these are a few of my favorite things

you get a gift guide! and you get a gift guide! and you get a gift guide! (it's all the same gift guide, though)

I don’t know about you all, but I find gift-giving hard. Like, somehow as soon as I need to start thinking about what to get my family and friends for the holidays, I draw a blank on literally everything I know about them and their tastes except the most basic things. Which is how my father always winds up with a large bag of pistachios. Because I know he eats pistachios sometimes.

The same thing happens when people ask what they can get me for the holidays. I’m like “Hmm, let me think about it,” try to remember what I enjoy, promptly get overwhelmed, and then hope they will not notice I never actually answered and give me a gift card.

But something I find somewhat helpful when searching for stuff for my loved ones and also myself are those lists on places like Buzzfeed that are like “50 Gorgeous Target Finds You Need Right Now” or “25 Instagram-Famous Products That Live Up to the Hype.” This is my version of that, I guess. Or maybe it’s more like Oprah’s Favorite Things, but at a lower price point and with a lot more focus on dry skin.

Anyway, I wanted to share some of my favorite material comforts in hopes one of them might be perfect for you or someone you know!¹

$1 - $20

Savage Soaps Lizard Queen Handcrafted Soap Bar - The only soap I’ve found that does anything for my dry, dry wintertime skin. I love the scent, but also that it doesn’t linger on my skin for long so that I don’t have to worry about how it will layer with any other products I choose to wear. I also love that this comes from a woman-owned small business here in Frederick, so that I’m supporting my local community whenever I stock up.

Fred SAUCED UP Ravioli-Shaped Spoon Rest - A couple years ago, I asked my bff for a new spoon rest for my birthday after my pineapple-shaped ceramic one broke in half. She gifted me this one, which is silicone and shaped like a ravioli. It is very silly, very cute, very useful, and easy to keep clean. (Just like me.)

MOUTHWATCHERS Dr. Plotka’s Toothbrush - Anyone who knows me knows that I have a severe phobia of anything relating to teeth. So for me to recommend this toothbrush, and therefore think about teeth for even a second, you know it must be something special. If you or someone you love is in the market for a new toothbrush, this is the one!

Muddy Bites Dark Chocolate Waffle Cone Snacks - If, like me, you have fond memories of the last bite of the sundae cone on hot summer days, but are now too lactose intolerant to live that cheap ice cream life, these chocolate-filled cone tips are a delightful option.

Beeswax Lotion Bar - I have the horrible combination of dry/cracked hands, extremely sensitive skin, and a strong sensory aversion to the feel of lotion on my fingers and palms. What’s a girl to do?? My therapist recommended a lotion bar, and my problems have been solved. This isn’t the specific product I have (mine is from a local apiary that doesn’t sell online), but appears to be pretty much the same thing. Highly recommend for a mess- and gross texture-free moisturizing experience!

Ella+Mila Soy Nail Polish Remover - I’ve been trying to use cleaner, gentler products on my nails, and when my bff gave me this nail polish remover last Christmas (along with a great assortment of breathable, 17-free nail polishes), I was skeptical that it would work. But it actually works (and smells) a lot better than the traditional kind! Would make a perfect gift paired with some of the Ella+Mila polishes.

O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream - This is the heavy duty stuff—the only thing that helps when my hands get dry and cracked in the winter. My sensitive skin doesn’t react to it, and the texture is such that I can apply it to the backs of my hands and then rinse my fingertips to avoid sensory issues. Great to give to anyone with severely dry hands (and to men who are weird about moisturizing unless the product looks like it came from a hardware store).

Cute Snail Soap Dispenser - We bought this for my daughter’s bathroom after seeing someone mention it on Twitter a couple years back, and it’s quite silly and surprisingly well-made, considering how many times she’s managed to knock it onto the floor without it breaking. We went with the brown one, you know, for realism, but the white one is quite chic! (Also, I have heard some people put these on their nightstand to hold lube, which is very funny.) Would make a great White Elephant gift!

Cakebites Classic Italian Rainbow - My uncle owned a bakery in Pikesville, Maryland for most of my childhood, and my absolute favorite thing he used to make were rainbow cookies. They’re green, yellow, and pink layers of almond cake, stuck together with raspberry jam, and blanketed in chocolate with sprinkles on top. These aren’t quite as good as the ones he made, but they’re a great quick fix when I’m craving something sweet and nostalgic. They also stay moist and fresh for a long time, which makes it easy to stock up or give them as gifts (or hoard for yourself) without worrying about them drying out.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve - I love giving this beautifully scented salve to friends along with a bunch of other small gifts, or as an extra thing along with a larger gift. Use it on dry spots, scrapes and burns, or as a lip balm!

Mr. Pen Spiky Sensory Rings - Another great rec from my therapist. I learned when I started doing podcast and TV interviews last year that it is much easier for me to focus and keep my anxiety under control if I’m fidgeting. Unfortunately a lot of fidget toys make noise, which is not great while recording or while watching TV with my husband. So after I literally wore out my go-to stress ball, I grabbed these. They’re absolutely silent and I personally find them very satisfying to use.

$21 - $50

Aire Candle Co. Pure Beeswax Candle - I learned last year that a lot of candles are actually super bad for people and pets! They use waxes and fragrances that don’t burn clean, which adds yucky stuff into your indoor air. Soy and coconut wax are both great choices for cleaner burning candles, but I also recommend beeswax, which smells lovely all by itself. I’ve really enjoyed this candle from Aire Candle Co. It’s lasted a long time and has a wonderful honey-like scent.

Golden Gems Soy Wax Candle in Lionheart - Okay, one more candle. There’s a store in a neighboring town that stocked Golden Gems perfumes and candles and I was absolutely obsessed with all of them. But I put off buying anything and then they didn’t have them anymore, and I was sad. Then recently I found that they had this one single candle left, and it was on sale! So I took it as a sign and bought it and now it’s my favorite candle to enjoy during nighttime writing sessions. (I can also vouch for the Rebel scent!)

Harry & David Favorite Royal Riviera Pears - It’s possible I’m the only person on earth obsessed with Harry & David pears, but I kind of doubt it. They’re just… really consistently delicious. Perfectly ripe—juicy, with a slight crunch. Everything a pear should be but so rarely is when purchased from a store. A box of pears is the perfect gift for someone you don’t know super well but want to impress, in my opinion.

Penzeys Spices Gift Boxes - Do you know Penzeys? They’re a spice company out of Wisconsin that has retail stores throughout the US and a focus on kindness and compassion. I love their Sunny Paris Seasoning, especially in scrambled eggs, and their Pie Spice for things like muffins and banana bread. Their gift boxes are a super easy present for anyone you know who cooks or bakes (and also the owners are very vocally liberal so it’s kind of satisfying to give them to people you know would be annoyed about that).

$50 - $100

Wander All Purpose 1200mg CBD Oil - Another local-to-me product I’ve started using this year and now can’t live without. I’ve found Wander’s oils to be much more trustworthy than the brands you find in drug stores and the like (CBD products aren’t regulated by the FDA, so do your due diligence). Anyway, a small dose of this stuff twice a day has decreased my anxiety about ninety percent and I can actually sort of function now, which is cool. It’s pricey but completely worth it for me. Highly recommend this brand if you’ve been considering trying CBD oil (and obviously I am not a medical professional so it’s a good idea to check with one of those before starting any new supplement).

Classic Black Kit-Cat Klock - Last year, during one of my panicked “I don’t really know what I want!” moments, I asked my husband for one of those cat clocks with the shifting eyes and swinging tail. I vaguely remember my grandmother having one (although am not sure she actually did?), and I find them the perfect mixture of goofy and retro and slightly unsettling. It’s been a super fun addition to my office, and every once in a while my cat stares at it like it’s her worst enemy. These clocks (I’m sorry, klocks) come in all sorts of colors and even a smaller size, but I went with the classic black and white 15.5-inch.

Plum and Posey Wax Seal Jewelry - The necklace I wear most often is from this shop. It was so hard to choose because all of the seals are super cool, but I eventually settled on one that had a lot of significance to me personally. I adore the confluence of sentiment and historical images, and also just think they look really neat. A great option for meaningful jewelry that doesn’t feel cliche or commercial.

$100+

Balance app - This app sort of changed my life, and I’m frankly still mad about it. I’ve had several people—most of them therapists—tell me I would benefit from meditation. But I just could not get into it at all. Then earlier this past year I learned I would be therapist-less for a while and decided I needed as many mental health tools in my arsenal as possible. I downloaded Balance, which comes with a one-year free trial (yes, you read that correctly), and I love it so much. It has so many options without being overwhelming, and offers a customized plan to take a lot of the guess work out of getting started and keeping up with it. After three months, when the app offered me a discount on a lifetime plan, I signed right the heck up. Because it really is an incredible resource. (And also the random-ass train facts that Ofosu throws into the train journey sleep single are unintentional peak comedy.)

Holzkern Nirah (Nacre/Silver) Watch - This was my birthday present, but I just got it recently because it was back-ordered. Which makes sense, because it’s so dang pretty. I love how slim and dainty it is, while also being waterproof. If this particular one doesn’t do it for you, Holzkern makes a lot of other really cool watches and jewelry that incorporate natural materials in neat ways (some are actually made from straight-up wood!).

Calpak Terra Laptop Duffel Backpack - Okay, I admit I haven’t actually used this yet, but only because I haven’t done any travel recently. I’m in love with it, regardless. I got it because I love that it can be carried as a backpack, a duffel, or over a suitcase handle. There are so many pockets. And it’s supposed to count as a personal item with most airlines. Awesome for the person in your life who is always zipping off somewhere for the weekend or is about to go on a major trip and can use all of the packing space they can get.

book recs

My salesman father would be disappointed if I did not take this opportunity to remind you that you can get signed/personalized copies of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes from Curious Iguana. I’ll even draw little broccolis in Santa hats if you want. A great gift for the romance reader in your life (including yourself)! You can also preorder Happy Medium from them as well, and get a super fun 4x6 art print and a sticker along with it. I can’t promise I’ll do as well drawing Santa hats on goats or ghosts (and also it will be spring by then), but still a fun gift idea! **Personalization notes for Curious Iguana orders go into the order notes field at checkout.**

As for books not by me, I’ve compiled a Bookshop.org list of a few wintertime gifting recs here. Sweet holiday romances you could give to a coworker, history books for dads, fun picture books for the kiddos—hopefully something there for almost everyone!

charity donations

An option I think we sometimes forget about! Perfect for that person you know who doesn’t need nor want more stuff. You can give to a cause you know they care about, or to a park or museum they enjoy frequenting. Places I like to donate include World Central Kitchen, Tregaron Conservancy, We Need Diverse Books, PEN America, and Food & Friends.

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Let me know if anything on this list winds up being a hit! If it’s a miss, I apologize for steering you wrong. Wishing you all a very successful and peaceful gifting season. This will be your only November newsletter unless something really incredible happens that I just have to share right away (man, a girl can hope). So see you again in December (with a possible return to the old essay format — still mulling, but feel free to reply here if you feel strongly one way or another)!

xSA

1. Links to (non-book) items are not affiliate links, because I am too lazy to figure out how to set that up. So I do not make any money or benefit in any way if you choose to purchase any of those. For any books purchased through my Bookshop.org link, however, I receive 10% (as do indie bookstores).