Holiday Presents for Everyone

There's always someone who's hard to shop for on your list. For us, it's my brother-in-law, both of whom are workaholics who buy anything they need or want for themselves, so it's a real challenge.  But here are some ideas that might help for the hard to shop for in your life.

1. Instant Camera - My sister has this Fijifilm Instax camera on her Amazon wishlist. I think it's great - it comes in a wide variety of colors, so while I'm partial to this purple one, you could blue, pink, white, green, or several other colors. Starting at $58.87 at Amazon.

2. Hearing protection - My brother-in-law has this headset on his Amazon wishlist. If you have someone in your life who does all the loud things - the leaf blowing, snow blowing, chainsaw wielding - have you considered trying to protect their hearing? Starting at $50.05 on Amazon.

3. WTF Notebooks - I'm contemplating buying an order of a dozen of these and just giving them to every person I  know. They're $17.99 for wirebound and $21.99 for hardcover, come in over a dozen colors, and have a variety of paper options if you wanted blank pages, dotted one, gridded, or ruled. Everything about these notebooks is amazing.

4. Socks - Look, I know, I know. I have a sock addiction. But once you go nice with socks, you can't go back. Get yourself some wool socks and you will never go back, I promise. They are warm, prevent odor, and are soooo soft.  Darn Tough has men's crew socks starting at $21 and there's a lifetime guarantee. My husband has had a pair of Darn Tough for about five years and they look brand new.  I'm partial to the fit of SmartWool socks, but they are a bit more expensive and not as durable (the coziness is amazing, though).

Darn Tough socks rule.

These are $27.95 and I have this exact pair on RIGHT NOW as I type this and it feels like I'm getting a foot massage. 

5. Flashlight/lantern - Here me out. It's 2020. You can never tell what is about to happen in this world. Doesn't every household need to be prepared in case the electricity goes out? Or if you walk your dog past 4:30 in the evening?

4 pack VONT camping lantern - $27.99 for the set! What a deal!

2 pack tactical flashlight for $16.99. I might just get a pack for each of my nieces and nephews with a giant pack of batteries and call Christmas complete.

6.  Survival kit - In the spirit of preparing for the worst, how about a survival kit? This 302 piece kit is $22.99 at Amazon.  Perfect for camping, hiking or just to keep in your car. if you have someone in your life who is outdoorsy and you worry about them, maybe this is the answer!

7. Weekend bag - I was just joking with my boss that I was optimistically planning for a week-long vacation next summer. He laughed because he knows as well as I do that even if the world was 100% fully vaccinated by next summer, I'll be a reluctant traveler. But!  I want to have something to look forward to, so a trip to the west coast next year is in the works. Anyway, if you have someone in your life who travels, how about a fancy new bag to go with our fancy new travels?

The Weekender Duffel from Duluth Pack is a pricy $285, but the quality is unbeatable.

The washed canvas Catalina Deluxe bags from Lo & Sons are on sale right now for 60% off (from $215 to $86). If you were on the fence, now is the time to buy.

8. Hot water bottle - You guys, it's getting cold. You know what makes it better if you're stuck upstairs in your freezing office? Or you have to go to bed with cold sheets on?  A hot water bottle?  Plus, this one comes with an adorable fox cover for only $13.99.  

9. Plants - I try hard not to give food or beverage presents (because it's such an issue for those with dietary restrictions or limit alcohol) or living things (pets aren't presents!), but if you know someone loves their houseplants, how about these adorable succulents?  $13.99 for the personalized pot and plant is quite the bargain!

10. Pet presents - I am never going to spend $35.95 for a collar and $35.95 for a leash for my dog. I'm just not. But if someone were to buy them for me, I would be all over it.  I've been eying these leather shotshell dog accessories for Hannah since the day we adopted her, but I can't justify it when she has a perfectly acceptably harness and leash. Honestly, just a framed photo of my pets and I'd be happy.  Or fancy water dishes. Or toys. Or whatever. I just love my pets. 

11. Personalized maps - Since we've moved into this giant house, I have put off wall decorations because, to be honest, it's kind of expensive and we have other priorities (appliances, medical care, and paying the mortgage, mostly).  But there are giant empty walls in our bedroom, living room, and dining room.  I like this idea of a personalized map. Starting at $68 for a 10x8 print and going up if you add extra maps and extra features, this is a pricy gift, but maybe something to look into.  I'm considering doing one with four maps - where Dr. BB grew up, where I grew up, where we met, and where we live now.  

Hopefully you got at least one idea for the hard to shop for person on your list from this. If not, put $25 worth of scratch off lottery tickets in a card and call it a happy holiday.