Hey, did you ever wonder, man I can’t think of what to get my loved ones for Christmas. I wish I knew what Annie liked? No? Rude.
I follow a lot of “influencers” who are always making lists like this. Sometimes the stuff is normal and affordable but a lot of the time it’s definitely not. Sure, I have learned about things that I ended up really liking, but I also really hate some of those a-holes, so I decided to make my own list for us regular folks. I am NOT an influencer, nor do I want to be. That term actually bugs the hell out of me. And who would I even influence? My cats??
This is a list of everyday things I love that I think would make great, practical gifts. There is nothing fancy about this list. I am very much a basic bitch. I am also a very cheap person who prides herself on the ability to bargain shop like a goddamn professional. When I find something I love, I will buy every color, every style and I will not shut up about how much I love it for the rest of time.
I have a lot of stuff. I buy a lot of stuff. I will buy almost anything if its cheap enough and sometimes there is no reason for it. I just love a bargain from the very depths of my soul. But at the end of the day, there are only a small number of things that I truly love and use every single day and these are them! A lot of these things are not new, and most of them you probably already have, but I just had to talk about why I love them so much.
I also want to say, f*ck Jeff Bezos! I have not personally found a way to quit Amazon but dammit I wish I could! I did my best to not link Amazon for any of these items, but I know it’s hard to avoid it and I do not judge those who choose to use it. It’s so convenient! Keep in mind, some of these items can also be found in a small shop. You may not get Amazon prices, but you get to support a local small business and they probably have a cooler, more special version of the item or an accessory to accompany the item. So give that a shot if you can! Ok, let’s get to it…
I am normally more of an over the ear/around the ear headphones person. I have a pair of Bose Soundlinks that I love and still use often, but I was finding that the noise cancelling was so intense, I was completely unaware of what was happening around me. So I now mostly use them for stuff like mowing the lawn or when I truly do want to block out the world. So I bought these AirPods for more daily use and to be able to talk on my phone handsfree. I take them with me everywhere I go and they are in my ears almost all day. I can’t say enough about how much I love these and how much they are worth the money. I know there are a lot of dupes out there for much cheaper and there are probably some really good ones. I love a dupe, I just havent tried any. I bought the older generation for $129 because even why I am buying higher priced items, I am still a cheapo.
Beanies in general are my jam. Even the smallest sign of cold weather and I’m busting out the beanies. I have a whole drawer full! But the classic Carhartt is my favorite. It comes in all different colors. Look out for sales! Last year I snagged a few around Black Friday for about $7 each.
I can’t remember the last time I used an actual glass to drink from. This 30oz rambler is the perfect size. I highly recommend the straw top for easier access. I scoured the internet for sales and was willing to buy any color to avoid paying full price. I got mine at West Marine for $26, in the color Sand. Yetis are sold basically everywhere.
I cannot use my phone without this! You can find a PopSocket with any color, design or character possible and you can get them almost everywhere. TJ Maxx has them for $5.99. I usually get them there. They only have a few designs at a time, but are by far the best price. I will buy one randomly somewhere if it’s marked down just to have because I go through them so much. I like to change them with every new cover or seasonally. I am that person.
I think this is hands down the #1 thing I use day to day. I’m on my 2nd one because I used my last one so much it would no longer come clean. I cook no joke, at least 2 means a day in the air fryer. Sometimes I have to boil water or use a cast iron skillet, but I rarely ever turn on my oven anymore. I use the microwave less and I ditched the toaster oven. Yes, I even toast my toast in the air fryer! My newest air fryer is a Gourmia I got from Costco for only $50! It cooks so fast! I’m still learning how to not overcook everything. It’s a beast! It’s just so easy to use and easy to clean too. You can get a small one super cheap or a huge, fancy one. It works for one person or a whole family. There are so many options out there. I seriously cannot recommend this enough. What an incredible invention!
Yes, another water bottle. What can I say, I love water! If you are trying to drink more water throughout the day, this half gallon bottle is perfect. I tried a gigantic gallon sized bottle and it was just too much to carry around. This one fits nicely in your hand and is easy to fill up and bring along with you. It’s not insulated, but i just add ice and it works great.
When I get out of the shower, I dry my hair with the regular towel and then throw this on, rather than balancing the giant towel on my head and constantly readjusting it while I finish getting ready, or lately, while I’m immediately lounging on the couch in my sweatpants. It’s so light and comfortable, you barely even know its on. So much so, recently I got in the car and drove to my parents house not even realizing I still had it on. I have bought a bunch of these, you can get them anywhere. Again TJ Maxx sells them for a great price. They are also great to throw in your suitcase when you travel! Remember travel???
I am the biggest slipper person! I pretty much only wear Dearfoams slippers. I bought them once years ago and never turned back. They are memory foam and so comfortable. If TJ Maxx has them, they are around $10 but everyone else sells them for around $15-$25. They used to only have a handful of kind of ugly, old lady styles (which I still bought) but now they have dozens of cute styles and their website is almost always having a sale. I personally like my slippers to have rubber soles so I can walk the dog and take out the trash without putting on real shoes, because I am lazy.
I could right an entire essay on how much I love these sweatshirts. I own about 8, which is not at all necessary but I am addicted. They are so soft and so comfortable and of course oversized. They are not all the same, the styles vary, but they are pretty much all amazing. You can size down or wear your normal size, depending on how loose you want it to be. They go great with leggings or jeans or no pants at all, if that’s your thing. They have so many patterns and colors and a lot of tie dye, which I am all about. I frequent the outlet and check the clearance and almost always leave with one. I’ve paid as low as $13! Do yourself a favor and buy yourself one, and buy one for everyone you know. I know I’m going to!
Random I know, but hear me out. This tape rules! I recently bought an entire box and have them in my workshop because I never wanted to run out. It’s like duct tape meets electrical tape. I’ve used it for everything. Makes a great stocking stuffer!
This label maker doesn’t need batteries! It punches the letters out on the tape and looks kinda old and worn which is what I love about it. I love to label things. I label things that do not need to be labeled but I love the way it looks with a label, so I label it. I know I’m insane, but I also know I’m not alone.
That’s a lot of money, trust me, I know. But I’m telling you, it’s worth the hype! Currently $400 seems to be the common price but when I bought mine last year I paid just over $200. Remember, if you buy it at Bed Bath & Beyond, you can use a 20% off coupon. That’s about an $80 savings! I hate to vacuum but I have 3 pets, so I kinda need to do it a lot. Having to drag out my heavy ass corded vacuum every time I saw a tumbleweed of hair roll across the floor was too much work. I pop this baby out multiple times a day and it’s truly been a life saver. The only downside is it only allows you to vacuum for about 20-30 minutes before it runs out of charge. But the point is, you vacuum more frequently and shouldn’t need to use for too much longer than that. Some people would not enjoy receiving a vacuum for a gift, I get it. I am not that person.
Buy your loved ones a plant! I currently have about 50-60 indoor plants. I love being a plant mom! There are some plants out there that are basically indestructible and would make a great gift for a plant beginner. I’m telling you, plants bring great joy to your life and they help with air purification and they make beautiful decor. Consider a Snake Plant, ZZ plant or my favorite, anything in the Pothos/ Philodendron family. Keep in mind, If you have fur babies that are prone to eating plants, make sure you do your research or be sure to put them somewhere they can’t get to because some are really dangerous for pets. If you know someone who is a seasoned plant lover, maybe find them a really unique succulent or something super exotic. But not something that requires too much care. Aint nobody got time for that! So pick up a plant, put it in a cute pot, a macrame hanger or simply just slap a bow on it. You can’t go wrong gifting someone a plant!
How about those of you who don’t want to give physical gifts this year? Maybe you can’t visit your families for the holidays because 2020 is absolute garbage and you dont want to just mail them a random sweater. Or maybe the people in your life just truly dont need anything because they’ve been online shopping for themselves for the last 8 months (me). Normally you could gift experiences; concert tickets, tickets to sporting events, comedy shows, etc. But again…2020. So how about a personalized video from a celebrity that you love? I havent personally used Cameo but I know people who have and I just love the idea. I believe the celebrities donate the proceeds to charity so really you’re donating to charity and you get to feel the joy of a famous person you love knowing you exist, even if it’s just for a few short minutes! The prices vary by how famous the person is, so some can run you a pretty penny. For example, Snoop Dog is $900! Chuck Norris is $300 and Tony Hawk is $200. Tiktok stars, drag queens, tv personalities and lesser known comedians can run as low as $25. How about an actor from one of your favorite childhood tv shows? Blast from the past! There is really something for everyone. Check it out and send a fun personalized message to anyone in the world. It is guaranteed to put a smile on their face!
Now how about those people who simply can’t afford gifts? There are many valid reasons why people are short on cash this year. If you would still like to give a little something, bust out that craft box! Try knitting or crocheting a hat or a scarf. If you’re a beginner, YouTube has a lot of great tutorials on just about anything. Even if you dont have a ton of spare time, a few hours when youre watching TV before bed will do. It’s actually quite therapeutic. Or maybe you sew masks! Make some customized ones for your family and friends. Homemade jewelry is fun too. Or hit up a thrift store or your local Goodwill and pick something up that can be reimagined into something really special, like a side table or a funky lamp. You can be creative for not a lot of cash. I have faith in you! And if you’re not crafty, how about printing out some photos and putting them in frames? You can thrift those too!
Well, there you have it. I can talk ideas all day. But you get the gist. I hope you guys enjoyed it cause I had a lot of fun making it! Like I said, I just really love talking about things that I love. Or talking in general. I have a lot to say. I also really love the holidays and giving gifts. Ok, I like receiving them too.
I know this holiday season is weird as hell, but we can still figure out a way to make the best of it. Be safe out there! Byeee.
That's What She Said 