Raindrops on roses
and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things…
Ahhh, The Sound of Music, also one of my favorite things! But this post is not about musicals, which I adore, it’s about Christmas shopping…..which I don’t adore as much. 😞
Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not the act of giving that I don’t enjoy, because I do! It’s just that I put so much pressure on myself! I don’t like giving a gift just to be giving something. I truly want to give the other person something that I’ve put thought into, and that they will really enjoy. Therefore, just coming up with ideas can be difficult.
When we are shopping, my husband will sometimes ask me what I’m looking for, and I usually respond, “I will know it when I see it.” Sometimes I have absolutely NO ideas, and then I see something and instantly know that is IT!
So, in the interest of helping you gather some ideas for the people on your shopping list this season, I’m sharing with you a few of my favorite things at the moment. Some of these have been gifts given to me, and some I’ve bought myself, but all of them are items that have been used and enjoyed on a regular basis this past year.
This post contains affiliate links. When you click on a link and purchase a product, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting The House on Silverado.
1. Philosophy’s Amazing Grace
I have been a long-time lover of Philosophy’s Amazing Grace. In fact, it’s been my primary fragrance since about 2004. I can’t tell you how many compliments I always get when I’m wearing this scent. It’s light and not overbearing and smells fresh and clean.
I have Amazing Grace in just about every form it comes in– body wash, lotion, hand cream, body spray… You get the point. But, I also enjoy many other Philosophy products. In fact, I’m not sure I could tell you a Philosophy item I’ve purchased that I didn’t like! They have lots of different seasonal scents, too, that are fun! I’ve also been using their Purity Made Simple face wash for as long as I can remember. I buy it each year on Black Friday or Cyber Monday when everything on the Philosophy website is usually 40% off, so I stock up for the year!
You can buy Philosophy directly from their website (watch for sales), at Ulta, Kohls, and even Amazon.
Philosophy Amazing Grace by Philosophy Eau De Toilette Spray for Women, 4 Ounce
2. Shaker & Spoon Cocktail Subscription Box
I wrote about the Shaker & Spoon Cocktail box after I gave it to my husband as a house-warming gift for his new home bar. We had so much fun with it! This unique subscription box is delivered right to your door monthly, and contains everything you need (except the alcohol) for making 4 each of 3 different craft cocktails!
This is a great gift for the home bartender on your list. Click the link below to order with my referral code and you will receive $25 off your first order!
https://www.shakerandspoon.com/refer/Nikol-LPTFTWSJ
3. Athleta Pranayama Wrap
I own two of these wraps in different colors, and would love to have a couple more, because I love them that much. They come in a variety of colors, and are perfect to wear with leggings and my Steve Madden wedge sneakers for running errands on the weekend. They dress up just a bit with a pair of jeans and my Sorel boots, and I even slip mine on at home in the evenings when I’m a little chilly.
They are so comfy and versatile that I’ve gifted them a couple of times, too. There is sure to be someone on your list who will love it just as much. If you’re looking to treat yourself to a little something this year, this would be a great choice!😜
4. Sorel Joan of Arc Wedge Boots
My husband got me these wedge boots for Christmas last year, and I love them! They are stylish, yet warm and comfortable enough to wear all day long. I have them in black, because that works with more things in my wardrobe, but I really, really love the camel, and the gray, too! I may end up with another pair in a second color at some point. 😏
5. Trail Camera
Last Christmas, when my mother-in-law asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I told her a trail camera. Our new home sits in a semi-rural area, and we see a lot of wildlife. I knew there were even more animals coming around than what we saw, because I would often notice their tracks in the snow, leaving me wondering exactly what kind of creature they belonged to.
This wildlife and gaming camera with motion-activated picture/ video settings and night vision was the perfect solution! It’s battery-operated, weatherproof, and uses a regular SD card to capture images of all kinds of things that creep through our yard!
So far, we have collected images of deer, coyotes, foxes, rabbits, raccoons, geese, and an array of birds.
This is one of my favorite gifts ever. I love going out and getting the SD card once a week or so to see what’s on it.
If you have a hunter or naturist on your list, this is an obvious choice, but for those who just want to see what creatures they are sharing their property with, this is a fun gift.
6. Essential Oils Diffuser
I wrote last week about the importance of getting enough rest, and even more importantly, the right kinds of rest.
This essential oil diffuser is one of the tools in my tool kit for helping me relax at night and get some of that rest. My husband and I often head into the bedroom an hour or so before the time we usually go to sleep, to watch a little bit of Netflix and unwind from the busy day.
I like to pop a couple of drops of lavender essential oil into this diffuser and turn it on as we get our show started. It fills the room with the relaxing scent of lavender, which several studies have shown helps to promote peaceful sleep, and it emits just the right amount of light to create a bit of ambiance in the room. There are 7 different colors of light for you to choose, or the light can be turned off completely.
Additionally, it adds a small bit of humidity to the air, which seems to help with the very dry eyes I had been waking up with the past few months.
One of the things I like best is that it has a timer function, so you can set it to stay on for 1, 3, or 6 hours. It has an auto shut-off safety mode if it runs out of water.
This gift is perfect for the person on your list who needs a little help with self-care or relaxation. It’s great to put in kids’ rooms also. It is soothing, to help them sleep better, and acts as a night light at the same time!
7. Lipsense Lip Colors
I started wearing Lipsense about 3 years ago. I began by trying just one color and a gloss, and now I have an entire drawer full!
I love it because you apply it once in the morning, and it lasts for most of the day, especially if you reapply Lipsense gloss a few times over the day. It doesn’t smear or come off as soon as I take a sip of coffee.
I also love the way you can mix and match different colors of Lipsense to create custom colors, or get just the right shade variation that you want. With just a few tubes of Lipsense, the combinations are countless! It comes in so many amazing colors, but my very, very favorite is Caramel Apple. I’ve gone through more than a couple of tubes of this shade already, and just keep reordering it.
I love all the great colors, but my very favorite thing about Lipsense is the way it keeps my lips moisturized. Especially in the winter, I get very dry lips and they sometimes even peel. Because Lipsense creates such a nice barrier on my lips that has long-term staying power, it seems to really help keep them protected from drying out so easily.
It looks like Amazon does have a few shades listed, but I buy mine directly from a distributor that I work with. She offers the full range of products. and delivery too.
If you’d like to try Lipsense for yourself or order some for a gift, leave me a comment and I’ll hook you up with her name and contact info.
CARAMEL APPLE LipSense by SeneGence
8. Magnolia Table Cookbook
I can’t say enough great things about this cookbook by Joanna Gaines. My kids gave it to me for Mother’s Day last year, and I’ve since cooked my way through a good portion of it.
You guys, I haven’t found a bad recipe in it yet! They are all so good. Often if I buy a cookbook and find at least ONE new recipe that goes into replay on our favorites list, I call that a win. But every single thing I’ve made from this book has been a keeper!
Some of my very favorites are JoJo’s Homemade Biscuits, Three Cheese Quiche, Orange Scones ,Peach Caprese Salad, Overnight French Toast, and Lemon Pie!
If you have a Fixer Upper fan or a home cook on your list, this one is a sure thing.
Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering
9. Flameless Candles with Timer
I have these suckers all over my house. I when I say all over, I mean all over! I love the way they come on automatically in the evening and create a relaxing and cozy ambiance all around the house.
I have some on my front porch, and some in lanterns in our three-season porch.
And these are in lanterns near our fireplace. Right now the lanterns are dressed up with some greenery for the holidays, but the lanterns and candles stay out all year long.
I love that they come in different heights, which makes them look nice clustered together, or you can use them individually to fit inside your different candle holders.
Because they are battery operated and on a timer, you just turn them on at the time you want them to come on each night. They come with a little remote that lets you set the amount of time they remain on for 2, 4, or 6 hours. Then they automatically shut off, and come back on at the same time again the next night!
Because there is no flame, they are safe to leave unattended and they make the house feel warm and inviting, without having to turn each one on and off every night. I love how easy they are!
Different sizes and shapes of lanterns can be found at just about any home decor store these days. Pick up a cute lantern and a set of these candles for the perfect gift.
Okay, now that I have shared all my favorite things with you, it’s time for me to actually do some of my own shopping! With a late Thanksgiving this year shortening up the shopping season, and life being perpetually busy, I am woefully behind on gift buying.
What are some of your favorite things that are great for gift-giving? I’d love to hear any of your suggestions in the comments. I need all the help I can get at this point!
PS. I would be so grateful if you’d subscribe to my blog using the box at the top of this post, so you don’t miss a thing.
Facebook —– Instagram —– Pinterest
This post contains affiliate links.
I love those flameless candles with the timers and remotes; they’re fantastic. I found some glittery ones at Michael’s last year.