2020 Holiday Gift Guide

Inside: Need gift ideas for the big and little people in your life (and maybe a present for you too?). Here are some ideas–in all price ranges.

First things first: This is not just a random list of gift ideas. I actually have and love all of the items on this list–and in the case of the kids’ list, they’re things we’ve given our boys that they’ve enjoyed.

All of these gifts can be purchased online, from home. I included a few items from smaller business–and I absolutely support shopping at local businesses too, so I hope we can all do that this season as well!

Gifts For Cooks

Food-Grade Ice Cube Tray I use this silicone tray for freezing broth, leftover smoothie, lemon juice, and chocolate milk. The cubes pop out so easily, and it has a lid–so less risk of spills in the freezer.
KitchenAid Mini Chopper In seconds, you can chop an onion or blend a batch of hummus–without hauling out a large food processor.
Philips XXL Air Fryer Yes, it’s pricey. But the XXL capacity of this is a game-changer. Unlike many air fryers, you can cook a family’s worth of food at once, like four small pork chops or a whole diced block of tofu.
Blue Ball Mason Jars + Wooden Lids These blue jars and wooden lids instantly beautify a pantry. (The wooden lids I own are discontinued, but these are similar!)
Stasher Reusable Bags These are incredibly durable, go from fridge to freezer, and nix the need for disposable plastic bags. Since they’re a bit of a splurge, they make a nice gift.
Reusable Bowl Covers Practical and pretty. I couldn’t love these more for covering a bowl of bread dough as it rises, a plate of leftovers, or a dish to take to a potluck.
Skoy Scrub This little workhorse scours dishes then gets tossed into the dishwasher or washing machine to be used again and again (I love the cheerful prints too).
Instant Pot The classic! Mac-n-cheese in four minutes. Tender pot roast in less than an hour. Life-changing.
Paige’s Produce CSA If you or a loved one live in the Columbus area, you can reserve a half or full share now of just-picked veggies and fruit for the 2021 season. You’ll get to know the farmers (such nice people!) and enjoy seasonal produce each week.
Lil Chizler Trust me: This is the (kind of strange, I know) stocking stuffer you didn’t realize you (and everyone else) needed. Scrape gunk off of dishes, the counter, and in the crevice between the stove and counter.
OXO Cookie Dough Scoop Use it for perfectly portioned cookies or muffins.

Gifts For Kids

Hammock My teen and his gang use these for socially-distanced park hangouts. Fits into a small pouch for carrying.
Monopoly Deal If the endless nature of Monopoly wears you out, you’ll love this speedy card game version.
Fidget Cube My tween asked for one of these when online school started. It keeps his fingers busy during Zoom calls and comes in lots of colors.
LED Strip Lights These give your kid’s bedroom instant atmosphere. My teen put these up in our finished basement, which we now refer to as The Disco.
Kazoo magazine This ad-free, print magazine for girls ages 5-12 “celebrates them for being strong, smart, fierce and true to themselves”. (My boys don’t get this, but if I had a girl, I’d definitely subscribe!)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Deep End My tween reads these books over and over again. This is the latest one in the beloved series.
Charging Cube + Charging Cords Stuff your kids’ stocking with these so they stop stealing yours! Pro tip: Assign everyone in the house a different cord color.
Air Pods Small, sleek, and no cords to mess with.
Headset Time with friends during the pandemic is hard to come by, so I’m actually grateful for time spent playing video games with friends. A headset makes it a lot easier.
Franklin Sports Knee Hockey Help them burn off some energy with these little indoor set. This got my kid into hockey, and now he’s learning both street and ice hockey.
Super Soft Fleece Blanket No arguing over who gets the soft blanket! Last year we got each of our kids one of these ultra-soft blankets in different colors. Great for movie night.
Blank Game Board My tween loves inventing his own board games. The possibilities are endless with these blank boards.

Gifts For You (or Friends & Family!)

Aromatherapy Shower Tablets I got these last year as a present, and they turn your shower into a mini spa treatment. Just place one on the floor of your shower or tub, and the steam works its magic.
EltaMD Tinted Sunscreen I love this sunscreen for serious protection plus a nice faux-tan tint to the skin.
Maya Brenner Letter Necklace A definite splurge, but so personal and special. I wear very little jewelry, but never take off this necklace (which has initials for my two boys plus my husband).
Compression Packing Cubes Someday we will all travel again, and when we do, these packing cubes (which zip and compress down for even more space-saving) are game-changers. I have these in multiple colors for different family members.
Ultralight Rolling Suitcase True story: This suitcase is so lightweight that when it arrived, I thought the box was empty! Can’t believe I wheeled around such awkward and bulky suitcases before this came into my life. Fits in the overhead bin too.
Kindle Paperwhite + Kindle Cover My Kindle has improved my life so much. It’s like a book and reading light in one. Perfect for people like me who have trouble sleeping. And so easy to toss into a handbag or suitcase.
LLBean Fair Isle Sweater I have this thick, warm, wool sweater in two colors.
Electric Throw Blanket A friend of mine picked this up for me, and we use them to have socially-distant patio gatherings in the chilly temperatures!
The Little Book of Hygge Hygee (pronounced Hoo-ga) is the Danish concept of cozy–and a philosophy of “comfort, togetherness, and well-being”. If ever we needed that, it’s now!
Kids’ Cooking Course This is a gift for you AND your kids–because it arms your child with the skills to help you now and then cook for themselves when they leave the nest. (I’m an affiliate for this program because I think it’s great!)
Zulay Skewers When you’re gathered around your Solo Stove, might as well toast some marshmallows. I shopped around for skewers until I found these, which fold down into their own little pouch.
Solo Stove We get so many compliments on our Solo Stove and love that it doesn’t produce much smoke.
Feed Bracelet I was gifted one of these and wear it regularly. FEED provides school meals to vulnerable populations worldwide with every purchase of their cool accessories. Every product has a number on it to represent the number of meals donated. (The bracelet is no longer available but they have wonderful bags too.)
Woolovers Stripe Sweater I’m perpetually cold, so I wear a lot of sweaters. This one with happy, colorful stripes is one of my favorites.

More holiday gift guides

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