I was blown away by the thoughtfulness of the gifts I received at Christmas this year. In this post I’m sharing my 10 favorite Christmas presents!
Ryan and I had a truly beautiful Christmas season. We got to spend time with both of our families – his in Idaho, and mine in Ohio. We spent time with grandparents, parents, siblings, and cousins, eating amazing food, playing games, doing puzzles, and opening lots of gifts!
I don’t know when I’ve ever enjoyed buying gifts for family as much as I did this year! I think it was partly all of the online window shopping I did as I put together my Ultimate Gift Guide for Her that got me especially excited about finding unique gifts for each person.
But as much as we enjoyed shopping for each of our family members, we also thoroughly enjoyed receiving some of the best, most thoughtful gifts this year from each other and from our families!
I wanted to share with you all my 10 favorite Christmas presents I received this year!
Just a heads up: This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are entirely our own. Thanks for supporting us!
adidas Superstar Sneakers
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Favorite Christmas present, right here! I am unquestionably very picky when it comes to my clothing. I don’t know how he does it, but Ryan without fail surprises me with gifts I love every single time!
I’ve loved my Nike Roshes long and hard. They’ve been to a lot of countries with me and I’ve worn them with pretty much everything, but they have holes in the toes. Replacing them with sneakers I’d love just as much was going to be huge challenge – but Ryan completely succeeded when he surprised me with these!
These adidas Superstars are incredibly cushy and comfortable. I’m usually a size 8.5 but these run big so Ryan got me a size 8 and they’re perfect! And I can wear them super casually or dress them up, which I love (click the links for style inspiration).
Kestan Annei Ring
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I’m obsessed with this ring! Kestan is an ethical women’s clothing and accessories brand committed to 100% fair standards for laborers, developing relationships with suppliers through frequent visits. This ring is made with 18K gold plated over brass. I love how unique and elegant it is.
Smith & Cult Nail Polish
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I received two beautiful bottles of this nail polish, one in this red “Lovers Creep” color, and another in a lavender grey “Stockholm Syndrome” color. My #1 favorite thing about Smith & Cult nail polish is that it’s free of the worst 8 toxins commonly found in mainstream nail polish brands! I recommended this nail polish in my post listing the best non-toxic nail polish brands.
With two coats of this nail polish, no top or base coats, this nail polish lasted about 5 days before chipping! I don’t think I’ve ever had a nail polish that lasted that long, and the fact that it’s non-toxic makes that even more amazing! Here’s a picture of it on day 5 (and you can see my Annei ring as well!):
AE Plush Hooded Cardigan
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I recently lost my favorite cardigan in the world and spent literal hours trying to find a similar one to replace it with. This one is a bit more casual than the one I lost, but I still asked for it for Christmas. I’m so glad I did because this cardigan is incredibly soft and cozy! It’s perfect for travel and cozy days spent at home, but it will also work well for layering over shirts and dresses.
Rocky Mountain Oils: Fractionated Coconut Oil and Clary Sage Essential Oil
Ryan’s mom introduced me to this essential oils brand, Rocky Mountain Oils, and I’m in love with their products! Their oils are of the highest quality, providing GC/MS test results for all oils confirming their purity. Also, shipping is free on all items, and they offer free returns for any reason on any items (even if opened) up to 90 days after they were purchased!
I’ve been wanting a quality carrier oil so that I can make DIYs using essential oils without applying oils to my skin undiluted (which can be unsafe). I love this Fractionated Coconut Oil, because it is easily absorbed and is odorless with lots of health benefits. I wanted to try Clary Sage Essential Oil, because I’ve read many places that it is extremely effective for balancing hormones and helping with period cramps. During my period this week I used a couple drops of it mixed with the coconut oil on my tummy and I had the most mild symptoms that I’ve had in a long time! I don’t think it was coincidence.
Stainless Steel Healthy Human Water Bottle
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I have loved my Kleen Kanteen water bottle for at least a couple of years, and it’s served me very well. However, after countless drops it is so dented in at the bottom that it can hardly stand on a flat surface. (Not very practical.)
I researched a lot of different water bottle brands and decided to ask for a Healthy Human water bottle for a few reasons:
- It doubles as a thermos too. Hot drinks can stay hot in it for up to 12 hours!
- It doesn’t leak, and it doesn’t sweat.
- It’s BPA free, and the liquid inside never touches plastic! (The inside of the bottle and lid are stainless steel.)
I love it and would recommend it to anyone!
Liars & Lovers Gold Plated Earrings
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I’m not a huge jewelry person, so when I buy earrings I usually go for simple ones that will go with anything. I asked for these earrings for Christmas because they’re gold plated and don’t bother my sensitive ears, and they’re minimalistic enough to leave in for days at a time!
Amber Glass Spray Bottles
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I received a pack of 6 of these amber glass spray bottles for Christmas. I’ll use them to start making more DIY products for around the home. I’m already using one for my DIY apple cider vinegar conditioner spray, and another for my DIY yoga mat spray. I intend to make more DIY products like room sprays and green cleaners in the near future.
Dark glass bottles are far superior to plastic ones, because they are free of BPA and other chemicals plastic can carry. Plus, if you’re making sprays with essential oils, the dark glass prevents sunlight from damaging them.
Sweater Defuzzer
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This thing works miracles, you guys. It’s a sweater defuzzer. You plug it in to an outlet, flip a switch, then run it all over your favorite sweater or shirt or blanket that’s covered in pills or fuzzies. And it makes it nearly like new again! I already used it on like 8 of Ryan’s and my sweaters and I’m so pleased! It really works. I was so impressed with it that I wrote a whole post about it, How to Get Rid of Pills and Lint with a Fabric Shaver.
Here are my before and after pictures for one of my sweaters:
Handmade Cards
Sorry, these aren’t for sale but I had to show them off anyway. One of Ryan’s younger sisters gave me a set of five beautiful handmade cards for Christmas! (I already gave the fifth away to another of Ryan’s sisters for her wedding.) Aren’t they adorable!? I couldn’t believe how thoughtful and perfect they are! I told her I think she should start selling handmade cards on Etsy. Give us a shout in the comments if you’d like to purchase some if she decides to start! 😉
