Holiday season gift guides are running rampant.  They’re everywhere, and they’re necessary.  Unlike the last 5+ years of holiday seasons, I’m in a cheerful mood this year which is a relief to myself (& those around me I’m sure).

The last 5-ish years I thought gift-giving was the stupidest thing on the planet Earth.  I know I mentioned it then, but my heart was coal.  So coal that you only got a glimpse.  I had to restrain from full-on shit-talking Santa’s gifts for a month straight.  I’m happy to say, this year the mood has lifted.  I think gifts are sweet treasures, they allow a moment of surprise & happiness.  They’re fun.  And this year, I don’t want to be so critical of gift-giving as fun, so I’ve lifted my heavy hammer to enjoy the season of gifts.

I’ve also realized, it was always the stress of gift-giving that made me the grinch.  I felt like so many wasteful items were exchanged.  I felt like people always ended up feeling strained.  I felt like people were overwhelmed with pressure to give the “right” gifts.

Today, I think the gift of a sweet letter is as monumental as a new car.  Either gift has the potential to offer as much happiness as the other depending on who you are & what situation you find yourself in.  I think it’s best to view this season as a way to make someone else happy or have fun.  And not to care so much about what you’re giving & if it’s perfect.  Ultimately, we have no fucking clue what will make someone else happy so there’s no point in stressing about it.

Below is my {unique} gift guide of the year!  I only have ONE gift guide, one list of ideas, and all of them are very special to me.  I own many of these products, met a few of the owners of these companies, and believe in the integrity of all of them.  I spent a lot of time thinking about this list because I wanted each item to have meaning, but also be FUN.  The price ranges from small to $$$$.  I believe in spreading a happy, healthy & positive vibration through gift-giving while also contributing to these wonderful businesses & their hustle.  You’re giving to the recipient AND the seller – JOY.  I hope these ideas help you enjoy the season of giving!

Holiday Season Gift Guide | 2019

Pieces of Hope Essential Oil Blend: 

Regular perfume is bad for you!  It’s fragrance made of chemicals which is especially annoying because it costs a fortune.  Stupid, & I’m done with that style of commerce.  *Hold, while I get Wafiq on board.*  I found Pieces of Hope essential oil blends at the Yoga Studio I attend.  The blends are similar to perfume but are made with essential oils & the sweetest intention.  “The Lovestoned Essential Oil Blend is made with 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils. No nasty chemicals, no synthetic fragrances, just natural and clean ingredients.”  Because these are essential oil blends the fragrance might not last as long on the skin as your regular perfume, but the bottle size makes them easy to throw in your bag & reapply if needed.  I met the owner, she’s the sweetest & incredibly knowledgable.   I have the Lovestone blend & think it’s a great gift!!  Maybe you could grab a few blends & gift them in a bundle.  They come packaged beautifully.

Salley Ander Essential Oil Bar Soap:

Good news, Wafiq & I both love this soap!  We discovered the brand while we were at a market held here in Austin.  I don’t usually go all-in on a product but I did with this one after seeing all the varieties & talking to the ladies working the booth.  Now, I have about 20 bars of soap waiting for me to shower.  I’m happy we bought so many because both Wafiq & I have gone through an entire bar of it separately & actually both made a comment recently about how impressed we were with it.  They’re scented with essential oils & made with olive oil!  (You know I’m a fan of oils on the skin.)  Each scent serves a purpose depending on the shower you’re wanting.   When you explore their website, you’ll notice the soaps come in a bag with a description of the essential oils used & the perfect time to use it.  I recently finished the “Eucalyptus Soap” which the website says “is invigorating and healing. [They] recommend using this soap after a long day in the sun. The tingling feeling will help to heal over exposed skin. A perfect soap for a beach vacation! Perfect for acne, oily or irritated skin.”  Since the soaps are affordable you could grab a handful & gift them away!

Field Company Cast Iron Cookware:

A good cooking skillet is a great gift for literally anyone.  I like that it encourages people to hang in the kitchen & at least attempt cooking a few meals at home. This cast-iron skillet comes already seasoned so it’s easy to use, fantastic for someone who’s never used a cast-iron skillet before & unique enough to be a great gift for the person who already has everything.  I’ve had horrible experiences with cast iron in the past, but I literally make everything with this one pan now!  I’m seriously confident pretty much anyone would appreciate this addition to their kitchen cookware. My other pans have been discarded because this one does it all.

Bombshell Beads:

These beads are an example of purchasing a gift for someone else that I wish I had for myself.  I’ve seen them on people via Instagram & have since wanted to collect them myself.  Not only are the bracelets pretty, they’re made with unique healing stones.  For example, I’ve heard wonderful reviews about the Matte Tourmaline beads.  The description says: “Tourmaline is known to help in detoxification, supports fat loss, reduces water retention, improves circulation, and promotes mood healing.“  Whether or not you or the person you gift this to believes any of that, it doesn’t matter.  The idea that there’s a sliver of a chance these pretty bracelets will support your mood, makes the gift worth giving.  There’s a stone & charm guide on the website so scroll through the bracelets & you’ll be sure to find one that fits the person you’re gifting.  I love that it adds a personal touch to the gift.  There’s a ton of color options, all beautiful, and even stacking bundles that would work if you’re wanting to up the gifting budget.

Siply Tea:

I like the idea of gifting tea because it can open the door to a healthy alternate drinking option.  A sweet friend of mine has her own tea company, Siply.  She brought a few of the flavors for us to try & they’re so delicious – but that’s not my favorite part.  The tea comes loose in a container which we all know I love.  Tea bags can easily contain mold.  They also lose a ton of their nutrients because of a potentially long shelf life, so a loose tea option is the only way to go for me.   We make them in the french press which is fucking awesome because you can make a few cups at once & easily serve several people in one batch (that makes you look really cool).  If you’re looking for a creative, simple gift then a few tea flavors would be an excellent idea with a french press combo?!  Wafiq & I both love the {Caffeine-Free}African Honey Organic Honeybush.  Check me on the ingredients too, you know they’re good!

Beautycounter Gift Sets:

People don’t want to spend all their budget on makeup, but makeup is expensive!  Also, a lot of people are still working on their switch from toxic to clean beauty & if you’ve started doing that you know it’s not cheap.  Even for people who haven’t started switching out their products this is a great idea to get them started.  BeautyCounter has excellent gifting sets at a lower price that would be great for anyone that wears makeup!  There are men products too so don’t discount this as an option for them.  In my mind, a gift from Beautycounter can do no wrong & I think really help people that want cleaner products but don’t have the money to buy them.  The Gift Sets, that I love so much, sell out quickly so if there’s someone that you think would love having one, buy it quickly!

Tickets:

I don’t know where you live, but giving tickets to a concert, event, or stand up comedy is an excellent gifting idea!  You literally waste nothing, no tangible thing that might get stuck in a box & later given away to Goodwill or thrown in the trash – WASTE.  Giving someone the gift of tickets is a fun experience to get them out of the house for free!  I’ve received tickets many times over previous years & admittedly dreaded some of them because I didn’t know what to expect – but I can honestly say every single gifted ticket I’ve received, I thoroughly enjoyed.  Check the venues in places of the person your gifting.  If you want some fun comedians touring in 2020 check their performing city & see if it matches the people you’re gifting.  These comedians will make anyone laugh & I noticed have 2020 dates: Brendan Shaub, Nikki Glaser, and Christina P

Aroma Gem Diffuser:

Let me explain why I think a diffuser is a great gift.  There are A LOT of cheap diffusers on the market & most of us own one of them, right?  What about buying someone a quality, good looking, stand apart, spectacular diffuser.  I went over to a “bachelor pad” the other week & even the bros had a diffuser going.  Literally anyone will be balling hard with a more expensive, sleek looking diffuser that will stand apart from all the others on the market.  This one has a pretty design, it doesn’t use heat keeping the integrity of the essential oils you use, and it’s not a huge chunk of plastic like most others.  Someone’s home will thank you this year with this gift.

Write:

I’m not kidding here!  Don’t scroll past this option with an eye roll.  If you’re someone who doesn’t write down your feelings, this is an especially fantastic idea for YOU.  Since Wafiq & I are now engaged people have been asking about our wedding & ceremony, but as I brainstorm what that would look like I imagine saying vows to Wafiq.  Everything I could say I pretty much tell him almost every day in real life.  And I make him do the same for me, HA!  Write down your feelings on the front page of a journal you’re going to gift, or write down your feelings in a card – just make it work!  You have no idea how major authentic, genuine words can mean.  If you don’t know what to write, ask someone you trust to help guide you.

Ok! That’s what I have for my gift list this year!  I truly believe in all of the things I listed above & would be able to gift them without thinking they’re simply filling space & a waste.

Have an excellent Thanksgiving week!  What a sweet time.

love u

be thoughtful

Xx

Additional Gift Ideas: