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Gift giving is one of my love languages, and it brings me great joy to know I’ve found the *perfect* gift for someone I love.
To me, a great gift can be one of two things:
Something you’d love but never buy for yourself
Or something you’d never think to buy but you love
So without further ado, here are all of the things I’ve loved and loved to gift, sorted by themes.
festive
Nest Festive Collection — You didn’t think I would share a gift guide and not include Nest candles, did you? Holiday is my all-time favorite holiday candle, followed closely by Birchwood Pine — both pine-forward, balsam-y Christmas tree-type fragrances. I also love Blue Cypress & Snow for a creamier pine scent, and Hearth to evoke a wintery fireplace.
Diptyque Holiday Candles in Biscuit, Sapin, and Flocon — I’ve decided to pick up Sapin for myself as a pine tree lover. Biscuit is for gourmand lovers, and Flocon for the floral lovers. These are the kind of fancy candles that one might not purchase for oneself, but would be a delight to receive.
I’m always enchanted by the Diptyque candle carousels, too. This set includes 3 mini Holiday candles along with the gold carousel.
Harry and David’s Gourmet Monthly Subscription — Come holiday season, everyone loves Harry and David’s iconic pears and gift baskets. Even people who don’t like pears. But not everyone knows that Harry and David’s offer a monthly subscription service for fruit, wine, charcuterie, and other delicious things. You can customize the portion size and gift as many months as you’d like. Truly the gift that keeps on giving.
cozy
Barefoot Dreams Blanket — The Barefoot Dreams blankets are hyped on social media, but for good reason: they are the softest, warmest, most cloud-like blankets I’ve ever tried. They’re fluffy but lightweight at the same time, breathable yet incredibly warm. I have the Luxe Heathered Stripe Throw Blanket, which I’ve heard is the softest blanket they offer.
I also love the Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Robe. It’s my winter robe, the one I wear when I want to be enveloped in cuddly warmth.
Nap Loungewear Cashmere Cardigan — You really can’t go wrong with gifting cashmere. I just placed an order for the cardigan and this cashmere set. I haven’t received them yet, but I’m already pleased with the price point and I hear great things about Nap’s cashmere.
Birkenstocks Boston Clogs — These have not left my feet since I ordered them in September. My most-worn house slipper, though they are designed for outdoor wear as well.. They have the support of a Birkenstock but the coziness of the shearling lining, as well as a rubbery grip on the sole. Who wouldn’t want these?
Richer Poorer Fleece Hoodie — The most cloud-like, fuzzy, warm, soft hoodie I own. This has washed and dried well, without any pilling whatsoever, while maintaining its fluffy soft interior. It’s worn very well, without any loose threads. Size up for extra coziness!
relaxing
NotPot CBD Muscle Soak (code BEKAH20 for 20% off) — These are the only bath salts that I feel *do something* for sore muscles. This is a potent epsom salt blend with peppermint essential oil, sea salt, and 300 mg CBD per cup. It’s meant to contain 3 soaks per bag (I make it last longer than that, personally), so it is a bit of an indulgence.
Susanne Kaufmann Oil Bath for the Senses — An luxurious blend of ylang-ylang, patchouli, lavender, and rosemary oils, this is a true indulgence that moisturizes and nourishes the skin as you bathe. The scent fills the whole bathroom.
Susanne Kaufmann Mallow Blossom Bubble Bath — Enriched with mallow to moisturize and sooth the skin and lavender to relax and calm, this is a delicious bubble bath experience.
Osea Gigantina Bath Soak — A restorative seaweed-enriched bath soak with plumeria flower and lavender oil. You sprinkle this into your bath and it dissolves into a fragrance, fizzy pink soak. So relaxing and refreshing.
Nest Wild Mint & Eucalyptus Candle — A stunning blend of wild mint, eucalyptus, basil, and Thai ginger, this candles creates fancy spa vibes. You all know I love and rave about Nest all the time because their candles always burn evenly with a strong throw. They are always beautifully packaged, from the box to the vessel itself.
Nécessaire Body Wash, Body Serum, Body Lotion (code 10BEKAH for 10% off)— In Eucalyptus, Bergamot, Sandalwood, or Fragrance Free. A set of Necessaire body products would make a beautiful gift. Not everyone wants to indulge in nice body products, but they are lovely to receive. At $20 each, you could easily mix and match. All of the scents are unisex and very complex and chic. Lately I’m partial to Eucalyptus and Fragrance Free, but Bergamot and Sandalwood are also beautiful.
active
Theragun Mini — This is one I have not yet tried myself, but I plan to pick it up as a gift for an active person in my life. I hear nothing but great things about the Theragun. If rest and recovery or chronic pain management are priorities to your beloved, this would be a very thoughtful gift to receive. The Theragun Prime and Elite both come with a handle and even more power.
Bed of Nails Acupressure Mat and Pillow — It hurts so good. So good that I want this for myself. I purchased this for my dad, who is a frequent flyer and an avid golfer. He loves this so much that he travels with it whenever he can. It’s great for relieving pressure and chronic pain.
North Face Field Bag — I picked up a North Face cross body bag for my husband and my brother a couple of Christmases ago, and they were a hit. My husband uses this bag every single day. Toxic masculinity has feminized and shamed the man bag, but the truth is, everyone needs a bag to carry their things!
Hydro Flask — I’ve tried many, many water bottles, and none of them retain temperature like the Hydro Flask. I kid you not, if I pour a hot beverage in this in the morning, it will stay hot until the end of the day and even though the night. It’s also basically indestructible. Comes in many different colors with different accessories.
Topo Bike Bag — Many of the cyclists in my life love the Topo bike bags. I’ve gifted a couple of these and they are always received with excitement and glee. They’re sturdy, well-made, and so aesthetically pleasing. Also a small business based in Boulder.
on the go
Beis Dopp Kit — Dopp kits are the kind of thing that my [husband, brother, dad, etc.] need but rarely spend money on or think to purchase. A well-designed dopp kit is always a hit, and Beis do great ones.
Kusshi Signature Bag — My favorite makeup bag, this is made of uber soft but durable leather with a nylon removable and machine-washable interior. The lining just zips out and you can throw it in your washing machine. Truly ingenious design! The pebbled leather is also very scratch-resistant. I’ve had my bag for nearly two years and it shows almost no wear on the outside. I find the Signature size to be perfect for everyday use and for travel. They also do smaller and larger sizes.
Kusshi also make Pocket Organizers and Organizer Covers that function independently or snap into any of their bags. I love an organizer system, and these all work very elegantly together.
Riki loves Riki Cutie Mirror — A high-quality handheld LED light mirror, the Riki Cutie is indispensable to me. This gives you rechargeable LED lighting at 3 brightness levels with true-to-color light, excellent for doing your makeup on-the-go in dark hotel rooms and bathrooms. It also comes with a handle and a kickstand to set it upright while using. It’s also great for home use; I use mine every single time I do makeup. The size of a iPhone, the Cutie is uber lightweight and completely scratch-resistant.
homey
Kinto Glass Sepia Mugs and Jug — Something about glass mugs just feels more special than their ceramic counterparts (though I love those too!). I just purchased a set of these for myself and for my parents. The mugs are beautiful on their own, and even more special with the jug for coffee pour-over or tea.
Sophie Lou Jacobsen Tea Pot, Glasses, Vase, anything — I just discovered Sophie Lou Jacobsen’s beautiful colored glass creations, and I will be gifting this very special teapot during this holiday season. Sophie Lou Jacobsen is a NYC-based designer who makes everyday use objects that are also incredible works of art. I have a feeling her work will blow up, so I’m picking up a few things while they are still at an approachable price point.
Reduce Cup — On the way other side of the spectrum, my Reduce cup is my most-used at-home water bottle. I call it my adults sippie cup because it comes with a handle and lid with a wide straw. The lid can also be used for hot beverages. It is insulated, but not nearly as insulated as my Hydro-Flask. On the other hand, it’s much lighter than the Hydro-Flask; it has a handle; it fits into my car cup-holder; and it’s dishwasher-safe — making it much more pragmatic for everyday use.
bookish
APPNTD Year Task Planner — My favorite planner 3 years in the running. These are weekly planners with very minimalist design: weekly formats on the left side with lined paper on the right with a small to-do list template. The covers are a linen-lined hard cover, strong but not thick. They are wire-bound but ultra-durable. I’ve thrown mine around year after year and I’ve never had any fraying or bending.
I also love the APPNTD notebooks in graph paper (also come lined or unlined). They are super minimalist and always encourage free thinking and writing for me. I’ve owned these in Dove Grey, Cream, Lavender, and Chambray, and I’ve loved them all.
Northwind Supply Leather Bookmark (Monogrammed) — These are very soft leather bookmarks that come in several colors and embossing in a color of your choice. Last year I bought bookmarks in the navy leather with gold embossing for S and me. They’ve been thoroughly used and loved, and have held up wonderfully over time.
Northwind Supply also create a range of beautiful leather goods: toiletry bags, keychains, wallets. All very giftable!
Gift certificate to your local bookstore — I love everything about small bookstores. The smell, the comfort, the magic of sifting through shelves and shelves of books. Oh, the possibility! My favorite LA small bookstores: Skylight Books, Stories, and The Last Bookstore.
artsy
Fujifilm Instax Mini —In a digital world, give the gift of analog! I love my Fujifilm Instax camera and I bring it on every trip to capture a few polaroid snapshots. I carry my favorites in my wallet, tuck them into my journals, and even frame them. Don't forget extra film!
A24 Merch — For the cinephile in your life, A24 makes such cool and unique merch. Some highlights: the Lady Bird Book, the blanket, and the A24 fleece.
Golden Paint Set — I think a paint set is a gift of time and experience, an invitation to explore a new hobby.
I encourage you to support your local art stores! My favorite independent LA art supply store is Blue Rooster in Los Feliz. They now have a second location in Pasadena!
beauty for all
I won’t go on too long here (see my Sephora Guides for an endless list of gift ideas!). These are beauty gifts that I think everyone of all beauty preferences would enjoy.
Riki Loves Riki Skinny Mirror — I gushed about the Riki Cutie, but I also love my Riki Skinny for at-home makeup application. Like the Cutie, the Riki Tall also has very bright rechargeable LED lights, as well as an adjustable stand, a magnified mirror attachment, and a phone holder attachment (for the content creator in your life!). You can also purchase the mirror mount that allows you to mount the Riki Tall to a bathroom mirror, window, or other surface.
Saint Jane Hydrating Petal Cream — My most recent favorite moisturizer, this comes beautifully packaged in a pink floral box and a weighty pink bottle with gold labeling, hence why it would make a beautiful gift. It's a gorgeous cream that would work beautifully for most skin types.
Olaplex Set — Not everyone wants to shell out for nice haircare, but it’s always appreciated as a gift. This Olaplex set a full size No. 04 Shampoo and deluxe sizes of the No. 03 Treatment and the No. 8 Intense Moisture Mask. It's always nice to receive a set with a full size product.