Hello, my friends!
Today I’m sharing my last gift guide of the year. It’s filled with random favorites, a little bit of this and that.
I’m only talking about favorites here. And since I love to get ideas too, I’d love it if you’d like to chime in. Tell me, what random things do you LOVE?
AND since this is Thanksgiving week, I’ve decided to take the rest of the week off to spend with family. I’ll be missing you when I’m up to my elbows in pie crust (making no less than five pies for our Thanksgiving feast, including this razzleberry pie and this dark chocolate honey mousse pie). On top of that, we’ve got a family bike ride planned and of course lots of yummy food.
I hope you enjoy your week. I’ll be back next week with some more favorite recipes.
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
1. Earth Therapeudics Aloe Socks – A good friend gave me these socks for my birthday and oh my goodness. They are the coziest socks I have ever worn. They are warm and so very soft, perfect for wearing around the house. I love them so much. I don’t know about you, but if my feet are cozy in the winter, I am one happy girl.
2. Mexican Vanilla – I know I’ve mentioned this one several times before, but this Mexican vanilla is my absolute favorite (and I’ve tried a lot of Mexican vanilla’s out there). We use this vanilla in everything. It’s so tasty (and smells amazing too). Such a perfect gift. I know some of you have bought it and love it too. Make sure that you are buying the pure Mexican vanilla that is CLEAR. I’ve gotten some feedback that if you buy the Mexican Vanilla Blend (that’s Amber), it’s not pure Mexican vanilla, and is not as good.
3. Wet Brush – This is the best brush. It brushes without pulling hair and it’s cheap (under $9). I’ve gifted this brush before and it’s a big hit.
4. Comfy Pants – I have two pairs of these pants and I love them. I originally bought them this summer when I went to girls camp. I needed long pants but wanted something that would be cool outside all day in the heat. Now five months later, I find myself wearing these all the time. They look nice, but comfortable enough that I can wear them around the house all day.
5. Ear Warmers – We buy a lot of these ear warmers around here. They are perfect to fit under helmets for going on bike rides. Nice and comfortable, these get used all the time at our house.
6. My favorite Toothbrush – This is the best toothbrush. My dentist actually recommended it to me a few years ago. It always leaves my teeth feeling shiny clean, like they feel right after the dentist cleans them. And I love that there is a timer that tells me when I am done brushing. It sounds like a simple thing, but it’s one less thing I need to worry about. My teeth have definitely been a lot cleaner since using this brush.
7. Hammock – My 14-year-old son saved his money and bought this hammock this year and he loves it. It’s relatively inexpensive (under $25 for the single), is nice and light, and easy to set up.
8. Codenames – We love to gift our favorite games and this one definitely makes the list. It’s a great thinking game to play with a group and we play it all the time.
9. Running Belt – I love this running belt and use it just about every day. It fits my phone and there’s even a small side pouch for my keys. I do love using it for running and biking, but I also use it for a lot more. It’s really nice for hiking and travel. I love having my phone handy so it’s convenient to pull out and snap a picture. It’s a lot more secure than a pocket so I don’t need to worry about it falling out.
10. Mastermind – This is a really fun strategy game for 2 players that’s easy to play. It’s a great fast-moving, thinking game that teaches logic and deductive reasoning. It’s hard to find fun 2-player games, but this one is definitely a winner.
11. Shutterfly photo books – This is a totally unsponsored plug for shutterfly photo books. We make one every year–kind of like a yearbook and print like a bazillion copies. Every kid gets one and we give one to all the grandparents and great grandparents. It’s always a huge hit. And they always have sales this time of year (up to 50% off). It does take a bit of work to put it together, but it’s a treasured keepsake that the kids love looking at again and again.
12. A Year of Dates – Since kids often spell love T-I-M-E, we decided the last few years that our gift to them would be a year of dates. They each receive a gift that contains twelve sealed and labeled envelopes, one for every month. Inside the envelopes are dates with either Mom or Dad (sometimes both). I found the printable coupons at Let’s Explore and I edit them for each child with dates that I know that they will enjoy. It’s been fun to have a planned date to look forward to every month and we’ve been able to do a lot of fun things together.
13. Christmas Books – We’ve been working on growing our collection of Christmas books that we pull out every year. Books are definitely some of my kids most used and loved gifts. Here’s a few of our favorites: The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert, The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski, Christmas Oranges by Linda Bethers, Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner, The Hat or The Mitten by Jan Brett.
14. Magazine Subscription – My mother-in-law gives the kids a subscription to Highlights magazine every year and that’s something they’ve always enjoyed. Just last night they were fighting about whose turn it is to have the highlight’s calendar this year. Much anticipated and enjoyed, a magazine subscription is another gift that keeps giving all year long.
15. Penzeys Spices – Another unsponsored plug, but we love the spices from penzeys and giving them as gifts. A few of our favorites are: Northwoods Fire (delicious on grilled steaks or chicken), Tuscan Sunset (my favorite Italian seasoning blend), and Chipotle (we love this one for seafood pasta or Fish Tacos). This year we are gifting the mini grill & broil gift box to my brother-in-law this year who is a grilling maniac. I really love these spices and use them all the time.
Looking for more ideas? Check out the other gift guides I’ve posted:
Heather’s Mini Holiday Gift Guide for Cooks
Heather’s Mini Holiday Gift Guide for Kids
Mother’s Day Favorites Gift Guide
Don’t forget to chime in with your ideas too!
