It’s that time of year again – to start shopping for holiday gifts! Maybe for yourself, maybe for other people. You do you, friend. TREAT YO SELF. Anyway. I did one of these in 2016 and 2017 and apparently I decided to drop the ball last year. But I guess I was going to Disneyworld, so I guess I was preoccupied with other amazingly fun things. I’ve been trying to keep the amount of stuff coming into my home at a minimum, so I tried to keep this list to the essentials and a few extra fun great gift ideas!
KITCHEN STUFF
THE INSTANT POT.
My #1 kitchen obsession and recommendation to anyone and everyone, and the tool I cannot live without. It seriously cuts down on your prep time, you can use not only the pressure cooker function BUT it’s an all-in-one kitchen appliance, so it takes care of slow cooking, making soups, poultry, rice, broth, even yogurt! I have the 6 Quart, 7-in-1 model, and it’s great. But if you wanna get all fancy, you can also upgrade to THIS one.
PS – There are usually some AWESOME black friday deals on the instant pot, so keep your eyes peeled!!
Chef’s Knife
Want to love cooking more, or start doing it more? Start with a bomb chef’s knife for slicing and dicing everything and anything. It makes a HUGE difference.
Clearly Filtered Water Filter.
Do you have any idea what’s in your water, even if you filter it with a ‘regular’ filter? I didn’t, until I started doing research into it this year! This is my new favorite (super affordable!) water filter, and you can get 20% off with the code “REALFOODWITHDANA”.
Soda Stream
if you’re oh-so-millenial and obsessed with sparkling water, why not just make your own instead of buying a million cans at the store? You can even get a glass bottle, and use your own essential oils for flavor!
BOOKS to devour this season:
Cook Once, Eat All Week, by Cassy Joy Garcia.
You need this in your life ASAP. I think I’ve recommended it to every single client who’s walked through my (virtual) door this year to make your week so, so much easier with meal prep – without any of the dieting dogma.
The F*ck it Diet, by Caroline Dooner.
YES. I loved this book. It’s everything you wanted and needed to hear (or read) about diet culture, why we’ve all been sucked in, and how you can start to dig yourself out. Warning: there will be curse words. And the audiobook is hilarious.
Harry Potter: The Illustrated Edition Collection (Books 1-3) PLUS the NEW Goblet of Fire Illustrated Edition!
Do you really think I could make a gift guide without including something from the Potter series?? HAH. These are absolutely gorgeous, and great for any age of Potter fan. Whether you’re an adult reading them on your own, or reading them to kids for the first time (which is a great way to get kids into the series with more pictures!)
SKINCARE + BEAUTY + HEALTH
No. 3 Balancing Spa Set.
Look – I don’t use a ton of makeup so I’m not gonna wax poetic about that here. What I do use? THIS STUFF. Gotta keep my sunburned skin clean and young somehow, right? The set includes:
- No. 3 Balancing (Charcoal)Facial Mask
- No. 3 Balancing Facial Mist (a great toner to use under or over makeup!)
- No. 3 Balancing Facial Oil. I use this EVERY night for my dry skin!
Essential Oil Diffuser.
One of my favorite purchases this year. Loved it so much, in fact, that I bought two. I use them all the time, from diffusing lavender to calm me down, to peppermint to help with my sinuses, or when I really feel like I’m getting sick to help me get over it! Disclaimer: I am not an essential oils expert. I typically get mine at Whole Foods and really like their blends!
TRAVEL
Away Suitcase – the Bigger Carry On.
YO. Speaking of favorite (bigger) purchases this year. I was a huuuuge skeptic of this suitcase because I’d heard about it from so many “influencers” and so many millennial-based ads. But really, it’s perfect. Durable, lots of space, includes a portable charger and laundry bag, and is just the perfect size. I traveled a *lot* this year and this one went everywhere with me (besides Bali!) You can also snag $20 off with this link!
FOR THE ENTREPRENEUR OR PHOTOGRAPHER:
Podcast Microphone.
If you have a podcast, or you’re getting interviewed on them, OR you want to make high quality video/audio content, it’s time to invest in a mic. There are usually HUGE black friday deals on them, that’s where I got my Blue Yeti Mic two years ago for HALF OFF. This one is super affordable (especially when on sale) compared to the other really high quality mics out there!
Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Camera.
This is the camera I took with me to Bali and it was AMAZING. Super high quality pictures, very light, and you can adjust the aperture/shutter speed so you can see in the viewfinder what the picture is going to look like without having to take multiple shots, readjust, and try again for the right light!
