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Why ‘Rocky Horror’ resonates 50 years later

Filmmaker Michael Varrati says ‘queer persistence is an act of resistance’

Published

3 months ago

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As the Halloween season approaches, many queer horror fans will surely be revisiting “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” And given its 50th anniversary, the timing couldn’t be better, with a new restored version in 4K courtesy of Disney, and events and screenings happening around the country.

To discuss the many merits of “Rocky Horror,” you’d be hard pressed to find somebody more passionate than screenwriter, producer and filmmaker Michael Varrati (credits include “Christmas with You,” “The Wrong Stepmother” and “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula”). He’s also the co-host of the biweekly podcast Midnight Mass alongside Peaches Christ, where they dig into their favorite cult movies and bring on guest stars.

Varrati sat with the Blade and recalls the first time he watched “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in his rural hometown, dishes on the film’s specific impact on the LGBTQ+ community, and explains why 50 years later, we’re still talking about Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

BLADE: Where did you first discover Rocky Horror, and how did that influence your career and overall taste in film?

MICHAEL VARRATI: When you think of cult fandom, especially in the film space, in the movie space, Rocky Horror is very singular. In so many ways, it led the charge. My first sort of interaction with Rocky was when MTV was doing coverage of one of the anniversaries — I imagine it was probably for the 20th or around that time. I was a teenager living in rural Pennsylvania and I would see this coverage around Halloween, and I was fascinated as much by the movie as I was by the fact that people were dressing up and going to the cinema to participate. And when you’re living in small town America where there are no theaters to be found doing that, there was some sort of sense of the forbidden, or it was just out of reach. But I obsessed about it, so I got a copy of the movie on VHS, and I used to gather friends — probably the theater kids, the drama club, any associated weirdos. And I say this lovingly, because I was one of those weirdos. And we would watch it in friend’s living rooms and in basements, and we would try and do our own version of celebrating the movie in a theater style at home. It wasn’t until I went to college at Kent State University that I started going to the midnight screenings in Cleveland at the Cedar Lee Theatre, and I immediately connected with the vibe of what was going on. I loved that this was more than just a movie to the people who gathered. In many ways, that fundamentally helped me understand that the art we connect to can be so much more than a passive experience.

I actually recently graduated from Ithaca College, and they always had midnight screenings around Halloween. I got to go to one of those and it was really fun. I’ve never quite had an experience like that.

They really are one of a kind. Obviously, midnight movies existed before Rocky, and now exist sort of in the wake of Rocky. I believe the original midnight movies were “Night of the Living Dead,” “El Topo,” “Pink Flamingos.” But Rocky was sort of the first time when that programming became a tangible experience. People were going to the movies, they were dressing up as the characters, they were shouting at the screen, and people weren’t getting mad about it. They were shouting too! And it created this interesting economy of celebration that we see a lot of other places and films try and mimic. … I think the reason Rocky is singular is that it was totally organic. You can’t manufacture the experience after the fact. People found the movie and the movie found them.

BLADE: Especially knowing the iconic place it has within the LGBTQ+ community, and the aspect of people dressing up and going to see these shows in full costume. Could you speak to that?

VARRATI: When I think about the significance of Rocky, I, of course, love the movie. But I think one of the most powerful things about it, especially for a particular moment in time, was that it provided a communal space a lot of people didn’t otherwise have. It’s really easy in the modern era, even in rural places, to use the internet to connect with your community if you know where to look. We know now about queer spaces and platforms and sites, but at a specific time when those were not readily available — and in many places, it was very scary to go looking for those things because you didn’t know how you were going to be met — there were few places that felt like safe harbors. And when “Rocky Horror” started becoming that space, I think that became really significant to its history because it became a gathering point for LGBTQ+ people. For punks, for goths, for anyone who felt marginalized or othered by society. When you walked through those theater doors, you belonged, and everybody accepted you, and the thing that made you feel like a freak was celebrated. You got to let your freak flag fly, and so I think for so many people of a certain generation, Rocky was the first place where they got to go find chosen family. They got to find and develop a sense of community. Because for so many, it was not a viable option. And to the outside world who maybe didn’t connect with that aspect of the movie, it was a good way to fly under the radar if you didn’t want people to fully know why you were going because you’re just going to a midnight movie. It’s not like you’re going to the gay bar that everyone in town knows or vilifies… you’re just going out with some friends to a movie. But secretly, you’re finding your community.

BLADE: I think that’s a great way of putting it. The movie is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and there are quite a few events happening, including an Academy Museum screening on the 26th with some of the cast. Could you speak to the legacy of this film over time and why people are still finding so much enjoyment in it?

VARRATI: In so many ways, it is as bold as ever. There are aspects of it, of course, to the modern audience that maybe haven’t aged as well or are problematic. But nonetheless, there are things about the movie that are so celebratory. This movie isn’t just a place where outsiders can celebrate — the movie itself, in the pantheon of film, is sort of an outsider. It is this subversive anomaly. It was a critical failure, and it was kind of a commercial failure, yet somehow it persisted. Its persistence is, in a lot of ways, akin to resistance. The idea that queer joy is an act of resistance. Queer persistence is an act of resistance. By being the strange movie, by thriving in spite of an industry that said it couldn’t, it’s something people really appreciate that history of and continue to gravitate to. But then for newer audiences who see it, the music’s fun, the characters are fun, and it still feels pretty audacious as ever. But also, the message of “Don’t dream it, be it,” is timeless. 

BLADE: I’m curious to hear about this movie’s relationship to camp, because now I think that word gets overused a lot, and some films try to manufacture it. And as you said, this film was able to capture an experience so organically.

VARRATI: There is, to some folks, a prevailing idea that you can’t intentionally make camp. But I don’t know that that’s entirely true, because we see people like John Waters — he can intentionally make camp. There are folks who get the DNA of what camp is. But a lot of times, camp happens by accident. Because I think most camp, all camp, in a lot of ways, is born out of earnestness. And I think that’s what happens when people try to manufacture camp and it fails because they’re missing the fundamental element of earnestness. If you look at any of these movies that have become camp classics, they’re not winking at you. They’re not trying to say, “Hey, this is so bad, it’s good!” They’re not trying to make you know that they’re in on the joke. They’re presenting something with their whole chest and they believe in what they’re putting out there, and it just is what it is. And we find the ridiculousness through the heightened presentation. Rocky is really special in that it is truly camp, because it is, in so many ways, an homage to classic monster movies, classics and drive-in cinema. It is through the experience of these two small town people who are sheltered and are now experiencing something that they consider to be so other and overwhelming — but for everybody inside the castle, that’s every day. A really fun way to experience Rocky is understanding that the camp is not necessarily intentional, but also absolutely intentional. It’s sort of a lampooning of the normalcy of the world outside, because the truth is normalcy is the ultimate camp, because it’s a fallacy.

BLADE: Recently, there was a CBS Sunday Morning Special featuring Tim Curry, but of course not all of the actors are with us to promote the anniversary. What do you think of the cast’s relationship to this film over the years and what performers like Curry are able to do for new generations?

VARRATI: I love that Barry Bostwick, when he speaks about this movie, says there’s no happier place to be than a midnight screening of “Rocky Horror.” I think that there’s something significant about somebody who made this, who can see that it has gone beyond him, but has created so much love, community, and celebration for people. A couple years ago on Midnight Mass, we had Patricia Quinn, who plays Magenta. But of course, when you’re talking to Patricia Quinn, “Rocky Horror” invariably comes up. From my perspective, it seems that she is constantly amused and grateful for the fact that this movie rings perennial in her life. It is a constant. The cast’s overall embracing of this film has been crucial to its success as well. We often see folks who make these movies that are initially rejected by culture at large (Faye Dunaway and “Mommie Dearest” is a great example) not get to appreciate the celebration and reappraisal as it’s happening. And so I almost feel bad because they miss out on this thing that has become important and meant so much to so many people. It’s really great to know that so many cast members of “Rocky Horror,” from the beginning, saw the movie didn’t do super great, and then became a thing within five years, and they just said, “Hey, it’s going to be what it’s going to be, and we’re along for the ride.”

BLADE: Lastly, as someone who loves film, what are some other projects that you feel have been especially inspired by “Rocky Horror” and authentically embraced its spirit?

VARRATI: You know what’s funny? I think about the influence of “Rocky Horror” in the landscape of cinema, especially cult cinema, often because — I think directly or indirectly — we see the film’s impact through the work of people who were probably at one time audience members. For example, Darren Stein, the writer and director of “Jawbreaker” (which itself is a cult classic) is a huge fan of “Rocky Horror,” and has spoken openly about Rocky‘s influence on him and how it creeps its way into his work. And when you watch Jawbreaker, Courtney, the character played by Rose McGowan, has an energy akin to Frank-N-Furter, and some of the lines that she delivers are verbatim Frank-N-Furter lines. I’m sure that was intentional on Darren’s part, but there’s so much of that in pop culture. 

I know that when Richard O’Brien was doing voices on “Phineas and Ferb,” of all things, something that’s so far from “Rocky Horror,” when they would do Halloween episodes, the creators — themselves “Rocky Horror” fans — would include commentary and Easter eggs into this Disney show that relate back. And so whether it’s through direct cast involvement or creators, I see the level of influence it’s had. And even in shorthand, I remember talking to someone recently about the movie Showgirls and the comment came up that Elizabeth Berkley’s commitment to performance was a Frank-N-Furter level commitment — that’s become a shorthand for how we describe certain performances. And that, to be clear, was a complimentary comparison. For people who are invested in these kinds of movies, to be compared to something like “Rocky Horror” with its longevity is maybe one of the greatest compliments of all, because no one’s ever going to make a cult film like “Rocky Horror,” right?

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Local, last-minute holiday gift ideas

Celebrate the season while supporting area businesses

Published

4 days ago

on

December 18, 2025

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The DowntownDC Holiday Market is bustling. Union Station is decked out with its annual Christmas tree. Washingtonians have wrapped their houses and apartment balconies with festive lights and holiday decorations. The holiday season is here. And with stockings to fill and empty space under the tree, Washington’s local shops and artists have plenty to offer. 

Show your LGBTQ and D.C. pride with the Washington Blade’s annual holiday gift guide.

To embrace the holiday buzz: The Blanco Nwèl cocktail from Alchy Cocktails. This Caribbean eggnog is one of Alchy Cocktail’s seasonal holiday cocktails. The flavor profile is similar to coquito, a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas drink with a coconut base. As a queer and Caribbean-owned business, Alchy Cocktails has been based out of Washington since 2021. Blanco Nwèl is available in both cocktail ($24) and mocktail ($12) online and at a variety of holiday markets, including the Tingey Plaza Holiday Market, the Flea Market at Eastern Market, Union Station’s Main Hall Holiday Market, and more. ($24)

A spicy bite: Gordy’s Cajun Okra from Salt and Sundry. These spicy, tangy pickles pull on Southern Cajun-style flavors, packing a punch with paprika, cayenne, and more. Gordy’s is an LGBTQ-owned and Washington-based brand, making this gift an opportunity to support a local LGBTQ business straight from the jar. This pantry staple is available on Salt & Sundry’s website and at its locations in Union Market, Logan Circle, and its Georgetown holiday pop-up store. ($14)

To celebrate Washington pride: The DC Landmark Tote Bag from The Neighborgoods. Native Washingtonians, visitors, friends and family alike will find something to love about this Washington-themed tote bag. Food trucks, the 9:30 Club, the Metro logo and pandas from the National Zoo are just some of the city’s landmarks depicted across the tote in a red, white, and blue color palette. The tote is a part of the DC Landmarks collection, which donates 10 percent of its sales to the American Civil Liberties Union. The Neighborgoods itself is a local, woman-owned business built out of a passion for screen-printing in 2013. The 100 percent cotton canvas tote is for sale online or at the DowntownDC Holiday Market. ($22)

To give friends and family their flowers: The Flowers Bandana from All Very Goods. This 100 percent cotton bandana was designed in Washington and hand printed in India. Its uniqueness comes in being covered with the faces of Black women, representing a “love letter to all women but especially Black women,” according to All Very Goods. The Black woman-owned and operated business, based out of Northwest Washington, has a mission to celebrate diversity and representation through its products. The bandana intends to give Black women their “flowers.” The Flowers bandana is available for purchase online. ($24)

To unlock culinary creativity: The Curious Chef Gift Collection from Each Peach Market. This customizable collection of kitchen oddities — ranging from tinned fish to chili oil — is a quirky gift for the most inventive chefs. The collection is available in a Standard Santa, Extra Goodies and Super Holiday Size for up to $165. The Washington-based market, founded in 2013, permits customers to make the collection special by specifying what unique ingredients are packaged, including products made by local or LGBTQ brands. Each Peach Market offers assembly and pick up in-person at its Mount Pleasant shop and also offers local delivery and nationwide shipping via its website. ($85) 

To give a touch of sweetness: The DC Landmark Chocolate Covered Oreo Holiday Cookies from Capital Candy Jar. Wrapped in a festive red bow, this box of nine cookies embraces love for Washington and the holiday season in one. Among the dark and milk chocolate covered cookies are images of the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and festive hollies. The treat, packaged in a Hill East facility just a few blocks from the Capitol, is available for purchase online and at the DowntownDC Holiday Market. ($23.95)

To celebrate queer gaming: Thirsty Sword Lesbians from Labyrinth Games & Puzzles. This roleplaying game embraces lesbian culture by unlocking a world of swords, romance, and battle. Ideal for group settings, the book presents a system of world building and character identities that are best brought to life by creative minds. Labyrinth, which has been a local Washington business for more than 15 years, celebrates non-digital fun through games and puzzles that connect the community. This gift is offered online and at Labyrinth’s Capitol Hill location. ($29.99)

To make a bold statement: The “Resist” T-shirt from Propper Topper. This locally screen-printed black tee features the Washington flag designed within a raised fist, symbolizing both Washington pride, and political resistance. The shirt is made exclusively by Propper Topper, a local Washington business that evolved from a hat shop to a gift store since opening in 1990. The tri-blend unisex shirt is available both for pickup at Propper Topper’s Cathedral Heights location and shipping via the online site. ($32)

To keep it c(g)lassy: The Glass Ball earrings from Blue Moon Aquarius. Gifting can rarely go wrong when it comes to a new pair of earrings. The unique statement earrings — made of polymer clay, glass, and 18k gold plating over surgical steel — are hand cut, sanded and assembled in Washington, meaning each set is unique. Blue Moon Aquarius, a local brand, is known for its small batch jewelry and home decor designed with clay materials. Available in oxblood, hunter green, lavender, and bluestone color palettes, these earrings are available for purchase on Blue Moon Aquarius’ website and at the DowntownDC Holiday Market. ($48)

To elevate a holiday tea or charcuterie party: The Honey Flight: Tea Lover’s Selection from BannerBee. This local honey company presents the ideal gift to make cozying up with a cup of tea slightly more special. The Honey Flight contains three types of raw wildflower honey infused with fair trade Ugandan vanilla bean, chai spices, and locally sourced lemon thyme herb. The gift is also an opportunity to uplift a family company based in the Mid-Atlantic that offers all-natural, sustainable products. The flight is available online, at the DowntownDC Holiday Market or at the Arlington Courthouse and Dupont Farmers’ Markets. ($36)

For Baltimore shoppers: If you’re in Charm City, don’t miss Balston Mercantile, opened by a gay couple in June. Their gorgeous shop in the Hampden neighborhood offers an array of unique, upscale finds, from barware and artwork to cookbooks and home decor and more. (849 W. 36th St.)

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Have yourself a merry John Waters Christmas

Annual holiday show returns to Alexandria and Baltimore

Published

2 weeks ago

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December 11, 2025

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John Waters performs his annual John Waters Christmas spoken word show on Dec. 20 in Alexandria at The Birchmere, and on Dec. 23 in Baltimore at SoundStage. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

When it comes to iconic Christmas scenes in movies, none can top the tree-toppling tantrum thrown by cha-cha heels-deprived Dawn Davenport in John Waters’s fifth full-length feature “Female Trouble” from 1974. Therefore, it’s not surprising that Waters continues to make art out of Christmas, performing his spoken word Christmas tour in cities across the country. Waters has even more reason to celebrate with the release of his new red vinyl 7” single, a cover of Little Cindy’s “Happy Birthday Jesus (A Child’s Prayer)” on the A-side, and “A Pig Latin Visit From St. Nicholas” on the B-side. If you’re still looking for unique Christmas gifts, consider this record. As always, John was kind enough to make time for an interview in advance of his tour dates.

BLADE: John, in preparation for this interview with you, I went back and listened to Little Cindy’s original rendition of “Happy Birthday Jesus (A Child’s Prayer)” on your “A John Waters Christmas” CD.

JOHN WATERS: One thing I did, if you notice, I make the same stumble in my recording that she did in the original.

BLADE: It sounded to me like she got choked up.

WATERS: No, I think she just stumbles over a word, so I stumbled over the same word. It’s appropriation, insanely.

BLADE: Is this a song you first became aware of in your youth or when you were an adult?

WATERS: When I was doing the Christmas album, I had this friend named Larry Benicewicz. He was kind of my idea man with music. He knew every single old record. I would say to him, “Weird Christmas songs,” when we were doing a soundtrack, or a song about bears, or a song about this, and he would give me all these tapes. It was one of the ones he played for me. A lot of the songs I put in my movies and on my records, I did know as a kid. I did not know this one, but I immediately embraced it. I don’t think it’s campy. I think it really is spiritual in a weird way. My doing it makes it a novelty record. I am really for novelty records, and there aren’t any anymore. Why was there not a COVID novelty record? That’s insane. The dance “The Bug” that’s on the “Hairspray” soundtrack would be perfect for COVID. 

BLADE: The thing that struck me was that for a Christmas song in the voice of a child, a kind of death pall hangs over it, with lines like, “If I was good you’d let me live with you” and “they nailed you to the cross, they wanted you to die.”

WATERS: All of it! When I see children at midnight mass kneeling in front of a nude man nailed to a cross, I feel like I’m at The Eagle! It is S&M, it’s creepy. I took the same cover (photo) from her record to parody and put my face on it. The same thing I did with The Singing Dogs last year when I covered (their version of) “Jingle Bells.” I’m really into novelty records. I love them and I’m trying to bring them back. I don’t expect anybody to ever play these records. Even The Singing Dogs one said on it, “Please do not play this record” [laughs]. And the flipside, the Pig Latin version, is almost impossible to listen to.

BLADE: I’m so glad you mentioned that. “A Pig Latin Visit From St. Nicholas” reminded me of the lost art of speaking in Pig Latin. I also recall watching the PBS series “Zoom” as an adolescent and learning to speak “ubbi dubbi,” a distant relative of Pig Latin. Do you think that the time is right for a Pig Latin or ubbi dubbi revival?

WATERS: Here’s the thing, I never could pick up any language, except Pig Latin. I’ve been in every foreign country. Foreign countries have given me money to learn to speak the language. I can never do it! But Pig Latin…my parents and other parents in the ‘50s spoke Pig Latin so kids couldn’t understand what they were saying. Then my mother taught it to me, and I used it. The hardest take to shoot in “Pink Flamingos” was not eating the dog shit. It was when the cast skipped, in one take, saying “E-way, are-yay e-they ilthiest-fay eople-pay in-hay e-they ole-hay ide-way orld-way.” We’re the filthiest people in the whole wide world in Pig Latin. We had to do so many takes so they could do it once without screwing it up. In “Polyester,” Edith (Massey) answers the phone, “ello-hay.” I did a photo piece where it was all subtitled in Pig Latin. Like “osebud-Ray” (from “Citizen Kane”) or in “Streetcar,” “ella-Stay!” [Laughs] All the iconic dialogue translated into Pig Latin. My assistant who helped me do it, had never heard of Pig Latin. She really got good at it because she lived in many foreign countries and can pick up languages. But it’s not that easy to do it correctly and read it. Your computer will translate into Pig Latin.

BLADE: AI understands Pig Latin?

 WATERS: I guess that’s AI. It wasn’t 100% right, but it was close. I can speak it if I look at it, but just do a bit at a time. It was a challenge that no one would possibly care about or want to do.

BLADE: I think you pulled it off very well.

WATERS: If you want people to leave on Christmas morning, you put it on. That’s how you get your guests to leave. It’s time to go.

BLADE: Ood-gay i-bay! How did your relationship with record label Sub Pop, which released 2021, 2022, 2024, and new 2025 holiday singles, come about?

WATERS: I believe the first thing I did for them was “Prayer to Pasolini.” They came to me through Ian Brennan. He’s won a couple Grammys for World Music, but he is also is one of my agents who does the Christmas tour and a lot of my shows, anything with music. He helped me arrange each one of the songs. He had a relationship with Sub Pop. It was perfect. My friends in Baltimore, (the band) Beach House, have had huge success.

BLADE: That’s right, they’re on Sub Pop!

WATERS: Yes! I’m happy to be on it. I’ve even been to the warehouse and posed for pictures like Jackie Suzanne used to do.

BLADE: Is there any chance that “A John Waters Christmas” might be reissued on vinyl by Sub Pop?

WATERS: No. It’s such a nightmare to get the rights and to renew them. You have to find the publisher and the writer, and they usually hate each other. It doesn’t matter if it’s obscure or famous, it’s hard to get. You have to make the deal. The singer doesn’t get anything unless they play it on the radio. It would be so complicated legally, and there would be such a [laughs] tiny audience for it. I hope it will come out again. The same thing with the one for Valentine’s Day. I had two of them that did quite well when they came out; “A Date With John Waters and “A John Waters Christmas.” The “John Waters Christmas” album is still the soundtrack that plays whenever I’m doing my spoken word Christmas show as people are entering the theater.

BLADE: Aside from your annual Christmas show tour, what else do you do for the holidays now, and are there any traditions that you’ve carried over from your family?

WATERS: Certainly! I have two sisters, my brother’s widow, and me, so there are four and we take turns each year to have the Christmas dinner. Mine was last year. An entire sit-down dinner. Mom’s China, the silverware, the entire full dinner. It’s pretty traditional. I don’t have a Christmas tree, but I do decorate the electric chair from “Female Trouble.” That is a tradition in my family. We do have Christmas decorations, but they’re usually weird ones that fans sent me. I have one with Divine knocking over the Christmas tree, and the Christmas tree lights up, all sorts of amazing things. There is definitely a tradition here that might be a little altered, but it is definitely a tradition. I used to have a giant party every year, but COVID ended that. I still wouldn’t want 200 people in my house breathing right now.

BLADE: I was looking at your tour schedule and wondered if there are any new cities in which you’ve never performed the John Waters Christmas show that have been added to this year’s schedule?

WATERS: I don’t think there’s a city in America in which I haven’t done one show! The only places I haven’t been to are Hawaii and Alaska. I could do it there, but it’s too long on a tour. I can’t think of a city I haven’t played in in America over the last 50 years. The Christmas show is completely different every year. It doesn’t matter if you saw it last year.

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Ultimate guide to queer gift giving

Champagne, candles, cologne, lawnmowers, and more

Published

2 weeks ago

on

December 6, 2025

By

Some gifts scream practical, others whisper luxury, and a few flat-out blur the lines. From cocoa that feels ceremonial to a cologne that linger like a suggestive smirk, this year’s ultimate gift picks prove that thoughtful (and occasionally naughty) presents don’t have to be prosaic. Welcome to your holiday cheat sheet for festive tangibles that get noticed, remembered, and maybe even result in a peck of gratitude planted under the mistletoe. Consensually, of course.

Amber Glass Champagne Flutes

Pop the champs – but make it vintage. These tulip-shaped stunners in amber-tinted glass bring all the Gatsby vibes without the Jazz-age drama. Whether you’re toasting a milestone or celebrating a Tuesday, their seven-ounce capacities and hand-wash-only care make ‘em as practical as they are pretty. Pair with a thoughtful bottle of bubs and gift with a glittering wink. $18, NantucketLooms.com

Disaster Playbook by Here Comes the Apocalypse

Because the end of the world shouldn’t be a solo act, this spiral-bound guide is your step-by-step roadmap to surviving and thriving when everything else goes sideways, which might be sooner than you think. Packed with checklists, drills, and a healthy dose of humor, it’s like a survival manual written by your most prepared (and slightly snarky) friend. Whether you’re prepping for a zombie apocalypse or, more realistically, REVOLUTION!, this playbook’s got your back. $40, HereComesTheApocalypse.com

Wickless Vulva Candles

Bold, luxurious, and completely flame-free, CTOAN’s wickless candles melt from beneath on a warmer, releasing subtle, sophisticated fragrances, like sandalwood or lavender. The vulva-shaped wax adds a playful, provocative element to any space –perfect for a bedroom, living room, or anywhere you want elegance with an edge. A gift that celebrates form, intimacy and self-expression, no fire required. $39, CTOANCO.com

Villeroy & Boch Royal Classic Christmas Collection

Every meal is a mini celebration – with whimsy at every place setting – in Villeroy & Boch’s Royal Classic festive dinnerware collection that hits all the right notes. Made from premium German porcelain, it features nostalgic little toys, nutcrackers, and rocking horses in delicate relief, giving your holiday spread a playful but refined twist. Dishwasher- and microwave-safe, it’s luxe without the fuss. Gift a piece to a special someone, or start a collection they’ll use (and show off) for years to come. $22-$363, Villeroy-Boch.com

Greenworks Electric Lawnmower

You a ’hood queen who considers lawn care performance art – or just wants to rule the cul-de-sac in quiet, emission-free glory? Greenworks’ zero-turn electric mower has the muscle of a 24-horsepower gas engine but none of the fumes, drama or maintenance. Six 60V batteries and a 42-inch deck mean you can mow up to two-and-a-half acres on a single charge – then plug in, recharge, and ride again. It’s whisper-quiet, slope-ready, and smooth enough to make you wonder why you ever pushed anything besides your queer agenda. The perfect gift for the homeowner who loves sustainability, symmetry, and showing off their freshly striped yard like that fresh fade you get on Fridays. $5,000, GreenworksTools.com

Molekule Air Purifier

For the friend who treats their space like a sanctuary (or just can’t stand sneezes), the Molekule Air Pro is magic in motion. Covering up to 1,000 square feet, it doesn’t just capture allergens, VOCs, and smoke – it destroys them, leaving your air feeling luxury-clean. FDA-cleared as a Class II medical device, it’s serious science disguised as modern design. Gift it to your city-dwelling, pet-loving, candle-burning friend who likes their living room as pristine as their Instagram feed. $1,015, Molekule.com

Cipriani Prosecco Gift Set

Effervescent with stone-fruit sweetness and a touch of Italian flair, the Cipriani Bellini & Prosecco gift set brings brunch-level glamour to any day of the week. The Bellini blends rich white-peach purée with sparkling wine, while the dry ’secco keeps things crisp and celebratory. Pop a bottle, pour a flute, and suddenly winter weeknights feel like a party – even with your pants off. $36, TotalWine.com

Woo(e)d Cologne

British GQ recently crowned Woo(e)d by ALTAIA the “Best Date Night Fragrance,” and honestly, they nailed it. Confident without being cocky – smoky gaïac and Atlas cedarwood grounds the room while supple leather and spicy cardamom do all the flirting – it’s a scent that lingers like good conversation and soft candlelight. Gift it to the one who always turns heads – or keep it for yourself and let them come to (and then on) you. $255, BeautyHabit.com

Lococo Cocoa Kit

Keep the run-of-the-mill mugs in the cabinet this Christmas and pull out Lococo’s handcrafted Oaxacan versions that demand you slow down and sip like it matters. Paired with a wooden scoop, rechargeable frother, and Lococo’s signature spice hot-chocolate blend (vegan, gluten-free, with adaptogenic mushrooms), this holiday kit turns Mexi-cocoa into a mini ritual you’ll look forward to. Perfect for anyone who loves a little indulgence with a side of ¡A huevo! energy.

Manta Sleep Mask

Total blackout, zero pressure on the eyes, and Bluetooth speakers built right into the straps, this ain’t your mama’s sleep mask — but it could be. The Manta SOUND sleep mask features C-shaped eye cups that block every hint of light while ultra-thin speakers deliver your favorite white noise, meditation, or late-night playlist straight to your ears. With 24-hour battery life, breathable fabric, and easy-to-adjust sound, it turns any bed (or airplane seat) into a five-star sleep suite. Perfect for anyone who treats shut-eye like an art form (or just wants to escape their roommate’s late-night bingin’ and/or bangin’). $159, MantaSleep.com

Shacklelock Necklace

Turn the industrial-chic vibe of a shackle into a sleek statement. Mi Tesoro’s platinum-plated stainless-steel necklace sits on an 18-inch wheat chain, featuring a shackle-style latch pendant that’s waterproof, tarnish-free, and totally fuss-les. Beyond style, it nods to a classic gesture in the queer leather community: replacing a traditional Master lock with something elegant to quietly signal belonging to someone special. Wear it solo for a minimalist edge or layer it like you mean it; either way this piece locks in both your look and your intentions. $90, MiTesoroJewelry.com

Parkside Flask Mojave Edition

Wine nights get a desert glow-up with Parkside’s limited-edition 750-milliliter all-in-one flask draped in sun-washed bronze and badland hues like sage, sand, and terracotta – with magnetic stemless tumblers that snap on for effortless shareability. It keeps your vino chilled for 24 hours, pours without drips (no tears for spilled rosé, please), and even lets you laser-engrave your own mantra or inside joke. Perfect for picnics, surprise rooftop clinks, or gifting to your favorite wine (or desert) rat. $149, HighCampFlasks.com

Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBT lifestyle expert whose work has published in more than 100 outlets across the world. Connect with him on Instagram @mikeyroxtravels.

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