when do most people start shopping for christmas presents? are any of you like me? you get to the second week of december and realize you have a week left to get presents? and every year i’ll tell myself “next year i won’t wait until the last minute” and then here we are again.
so if you’re looking for some last minute christmas gift ideas, i have some ideas for you. most you can pick up in store easily, or you can order on amazon (they still have before christmas delivery available!!)
there’s the obvious ideas like jewelry, an apple watch, video game console, or headphones. so i’m going to try and suggest some (maybe) not-so-obvious ideas, and things that i’ve been using for a while and absolutely love.
Under $30
self care and wellness girlie? anything from Being Frenshe (found at Target)!
a clean beauty and wellness brand founded by Ashley Tisdale, their products are focused around mood-boosting scents.
my personal favorite scents are in order:
1. Palo Santo Sage (Present & Grounded),
2. Bergamot Cedar (Balance & Harmony),
3. Lavender Cloud (Unwind & Rest), and
4. Cashmere Vanilla (Soothe & Comfort).
my absolute favorite product is the Soothing Body Serum Stick (Infused with Magnesium and Squalane) – i use this one on my neck and backs of my hands anytime i feel like i need a moment during work, and before bed. i also love their body lotion and hair linen and body spray. i used to love their hair mask but it looks like it’s been discontinued. i think she’s coming out with a haircare line soon so i’m sure we’ll be seeing the hair masks again in the near future 😉
for the hobbyist – a woobles kit (for crocheting), great for beginners if you know they’re trying to pick up a new hobby!
they have all different collabs (harry potter, barbie, minecraft, peanuts) and different difficulty levels.
more for the hobbyist or someone just looking for self-care time – an adult coloring book ~$15
target has great options and you can pickup a colored pencil/crayon/watercolor/marker kit at the same time to go with it!
my recent favorite has been this one from the artist series
airtag $25 and airtag case ~$5 – i never thought i needed one but it’s been so nice having one attached to my wallet.
my phone gets a notification every time i leave it behind (like when i leave the house without my wallet) and there’s obviously all sorts of other uses for it if i decide to toss it in my luggage or some other thing i don’t want to leave behind or lose that day
there’s also a ton of case/holder options on amazon and at target to customize it
a sleep eye mask that wont give you headaches $20
LOVE this one – most sleep masks give me a headache because they have the elastic thats usually too tight – i love that this has an adjustable velcro strap, the satin is soothing and doesnt mess up your hair, and the eye area is wide enough that it does block out all light
a planner or mindfulness journal $15 – $30
the five minute journal has been a great addition to my morning routine. there’s very few days where i have the time or patience to do it as soon as i wake up, but once i’ve gone through my usual morning routine and sit down at my desk for work with my coffee, i’ll take a few minutes for this mindfulness practice and it sets the stage for what should be a peaceful day until i start checking my emails
i also bought this planner from target this year – i buy a planner every year and never end up using it (i have a phone calendar, and i’m not in high school anymore writing down my assignments). i vowed off of planners and then i saw this one – i liked that it didn’t have dates so i could use it for any month and it’s centered around habit and goal tracking – so really any habit or goal tracker would be great for those that are stressed out and like me, need to plan these things out
hair stuff from Kitsch
things i love from them:
zig zag headbands (2 pack) $8
– adds some fun with the zigzag line and reminiscent of the 90s
banana clips (2 pack) $8
– love using this instead of an elastic, also great for curly hair – doesn’t leave a line
satin pillowcases (2 pack) $29
french hair pin $10
– pulls less than a claw clip, also like using this when im driving instead of a claw clip because claw clips can be dangerous in the car!
ceramic thermal rollers $14
– use these to hold my hair while blow drying my hair for a great blowout
jumbo heatless curing rods $18
you can find their stuff on amazon or at ulta too
more for the self care category – aromatherapy steam tabs for the shower $25
each one usually lasts three showers and they definitely add to the calming ambience – these are typically better for night showers in the lavender scent, they have some energizing ones as well for the morning showerers
$30 to $50
candle warmer lamp $40
love the light from the lamp itself – very soothing – ive been using bath and body works candles with the lamp and the scent diffuses great
the lamp itself has a timer which is a cool feature and then you dont have to panic about whether you left your candles burning when you leave the house
owala freesip $28 to $38 and handle $7
i was a water bottle hoarder until i got the owala. i have the 40oz and ive never looked back. i love that the drinking part has a cover so i can bring it places and not worry about germs. it also seals so i always throw it into my bag and dont have to worry about leaks.
one thing to note – im lucky and my car has large cupholders, otherwise the 40oz wouldnt fit. i would recommend checking to make sure the size you get would fix in the cupholder.
the bottle also has that little piece that flips up and you can carry it with that but i bought a stanley like handle from amazon that straps around the bottle and i actually prefer to carry it that way – easier on my hands and feels sturdier.
you can find the bottles at dicks sporting goods and target as well
for the cozy rotting girl who loves to read – tablet holder and scroll clicker
one of my favorite purchases to go with my kindle
with the holder i can rotate my kindle sideways if im laying down on my side or above my face if im on my back or wherever
with the clicker i can wear the clicking piece on my finger, bundle up under the covers with just my face poking out, and then click when i want to turn the page. apparently you can use the clicker for scrolling tiktok too but i havent tried that yet, although that might not be something i get to test in less than a month 😦
great for an on the go makeup girlie – the Beis light up travel mirror $38
battery is rechargeable and it has three different light settings.
i use this one all the time, whether i’m traveling, running late and need to do my makeup in the office, etc
$50 to $100
tabletop blackstone griddle $100
more of a portable option for smaller spaces or if you want to take it with you when you tailgate.
i have the 4 burner blackstone original with the removeable hood and absolutely love it (and considering getting the tabletop one for tailgating and camping)
it’s easy to clean, cook all our food at once – we use it way more than our grill
there’s also this option if you have a little more space
Over $100
oura ring
starting $250 to $350 depending on generation
i’ve had the gen 3 for 2 years and i’ll never stop praising it
i’ll do a separate full review on this but it blends in better than an apple watch and it tracks sleep which is why i bought it – i charge it once a week, wear it all the time
an added bonus which i didnt know when i bought it is the way it syncs with natural cycles – it uses your body temperature (natural cycle tracking uses your basal body temperature to track where you are in your cycle) and can predict your cycle phase and whether you’re fertile or not (again i’ll do a more in depth review of this)
the oura ring does have a subscription fee ($6 per month) which is pretty lame but still worth it in my opinion
you can get the ring sizing kit for “free” (buy it for $10 and get a $10 giftcard) at target – the user should wear the sizing band for a week before determining which size to get. if you buy the ring, you can just say you dont know what size yet, and fill that in when you’ve tested the sizers.
best buy also sells the ring
meal prep lovers – blackstone 4 burner propane griddle 36 inch $250
this was definitely one of our best purchases this year – we’ve used it nonstop for meal prepping (large amounts of steak, chicken, green beans, broccoli, potatoes), breakfast (pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc all at the same time on the griddle), hibachi, etc.
you’re not washing one million pans and there’s room to cook so much at once, transfer stuff off, do a quick clean (spray and scrape), and keep cooking.
we put our normal grill away because once we bought this, we stopped using the grill. we have the hard top version versus the one with the attached top – honestly it’s just a preference for me – i like having full view of the yard (and my dog) while i cook, it just adds to the appeal
kindle paperwhite $135
there’s a bunch of versions, i just have the paperwhite
i used to be totally against the kindle and always swore by solid copies of books. then i got the kindle and i get it. first of all, i just feel cool with my little nifty kindle. i can take it everywhere, it fits so easily in my purse, and i can read any time anywhere (the dark mode is great and doesnt strain my eyes), battery lasts forever
i do end up buying the hard copy of a book if i really end up liking it and want to display it on my bookshelf. i still browse the target book display (weird guilty pleasure) but then i’ll get the book on kindle.
also you can rent books through libby on your kindle so thats a huge deal if you dont want to keep spending money on books but would also like the option of an e-reader
For the Puppies
snuffle mat
with the cold weather, it’s been getting harder to take my pup for a walk every day but mental stimulation is a great way to engage your dog, keep them busy, and tire them out – and sniffing is a great way to do it
amazon has all different options, some more aesthetically pleasing than others, some with various knickknacks to go with it, just make sure to get one that’s machine washable so you can toss it in the wash after a few days or use
flirt pole
again great for the winter blues, best for dogs with a high prey drive. my pup doesnt have the high prey drive but still entertaining for him at least for a little bit
west paw toppl
kind of like a kong, dishwasher safe
it has ridges on the inside, sometimes and with the larger opening i feel less bad when i smear peanut butter on the inside and give it to my dog (when im lazy and dont have a kong frozen)
Salty Nathalie 
Leave a comment