While the magic of the holiday season may not truly be about gifts at all, they are inevitable. So wouldn’t you rather receive something you really like? Kids make lists for Santa, but for the most part, adults are left to their own clueless devices. Women drop subtle hints to their significant other, and when that doesn’t work, they hint to their kids in hope that something closely related will get relayed to Daddy. Gift giving is my love language — so I’m here to simplify the process of buying for moms, dads, kids and grandparents to increase gift satisfaction overall, just in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Simply forward this post to your clueless gift giver, and hopefully your holiday season (gifts and all) will turn out merry and bright!
For the ladies
UGG Miranda Bathrobe ($125) Don’t choke on your Cheerios at this price. It may seem steep for a bathrobe, let me assure you this luxe wrap is worth every penny. I just received one for my birthday, and I’m obsessed. In fact, you may see me wearing it in public because it is that comfortable. It’s the perfect weight, so you can wear throughout most of the year — humid Florida temps and all. Check both Nordstrom and its been spotted Nordstrom Rack for much less!
Kennebunk Bliss Plush Throw ($39) Everyone loves to snuggle on the couch with a cozy blanket over the holidays, and this throw is everything you want a blanket to be! It is velvety, comes in solids or patterns (including cute holiday prints) and feels way more expensive than it is. Not sure what to get your mother-in-law? Now you know!
BP Tonal Stripe Foldover Clutch ($25) I know as moms, we don’t get out as much as we used to, but nothing is worse than going out and only having your diaper bag for a purse (or a Ziploc baggie — you know who you are). I stumbled upon this gem in Nordstrom, and it is my best buy to date. Whenever I have a girls’ night out, this black beauty is my wingman at a total steal of $25! I promise no one will notice what you are wearing or if you even brushed your hair when you are out because it’s that cute.
For the kids, men & grandparents
Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Instant Film Camera ($54) Kids are fascinated with pictures (clearly, as they often steal our smartphones). This instant point-and-shoot Fuji Instax Mini Camera comes in a variety of colors and is the perfect size for their tiny hands, delivering tangible prints with a little vintage flare! The film is cool, offering special borders — thought it’s a bit pricey, it makes a good stocking stuffer. Available at Amazon and Target (5% off with your REDcard).
Soozier Gymnastics Mat ($100) Whether they are gymnasts, karate kids or amateur acrobats with a death wish, kids can’t help but flip and tumble all over your house. This gymnastics mat is life changing. If you have wood floors or a second story, the mat absorbs sound, preventing your children from booming around like stampede of cattle, giving them a padded surface for their crazy stunts. This particular brand comes in a variety of colors and is a big hit for both boys and girls!
Pottery Barn Kids Toiletry Bag ($19.50) Believe me — my kids were so excited to open these last year! Whether you travel often to visit family or your kids spend the night at a friend’s house, these are so nice to organize their stuff and avoid losing those miniature toiletry items. PBK has cute designs for boys and girls, plus the option to monogram. One PBK trick of the trade is to leave one of these babies in your shopping cart before you go to bed. When you wake up, you’ll have a 20% off coupon in your inbox. Got to love creepy cyber marketing!
Blankietails Move over slankets, any kiddos on your list will love this. Sharks and mermaid tails in all colors and sizes. It’s the perfect winter gift. Swoozies has these too!
Mpix Personalized Photo Art ($6.59) Nothing beats a personalized gift, especially for that person who has everything or doesn’t need anything. There are so many options when it comes to photo printing, but Mpix is my favorite and allows you to import photos from Instagram, Facebook, Dropbox and many other platforms aside from your laptop. Offering high-quality prints and projects at affordable prices, Mpix is simple to use and procrastinator friendly — most things are turned around within one business day! I made this easy, yet thoughtful heart collage for my grandpa who just turned 97, featuring photos of him and my girls. They offer reasonable framing, too, if you don’t feel like shopping for a better deal.
Insulated Cups & Water Bottles ($25 & up) In my house, you can never have too many beverage holders. Like Goldilocks, caffeine addicts, brew fanatics and cocktail kings and queens are constantly searching for the cup that will keep their beverage temperature just right. Water bottles and insulated cups are always a good gift choice! Check out the S’well Gift Guide for a truly unique and environmentally sound gift for anyone on your list. My kids and I have them and can attest that your drink will stay cold for 12 hours and hot for 24 hours. I am crushing on the beautiful jewel tones, the resort design and the smokey quartz that would be an amazing addition to a bar collection. Target also sells a more affordable version of S’well bottles called Sips. There are some adorable holiday designs right now, too. By purchasing a S’well bottle, you become part of the S’well’s mission to help rid of the world of plastic bottles. Feel good about your purchase because they donate a portion of their profits to Unicef’s safe water program.
Stainless cups are the new black and a very on-trend gift of 2016. Though Yeti Cup is the original, it isn’t the only option anymore, and most others do just as good a job of maintaining the optimal beverage temperature and offer more than just the stainless steel. Siccups has some amazing colors like seafoam blue and salmon, plus tradition collegiate colors for your sports fans!
Scented Key Chains ($8) and Microbead Pillows ($30) Keychains hanging off backpacks are all the rage for elementary school-age kids this year. The scented keys chains are genius, because let’s be honest, kids and their stuff can be smelly, so these are win-win! Filled with microbeads, they are squishy and soft and come in all kinds of fun shapes from the ever-famous chocolate icing (let’s just call it what it is — poop) to peace signs and donuts. The same company (i-Scream) makes those soft squishy pillows that every child and tween loves. Emoji pillows are the most popular but they also have letters, cupcakes and more. Swoozies at the Town Center carries them, and I’ve even spotted them at Five Below!
Don’t stress and get your shopping done early, so you can focus on the what really makes this holiday season special — your family and friends. (But don’t be surprised when they love, love, love the gifts you gave them!)
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