Finding the perfect Christmas gifts for friends and loved ones can be a challenge. Especially if you’ve put off your holiday shopping until now.
Because we celebrate Chanukah it seems like we have far less pressure during the holiday season –though that could simply be the mindset I undertake during the holidays when I try to block out everything I can. Feel free to call me Scrooge, as an HSP, I’m simply trying to make it through this over-stimulating time of year.
Here are some of my favorite things. I did a quick search of my home to look for simple items that add value to everyday life and help conserve time, money and environmental resources.
Here you go:
- Metal Bento Box
I love packing the boys lunches in this simple box. Its design is appealing and using it saves paper bags. No expensive, toxic plastic either. - Stainless Steel Snack Containers
Another winner when it come to packing school lunches. I put pieces of fresh or dried fruit in these. - Kill it All Essential Oil
Coming down with something? This oil (based on the Thieves blend from YEO) is my favorite for killing colds when it comes to the holidays –your friends will like it too. To use, I put it in a pot of boiling water and inhale. - The Paleo Solution
My new favorite book. Enough said. - apple slicer
A great way to make quick work of apples. - Wallyware
My favorite mugs. Have had ’em in my house since I discovered this artist 20 years ago in a gallery in my hometown Davis, California. - Mulling Spices –Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary
Make your own, or purchase them from Rebecca if you need a quick gift. - Cookie Mix in a jar
Perfect gift for your newly gluten free friends. - Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour
My latest tome of gluten free recipes –$10 from amazon. Just sayin’.
What are you giving as holiday gifts this year? Do you have ideas you’d like to share? What is at the top of your gluten-free, eco-friendly wish list for the holidays?
And by the way, did you boycott Black Friday? Or did you occupy your local mall? Has anyone else noticed that Occupy Wall Street has morphed into Occupy Walmart during this holiday season? Enough with the pepper spray already people!
Suzanne says
Elana please help! Have you noticed the trend towards the idea of the portable, measured, lunches? In lunchbots for me, or laptop lunches for others, it’s so difficult to come up with ideas. The laptop lunches folks have a list, which will be below, but their food philosophy is so dangerous for gluten free/grain free folks that I wondered if you had considered making a ‘month of lunches’ for us bento folks? Please?
Here is the laptop lunches site, and fair warning, on my computer the screen jumps all the time….
Have you seen this site? http://www.laptoplunches.com/bento-menus-season/Allseasons/
Ellen says
The Nom Nom Paleo and Paleo Parents blogs both have lots of lunchbox ideas for packing grain-free lunches to appeal to younger kids and parents.
Nassim says
I love the idea of offering people cooking mix, especially to friends who have celiac and who don’t yet cook with almond flour. it’s a great way to introduce them to super yummy desserts.
Peter says
wow, superb.
it’s just a wondeful list. I espacially like the cookie mix in a jar.
one gift less to buy.
thx
Chelsea says
I was thinking of giving my family homemade deoderant…but I don’t want them to think I’m crazy ;)
~Mrs. R says
Hello Elana,
Great post… you are a crack up! I love your humor. :-D
We generally give homemade gifts for Christmas. My homemade soap was so well received that I have recently started a soap business… who would have thought…?! And yes, most people will get… soap – homemade soap!
Also, each year I have our son make something for each of the grandparents. Shh, don’t tell him he is also learning skills at the same time! One year he wove those great potholders. Remember doing those as a kid… well maybe you aren’t as old as I am. Anyway, they are the best potholders and he makes up his own patterns. Another year he make bookmarks for each person. This year he is making punched tin trivets!
Blessings,
~Mrs. R
JB says
how about giving people the metal water bottles for them to reuse. It could be a traveler’s kit. I travel a lot, and I always take a metal water bottle to refill at a starbucks or drinking fountain instead of buying a water bottle.
Rebeca says
Great list! I just posted several handmade gift ideas on my blog. Trying to buy less and make more.
Nicole says
FYI: Did you know the metal lids Ball makes are coated in BPA? Tattler sells BPA free lids for Ball jars. (Just thought I’d share this info that I only recently found out about myself.)