Category: Product Reviews

Now, I know I’m not cool (or rich) like Oprah… but I decided to compile a list of my absolute FAVORITE things for this year in the hopes that it helps you shop for someone on your holiday gift list.

Please note: these are not things that I WANT to receive for Christmas (sorry husband, your sneaky reading of my blog didn’t pan out for you this time. And yes, I know you’re reading even if you totally deny it!). These items are things that I already own and use on a regular basis. I just love them so darn much that I wanted to share them with you!

Oh yeah, and going back to the whole ‘I’m not rich like Oprah’ thing. I WISH I could shout out “YOU GET A CAR and YOU get a CAR and YOU GET A CAR” to each and every one of you, but sorry I can’t unless they were Matchbox cars. I may have a little giveaway coming up soon though, so I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Okey dokey little cow pokey’s, let’s get a move on…

Stuff to Make You (even more) Beautiful
Origins A Perfect World SPF 25 Face Lotion: Oh my gosh, this stuff is divine! I use this face lotion every single day and I fully credit it for my smooth skin that totally still gets me carded. I’ve pretty much never met an Origins product that I didn’t like, but this lotion is one of my necessities that I’d take with me on a desert island.

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Body Lotion: It smells great, it feels great and it keeps my dry, dry Sahara-like skin moisturized all day long. Oh yeah, and a bottle is less than $6.

Cover Girl Espresso Eye Liner: I literally do not leave my house without applying this eyeliner. The only time I’ve gone without is when I unexpectedly had my baby early and was at the hospital for three days with only the makeup my brother so thoughtfully stuck in my bag.**

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Nail Polish: This is my absolute FAVORITE nail polish color and I typically have my toenails painted this color from Fall to early Spring. It seems like they’ve discontinued it, but it’s totally for sale at various beauty stores online.

Stuff to Wear
Under Armour jacket: I have this jacket in black from last year and it is one of my favorite things to wear. It is the perfect weight for layering over a t-shirt in the spring, or keeps you warm with a sweater and scarf in the beginnings of winter. On top of that, it is JUST form-fitting enough that you look a little girlie and it’s my go-to accessory for cold weather.

Fossil Watch: I have a silver “boyfriend” watch from Fossil that only leaves my wrist when I’m sleeping or showering. This is probably the sixth Fossil watch that I’ve owned in a row, because they are my total favorite. They are made incredibly well, look timeless and have amazing warranties. I wish my husband were a watch guy, because I’d buy him one in a minute. Or hot second. One of those.***

Tiffany ring: When searching for the perfect gift, a Tiffany’s box always gets a gold star. I’ve never actually received a Tiffany’s boxed gift myself, but I totally went out and bought myself this ring for Mother’s Day this year. It’s super simple, absolutely beautiful and looks great stacked with other rings or by itself.

Lucky T-Shirts: If I were sponsored by a clothing company with the rule that I had to wear something from there every single day, Lucky would be a perfect fit. I’m obsessed with their t-shirts – both long sleeved and short sleeved – and wear them year-round. The t-shirt that this link goes to isn’t in my collection but I totally love it. (Travis, this is a HINT if you’re still reading…)

Stuff for your Home
Diamond Candles: I bought a couple of these candles a few months ago when there was a Plum District deal going on. It’s like Cracker Jacks for grownups – you get a RING inside your candle. The rings from my candles are cute and the candles smell amazing. This would make a great present for pretty much anyone on your list!

Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update & Show Your Home Some Love: My favorite bloggers came out with a book and it is totally amazingly awesome. I just got mine the other night and ever since I curl up next to it and pet it fondly while reading all of their wonderful ideas. Buy this for the DIY gal or guy in your life and they’ll want to build you a heart out of reclaimed wood and spray paint to show their appreciation.

Snuggle Blanket: A home just isn’t a home without an oversized incredibly soft fleece blanket to curl up with. We have three in our living room alone and every single night those blankets get pulled out of the corner and spread across us on the couch.

West Elm Owl:  In my world, every room in your house needs something useless but fun. Every purchase of this owl results in $5 being donated to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. I bought one in yellow and it’s adorable!

Stuff for your Baby
Clothes from Old Navy: 90% of Jack’s clothes come from Old Navy because they are adorable, sized perfectly and made really well. For some reason I can never find something for myself at the store (other than pj pants), but if I walk in for one little thing, I end up leaving with a bag full of clothes for my son!

Bottle Drying Rack: When there is a baby in the house you wash A LOT of bottles. I bought this drying rack when Jack was born and it has been in use every single day since then. Fun and useful = love it!

Baby piano: This is the piano we have, but we did NOT pay $250 for it. I got it at a Tot Swap for something like $15. Jack LOVES this piano and will sit there and play with the keys and turn the pages. There are similar pianos on amazon for closer to $50, but I suggest you try your local thrift store. Kids barely use toys and most are easily cleaned with a swipe of a bleach wipe!

WubaNub Pacifiers: When Jack came home from the NICU he would only use the Soothie brand of pacifier that they gave him there. These WubaNub’s are invaluable because the small stuffed animal is permanently attached to the pacifier, making it easier for your baby to hold and for YOU to find in a dark bedroom.

Stuff that Didn’t Fit on Any Other List
Marshmallows, of course – peppermint, homemade, gourmet, etc. I’ve seen yummy versions pop up everywhere from Target to Walmart to Trader Joes. There is even a Gourmet Marshmallow of the Month club that I recently heard about. See I’m not the only one obsessed with their sugary goodness!

So tell me – do you agree with me on any of my favorites? Did I spark an idea for a gift you can give someone this holiday season? Is there something that you’re totally in love with that I should know about?

 

*This post is NOT SPONSORED in any way so I didn’t receive ANY of these items for free or discounted in return for me writing nice things.

**I asked my brother to just throw everything from my makeup thingie into a bag and he took that to mean that I just wanted some face powder, bronzer and blush. That’s it. I was eyeliner-less for three days and lived to tell the tale. Barely.

***I apologize for my time-related puns. They are truly terrible. And by terrible I obviously mean awesome.

I love Christmas.
Love, love, love it.

I love the special Starbucks holiday drinks, Christmas music, and Christmas cookies. Oh, I absolutely ADORE driving around and looking at Christmas lights. Pretty much it’s an all-around perfect holiday, except for one thing… buying gifts.

Presents are awesome – a secret little somethin’ somethin’ that hides under the tree in all its brightly wrapped glory. As soon as my husband puts my gifts out, I stare at them trying to guess what’s inside. I also bug the crap out of him, trying to get him to agree to open them early – and usually win by opening one gift on Christmas Eve.

What drives me crazy though is BUYING presents.

Now that November has come, I’ve started making my list o’ people who will be getting gifts from us*. We have cut back a lot through the years, leaving us with 20 or so people on our list. Yes, I said TWENTY people. That seems like kind of a lot, right?

That’s not even including friends, co-workers, or the random neighbor who will inevitably stop by with something. This is just FAMILY members. See where I’m coming from?

Anyways, I’m actually one of those people who really WANTS to find the perfect gift for each person. But over the last few years the feeling of complete and utter gift-buying exhaustion has snuck up on me.

So here’s what I’m suggesting… let’s call it my top 5 suggestions for putting the fun back into Christmas gift buying:

Tip 1: Reduce your List
Instead of buying every single person on your list a little something, do a gift exchange. Have each of your groups (ex. close family can do one, in-law family can do one, etc.) put their names in a hat and pick one person to buy for. That way, instead of spending the brain power, shopping time and money on 5 little gifts, you can just buy a really nice gift that the person actually WANTS.

Don’t fall into the trap of, “oh well maybe I should get everyone there a little something anyways, just so no one is left out….”. NO. DON’T DO THAT because you’re totally defeating the purpose of the gift exchange AND you’re being kind of a butthole to the person who DID just buy gifts for their matched person!

Oh, and kids don’t count – kids should receive presents from everyone, because its Christmas and they’re KIDS (see tip 4).

Tip 2: Ask for Suggestions
Whether you’ve decided to pick names or if you’re going to go ahead and buy gifts for everyone and their brother, ask for gift suggestions. How the heck are we supposed to figure out what to buy you if you don’t even know what you want?  It should be a rule – if you don’t provide a list of 5 items (at varying prices) that you’d like to receive then you should automatically get a Target gift card.

Tip 3: Speaking of Gift Cards
Okay, we all know that gift cards are just lazy, right? However, gift cards are also pretty awesome because you can just go out and buy yourself whatever you want. Here’s the rule – if you’re going to give someone a gift card, MAKE SURE it is to a store or restaurant that they like (and is actually NEAR where they live). That way you’re not being lazy, you’re being thoughtful.

Tip 4: Don’t Spoil the Kids
I know, this sounds like a total Grinch move, but stick with me a minute. Buying gifts for kids is HARD. Believe me, I know – we have 3 nephews and 1 niece on my husband’s side of the family and I never know what they’re into any given year. It is tempting to just go to Toys R’ Us and just purchase any plastic toy with the kid’s age group printed on the side of it. Since people typically don’t bother to include the gift receipt, the random gift gets played with for a minute and then added to the oh-my-god-the-toys-are-multiplying pile. What a great use of that $30, right?

Here’s the trick though: ask the parents what to buy. That way they can tell you whether there is some special ninja superhero lego flying thingie toy that the kid is obsessed with. Or maybe they can totally use clothes in the next size up (ask them for exact sizes and stores they like) – I know that clothes aren’t as immediately awesome as a shiny new toy, but a super cute sweatshirt is always appreciated on a snowy day. Even better, start a tradition where you buy the kid books each year. Even if they’re not necessarily a bookworm, there are lots of cool options out there that will relate to any interest they might have.

Tip 5: Succeed, Even if you Fail
Always, always, always include a gift receipt. Even if you think your gift is the most awesome gift in all the land, take the extra second and throw the gift receipt in the box. That way, the recipient can quietly exchange it for something they actually like without hurting your feelings. And you want them to get something they like, right? That’s kind of the whole goal of gift giving!

Bonus Tip: Throw a Duplicate in the Cart
Let’s say you are in the toy aisle and you’ve been instructed to buy a specifically awesome something or other that the child in your life is asking for. Or maybe you’re hanging out in the scarf and gloves section, trying to find the perfect warm and soft pair for your mom. Pick up two of whatever it is and throw it in your cart. Then, when you’re at home dividing everything into the appropriate piles, keep that gift aside to donate. There are many local needy families who are not able to have ANYTHING under the Christmas tree, so every gift helps. One of my favorite holiday giving opportunities is the Angel Tree Program through the Salvation Army – local readers (in the Columbia, MD area) can get their very own angel at the Columbia Mall between 11/23 – 12/3. If you’re not a Marylander, take a minute and google around to see if there is an Angel Tree program in your area.

There we go, my tips for having yourself a merry little Christmas. Let’s all work together to take the stress out of the holiday shopping season! Or just agree to exchange Target gift cards. That’s fine too.

So what about you, my snazzy Pocketful reader, is there something on your Christmas list** that you’re squeezing your eyes shut, hoping and wishing to receive?

*And yes, I say “us” because somehow husbands get out of the gift buying process. I don’t know how the heck they do it, but the only gifts most husbands are expected to buy is the ones for the wife. How is this fair?!

** If you don’t celebrate Christmas, insert any other holiday you’d like. I’m an equal opportunity gifting kinda girl.