time of year calls for a double-armed, drawn-out, full-on bear hug!

There’s simply no getting around the fact that the holiday season fills up our schedules as much as our hearts, so we might as well go all in and grasp the happiness along with the hustle and bustle.

With that in mind, the Mast Store is your holiday spot to discover a broad selection of cozy, comforting, embraceable items that will help you slow down and savor the warmth of the season. Whether you’re considering these items as gifts or as treats for yourself, we believe they’ll bring you and yours armfuls of holiday cheer!

Hugs that Cover You Up

Start a fire, pour yourself a hot drink, stream your favorite bingeworthy show, and crawl underneath a Mast Sweatshirt Blanket for a snuggly winter night at home. If you’re in the mood for a cold weather adventure, heading to your team’s playoff tailgate party, or watching your town’s Christmas parade pass from the sidewalk, make it a heavy-duty L.L.Bean Flannel Camp Blanket to keep you toasty in any winter conditions.

Hugs to Slip Into

There’s no feeling of being “home for the holidays” more than slipping on a pair of house shoes and kicking back after a long day of work or Christmas shopping. Acorn offers a fleece-lined footbed in their Men’s Fave Gore and Women’s Jam Mule Slippers that will leave you curling your toes in cozy delight as you stretch out in your favorite recliner.

For ultimate huggable holiday relaxation at home, slip into an L.L.Bean Robe like the Men’s Scotch Plaid Flannel or Women’s Wicked Plush Robe and cuddle up in “luxurious warmth” and “blissful comfort.”

Goodnight Hugs

If you’re looking to embrace the downhome charm of the season with your family, it’s always appropriate to slip into fun, Christmasy PJs! The Bear Cheeks FlapJacks Union Suit is a nostalgic one-piece that’s provided functional coziness for many a generation’s run to the “outdoor facilities” thanks to its all-over, long john coverage and conveniently located, buttoned trap door. Ideal for bedtime, cat naps, and looking festively flawless as you open presents on Christmas morning, Lazy One’s Women’s Flannel Christmas Plaid Button Nightshirt is a feminine twist on a traditionally rugged nightshirt.

And don’t forget to include the kiddos in comfort, too! The Kids’ Christmas Tree Farm Holiday Pajama Set by Hatley puts the youngsters in adorable, seasonal outfits that will make for merry memories in family photo albums years from now. There's even Tree Farm Jammies for babies with a cute little beanie to boot!

Homey Hugs

Rich aromas are among the memories we most closely associate with Christmas. Spices, sweets, mint, pine, and many more comforting scents envelop us and bring us back to Grandma’s kitchen on Christmas Day as she takes out trays of cookies from her oven. Candles and soaps by Santa’s Naturals and Boston International feature seasonally themed fragrances evocative of snowy conifer forests, berry-laced holly wreaths, and baked goods fit for Santa himself.

Gentle Hugs from Plushie Friends

A hug from a stuffed animal can be a child’s greatest comfort. Sometimes, it even helps an adult recall those simpler childhood days. After all, the holidays can often leave us in need of a hug, too. Someone who encourages you to slow down amidst your busy “holi-daily” dashing is Sylvie the Sloth. This extra-large plushie boasts a lavish faux fur coat and a bean-weighted body for squeezable, cushioned snuggles. Best of all, Sylvie’s long arms reach out to give you or your child the most excellent hugs possible!

For a Christmas hug, you’ll find this 33-inch, gargantuan Grinch from Aurora World, who, despite his size, still somehow has a heart “three sizes too small,” and his good-natured, guiding light, canine companion, Max.

This season, take hold of all that the holiday brings into your life – the love and the chaos, the relaxation and the chores – and, however, you go about it, remind yourself to pause long to give those around you a good hug. Like the comedian Bob Hope once said, “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.” Let’s make it so that our embrace of others shows that sentiment still rings true today.