Holiday gift guide

The older we get the harder it is to find unique and suitable gifts, especially for those who have everything. Well, hold on to your stocking cap, because today’s holiday gift guide has some ideas that you won’t want to miss.

Nothing like a pair of colorful, cozy socks for winter–but not just ANY socks. Although the same color and hue, they’re purposely mismatched and adorable.  I’m holding them right now and they are super high-quality combed cotton and lycra. Best of all, the yarn is recycled cotton dyed without the use of harmful chemicals. Know an older person who has a constant twinkle in her eye? Someone who’s always cold? A friend recovering from an illness? Or just someone who likes to have fun with fashion? It’s not often that I find a gift for under $20 that is so cool and high quality that it stands alone. This is that perfect gift. I love mine and especially that cheery mis-matched pattern!

Click the product name below to find out more or to buy.

You’ve Met Your Mismatch, offered by Uncommon Goods for only $17.

Winter means dry skin. But for many it also means more time inside to do fun and crafty things. This gift leverages both. It’s “Make Your Own Body Butter.”

Easy instructions included.

The kit comes with luxurious, all-natural and Fair Trade ingredients and is so simple even a child could do it–with supervision of course.  What a fun thing to do with a pre-teen girl!

All ingredients included!

In the boxed set you’ll find all the essential ingredients–Shea butter, coconut oil and jojoba oil–plus a reusable jar for storing your hand-mixed lotion. This is a great gift for your crafty friend, or make it for a new mom who could use an indulgent treat this winter–oh, and even if your friend isn’t crafty? This is easy-peasy and can make them feel crafty. Just sayin’. Click the product name below.

Smooth Operator offered by Uncommon Goods for $36.

You’d think it would be difficult to find someone who could appreciate this math mug, but the moment I saw it I thought of four people on my list. FOUR.  Full of equations and formulas, it’ll bring a smile to the face of the grad student, mathematician, high-tech wizard –or even someone like me, who is hopeless at math.  In fact, it’s a great gag gift for someone who is clearly “not a numbers person.”  It’s sturdy ceramic with 10 oz. capacity and I hope my intended recipients do not see this post!

Math Mug offered by Uncommon Goods for $15

Can you tell I really like Uncommon Goods? They’ve expanded their product line significantly this past year and it’s worth looking through their website and blog, HERE.

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On your list you must have sensitive souls, women who love words that bring up images and feelings that resonate deeply. This is a lovely book and one perfect for giving your BFFs. People with whom you share a soul.  Seasons of the Soul:Transitions and Shifts of Life is a collection of beautiful, evocative poetry by Maureen Kwiat Meshenberg. She’s talented and in fact, she is one of my very favorite writers. Each one of her poems speaks to me.  Find out more and buy her book HERE.  And HERE is the really great book trailer video.

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I gave a book to a friend who is undergoing treatment and she told me that it was fun, funny, easy to read and a great distraction. Are You Kidding Me? by Stacey Gustafson is that book. I’m bringing it up here in my gift guide  because so many of us need distractions at times and love books. This one does the trick. Found in all the usual places including her website, HERE.

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Beautiful, bound photo books are now offered at great prices by so many vendors, including Shutterfly, Snapfish and that neighborhood stalwart, Walgreens. Many of them are bound to lay flat and make beautiful mementos of a family trip, holidays, “the old days” or just about anything.  All sizes, all prices.  They’re easy to put together online, too.  Someone gave us one as a wedding gift and it turned out to be one of our favorite gifts. Easy to put together, it’s a thoughtful gift that would have a big impact.

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So that’s it for this edition of my gift guide. More to come!