Countdown to Christmas: 10 more days! If you still need to find a few gifts, there’s still time to order Amazon prime and have your gifts delivered in time to wrap and give! Here are my top pretty, affordable gifts for the women in your life.
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Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the official shopping season, 2020 version! What’s better than giving everyone on your shopping list beautiful and thoughtful gifts? How about gifts that give back by helping individuals around the world earn a living producing products such as jewelry, housewares, accessories, and even toys? Your shopping budget can be a reason for someone else to give thanks!
Unbeknowst to most shoppers, many of the products we buy every day support forced labor. In contrast, products labeled “fair trade” support an honest wage for honest work. As I was researching including fair trade items on my shopping list this year, I realized there is an amazing variety of affordable products available now as consumers become more in tune with this issue. Some companies enable women to do skilled labor such as handcrafting to support their families. Others use funding to help support impoverished communities. Take a look at these amazing and unique gift ideas from around the world!
HANDMADE: We keep alive a beautiful tradition of handwoven belly baskets, passed down from generations of Artisans in Ghana. Made of 100% sustainable natural organic elephant grass with goat leather handle. Supports impoverished farmers in the Bogatanga region of Ghana, West Africa
ABSORBENT, QUICK DRY, LIGHTWEIGHT – Large 39 inch x 71 inch throw is perfect to dry off with after a shower or a swim. All of our premium towels are made from the finest eco-friendly organic turkish cotton, grown near the Aegean Sea in Turkey.
COZY & COMPASSIONATE: Made in Himalayan villages by local housewives, this generations-old handicraft allows mothers to stay home with their children and earn supplemental income.
Shopping for kids is a huge part of the holiday season. Instead of going on a search for the latest toy fad of the year, consider giving some gifts that will encourage creativity and active learning in children. When I’m shopping for kids, I try to find gifts that will be engaging, appealing, and fun, but still help kids develop skills. My own children are well past the toys stage, but when they were younger, we got them each a couple of the traditional toy items, and the rest of their gifts leaned heavily toward activities, games, and items that would help them spend time productively. More than the toys, they appreciated the chance to try new things and feel a sense of accomplishment as well as spending time together as a family working on a project.
Time spent playing a board game, flying a kite, or learning a new art technique is valuable for children and provides a much-needed break from screen time.
Here are some of my top picks for fun and engaging toys available from Amazon. I am an Amazon affiliate. Please see about page for full information. Thanks so much for supporting my blog! 🙂
Recycled Fabric: REPREVE traceable, recycled 4-way stretch polyester blend made from plastic bottles Insulation: WarmFlight x3 technology for extra warm and breathable insulation for Winter outside play
Now is a great time to begin to think about holiday shopping and get started on finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list. When I’m shopping for myself, I look for a good quality item at a great price. But when it comes to gift giving, the focus shifts a little more to the quality side. After all, there are only a couple of gift-giving occasions throughout the year, and I want to give my loved ones a gift as special as they are. Don’t get me wrong, the budget isn’t thrown out the window with these Amazon finds, but I’m also looking for some other qualities. What is the star rating on Amazon? What reputation does the brand have? What kind of materials is the item made of? How unique and original is the gift? Is it special, for example artisan made or made in a country known for that product?
This gift guide is for the person on your list who appreciates the classics. Nothing super flashy, but beautiful, understated, high-quality gifts that are sure to be appreciated.
Here are some of my favorite Amazon picks, delivered straight to you!
First on my list is the mulberry silk sleep pillow. Silk pillows have become a top gift item this year because of the gentle treatment they provide for your hair and skin as you sleep, and because of the emphasis on the comforts of home. I love the deep steel gray color of this pure silk pillow.
The traditional tartan plaid scarf is made of a high quality cashmere wool from Scotland. These neutral tones will complement any look, from a blazer to a denim jacket.
Vera Bradley is an immensely popular brand for all kinds of beautiful bags. I love this soft and sophisticated Vera Tote in teddy fleece. Unlike the colorful prints, this bag is incredibly versatile and goes with a multitude of looks.
You can’t go wrong with a leather messenger bag. Anyone on your list will appreciate this classic and beautiful handcrafted bag in a warm brown leather.
The artisan Aleppo soap is made in Syria from an ancient recipe that is known to help alleviate skin problems. I think its distinctive look and packaging will make it a great addition to a holiday gift.
These attractive Turkish cotton hand towels are perfect anywhere in your home, equally useful in the kitchen, bath, or even gym bag. Made in Turkey from 100% fine cotton.
The sterling silver ring is just stunning, featuring multicolored genuine quartz stones channel set in the band and a large central gemstone.
Wristlets are a great little bag to add to the recipient’s collection, perfect for holding a cell phone and cards. This one is from Sakroots, one of my favorite brands.
Noise isolating blue tooth headphones from Skull Candy are a great gift for someone who spends a lot of time on a computer. This is especially true with so many of us trying to optimize all our online time neccessitated by 2020.
These gorgeous earrings are the real deal: 14 karat gold fittings and Tahitian Black South Sea pearls. This is truly a special gift sure to be treasured.
Scented candles are always a nice gift idea, and this set is pretty and versatile in neutral tones. The candles are hand-poured soy with an embossed design.
This s’well water bottle keeps drinks cold for an incredibly long time. I love the teak finish on this little beauty.
Finally, these custom made bracelets can be ordered in your choice of metal, stamping, and with an engraved message. They are so pretty and thoughtful. What a wonderful gift!
Thanks for checking out my shopping guide today! This post does contain affiliate links, and I really appreciate you supporting my blog! 🙂
Are you a Millennial? Do you know a Millennial? Millennials are that much-maligned generation of people who are approximately in their twenties and thirties now. While I myself am not in that age range, I have worked with a ton of people who fit this description, and some of my adult kids could be described as Millennials.
From my experience, Millennials actually get a really bad rap. In fact, there are many things to love about this generation. They tend to be very idealistic and care a lot about their chosen causes. They are often resourceful and creative, and they are responsible for a resurgence of handcrafting among younger people. They are often diligent workers, doing difficult work and juggling family responsibilities. They often love the outdoors and are environmentally-conscious. I also find this generation to be very straightforward and authentic.
So, show the Millennials in your life a little love over the holidays or other gift-giving occasions with something special! I’m sharing some on-trend gifts here that are all available on Amazon.
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for reading and supporting my blog! 🙂
Caboodles was the must-have item for tween girls of the 90s. This nostalgic brand has small organizer cases, such as this one, and larger train cases as well. A caboodle case would make a great presentation for other small gift items and is cute, nostalgic, and useful on its own.
Nineties kids grew up with a loveable and sometimes bizarre cast of characters on Nickelodeon. This nostalgic hoodie is sure to bring a smile to the face of any twenty-something.
Many Millennials are vinyl record enthusiasts, which is great that those old records are still getting some use. Find some old records that are still in good enough shape to be played, and give your Millennial the gift of a high quality turntable.
If you’re not a Millennial, you may not be aware that most of them spent many happy hours in public schools playing a low-tech educational video game entitled The Oregon Trail which had the kids doing things like dying of dysentery. This nostalgic game set includes three separate games and is sure to be a hit.
This great little journal would be perfect for writing travel notes or making a sketch of the surroundings. The leafy details on the journal add to its appeal.
For the artist or crafter on your list, this portable craft caddy is a great gift. It’s understated design doesn’t scream “great-grandma’s knitting basket” so it’s perfect for a younger generation of artisans.
If there’s one thing Millennials love, it’s their specialty coffees. They may be the generation responsible for the ubiquitous coffee shop. It’s great having a really special coffee brew at home, and this definitely fits the bill! These are coffee pods designed to work with that type of machine.
Millennials are known for their love of houseplants. Many are also cooking at home and increasing their repertoire of at-home gourmet options. That’s why this hydroponic indoor heirloom herb garden is the perfect gift, especially for a small space or urban gardener.
Let’s face it, TJ’s does have some of the best food and grocery items out there. Millennials in search of tasty and healthy dinner options are sure to appreciate this cookbook.
Millenials seem to love hiking around in the great outdoors and spending their weekends finding a new adventure. A picnic set in a backpack is a clever and unique gift. I have given a couple of these myself at bridal showers. to rave reviews.
Everything you need to create a beautiful knitted shawl, including high-quality yarn and instructions. This is for an experienced knitter. Knitters love top-quality yarn. Check out the other amazing items from their store while you’re looking!
Millenials love to travel, and given the pandemic, many are doing short, responsible car trips rather than jet-setting it around the country. This guide is sure to have some great, do-able ideas for anywhere in the US.
For your apple fan, airpods with a charger are the perfect gift. It’s probably wise to try to figure out whether they already have a pair, but otherwise anyone with an iphone will love these!
Today is Prime Day on Amazon! YAY! Prime Day offers amazing deals for Amazon Prime members. If you’re not already a Prime member, I highly highly recommend the service. I have been a member for years now, and it’s one of the best purchases we made. The best benefit is the fast free shipping on a multitude of items. I rely on that more and more during the pandemic. Amazon lets me check a box to display only Prime items, and I get a huge selection of merchandise that will be at my home in two days with no shipping fees. If it’s important to you to support small business, Amazon also has a handcrafted category and a small business category which they will often give you a bonus for supporting. A prime membership is something that has been valuable to me and my family, and we will continue to be loyal customers. I have recently become an Amazon affiliate, meaning I receive a small compensation if you purchase from them as a result of my recommendations. I do very much appreciate your support of my blog!
If you’re interested in a prime membership, click here for details.
Now on to the gift guide! It’s that time of year when we need to start thinking about the perfect gift for everyone on our shopping lists. Today I’m recommending some items that I personally love. Again, I’m a big Amazon customer, and I have either given or received these gifts and others from the same companies.
Finding gifts for all the women or your list can be a daunting task. Whether you’re looking for stocking stuffers, a gift exchange, or a meaningful gift for someone special in your life, I’ve got some good ideas for you today.
First, the Luca and Dani bracelet stack is just so pretty. The cardinal, red stone, and pearl bracelet set makes a terrific gift!
Everyone I know loves a journal, especially a gorgeous leather one like this. A beautiful journal is always appreciated.
You’re going to see quite a bit of Kendra Scott in this gift guide. That’s because I LOVE Kendra Scott jewelry. I had never heard of the brand until I bought the abalone cuff bracelet at a small store on the beach (after much internal debate about whether I should buy something for myself, which I don’t usually do) and I just wore the thing constantly because I loved it so much! Since then, I have received a number of jewelry gifts from my family from Kendra Scott for my birthday and Christmas, and it just makes me happy. These are updated classics you can wear with anything. The brand is not so pricey that you don’t want to ever purchase, but it’s not a cheap costume either. It’s quality that has held up for me. These cobalt drop earrings are just gorgeous for someone on your list who likes statement earrings.
I also very much enjoy the C O Bigelow brand. They have a very consistent quality with all of their products, and there’s just something about that classic vintage-y packaging. This amber scented candle is a great gift.
For the beauty buff in your life, consider this limited edition eye shadow set from Cargo Cosmetics. It actually comes with four palettes in super cute packaging.
Alex and Ani is another brand I have found is always appreciated for a gift. They have a ton of stylish options like this silver statement ring.
Anyone on your gift list would appreciate a classic coach item like this khaki wallet.
The cashmere scarf in ombre blue is just gorgeous and sure to be appreciated.
Here’s another fun item from Alex and Ani. This wrap ring has a Wizard of Oz theme, with the emerald colored stone and yellow brick road motif.
Know someone who likes candy? Try some delicious candy from Mrs. Cavanaugh’s! Pecan and chocolate is my personal favorite, but the company has many other delicious choices.
A great hand lotion is always a good gift idea. This white tea hand cream is a fabulous option.
These days, we all could use a mindset of gratitude. This bestselling gratitude journal is a reminder to be thankful.
This bracelet by Kendra Scott is the original one I bought for myself that started my enthusiasm for the brand. I love this bracelet and think it makes an awesome gift. 🙂
Finally, this waterman pen in a gift box is an excellent choice for anyone on your shopping list.
I hope you will hop over to Amazon to check out all the excitement over the next couple of days! That’s where I’ll be doing my holiday shopping! 🙂
Have a beautiful day, and happy Christmas shopping! 🙂
Blue Willow Lane 