A Great Big Gift Guide

How are you coming on your holiday shopping? Already done? Not yet started? Somewhere in between?

I’ve got a lot of mine done but now that Thanksgiving is over I’m feeling the pressure to get it finished. In case you’re in the same boat, I’m sharing some of my favorite gift ideas here. In keeping with the things we talk about here on the blog, you’ll find ideas for homebodies, book lovers, and a bonus idea for dog moms and dads. I’m also sharing the things that are on my Christmas list this year.

Note: This post contains some affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. More details here.

 

Gifts for the Homebody

And let’s be honest…who isn’t a homebody these days?

We have a set of these Eddie Bauer flannel sheets and I am so excited that it’s time to pull them out again. They come in so many great patterns for winter (ours are Deer Lodge).

 

I’ve made no secret that James Farmer is my favorite designer and his newest book is such a treat. It includes eight of his design projects for clients, plus his vacation home in North Carolina and a wedding he held for his sister at his Alabama home.

 

I’ve bought three of these neck and back massagers in the last two months: one for my daughter’s birthday, one for my mom’s birthday, and then I had to have one for me. The kneading massage feels so good and I always use the heat feature, which is a bonus.

 

I have one of these plush throws and it feels as soft as it looks. After using it at my house my kids immediately added it to their Christmas lists. Here it is in gray, cobblestone, navy, olive, and red.

 

Gifts For Book Lovers

There are readers and then there are book lovers, who love not only books but everything to do with them. You know who they are. 

 

I got this puzzle of classic book covers for Christmas last year and it was so much fun to put together.

 

Book darts can not only mark a page you want to remember but the exact line or place on the page as well. A tin of these would make a great stocking stuffer for a book lover.

 

Frostbeard Studio has a number of soy candles in bookish themes. They come as an 8 oz. jar candle or 2 oz. or 4 oz. tins. I bought the small tins as stocking stuffers for my kids a few years back.

 

The Paddywax Candles Library Collection pairs a quote by a famous author with a custom fragrance. The one pictured is for Jane Austen, but they also have Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, and more.

 

I have quite a few of these Old World glass ornaments and they look so pretty on the tree. This stack of books ornament is one of my favorites.

 

I read this charming book by Anne Bogel earlier this year and I saw myself on every page, from having a literary confession (I generally don’t enjoy the classics) to needing deadlines to keep my reading on track (hello…book club meetings) to having fantasized about owning a bookstore. 

 

For Dog Moms and Dads

Katie at Preppy Empty Nester blogged about this travel bag for dogs and I ordered two right away for my new granddogs. I gave them to my kids as an early Christmas present so they could use them on our trip to the lake last weekend. They got thumbs up all around.

 

My Christmas Wish List

When my family asked for gift ideas for me, here is what I sent them.

I’m always looking for a good eye primer and this one by Bare Minerals gets good reviews.

 

Since blogs, Pinterest, and Instagram have come on the scene I’ve let all my home decor magazines subscriptions go, but I still love The Cottage Journal and I miss getting it. With only five issues a year, it’s not too much to keep up with and I revisit the back issues again and again. 

 

I love jigsaw puzzles and I love the New York Public Library so this puzzle of the library at Christmastime immediately went on my list. What I love about getting a puzzle is that if I get it out and start working on it, my family will usually sit down and help for a while too.

 

I’ve been through lots of cheap earrings that get tarnished quickly so I asked for an upgrade to these 14k over silver hoops. (FYI, Rakuten currently gives you 15% cash back on purchases at Macy’s plus a $40 bonus if you spend $40 or more by shopping through Rakuten by the end of the year.)

 

I thought this oversized sweatshirt and matching joggers by Aerie would be good to wear around the house this winter. I asked for them in black but they come in a bunch of colors/patterns, including several camo-inspired ones that I was tempted by.

 

I wanted a tote to take out on the boat next summer and it needed to be big enough for beach towels, sunscreen, and snacks. This one with an anchor design fits the bill perfectly but it comes in a bunch of other designs for whatever you might be using it for.

 

If Ina has a new cookbook, I’m on board, even if I tend to read cookbooks more than I cook from them. Her modern take on comfort food seems especially appropriate for 2020.

I am in need of a new overnight/weekender bag and I loved the look of this one by London Fog. I especially like the way it opens up wide for easy packing and unpacking.

 

What would you add to this list? Any gifts you’re excited about giving or getting this year? Also, I’m linking up with Prime Purchases at The Other Side of the Road.

 

P.S. Last minute book gifts for everyone on your list and a woodland Christmas.