Category: Favorite Things

The holidays are a great time of year to show the people in your life that you care about them, but it can get stressful fast. The pursuit of the perfect gift is neverending and finding a gift that encompasses a friendship can sometimes feel impossible to get right. If you’re in a Secret Santa gifting situation and you’re worried about getting them something that they’ll love that’s within your financial limits, you’re not alone. Here are 12 cheap and easy gifts that are sure to brighten your Secret Santa’s day, no matter where their interests lie.

1. For the Holistic Healer: Essential Oil Diffuser from InnoGear

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If your friend loves essential oils and scents, a diffuser can be the perfect addition . Even if they already have an essential oil diffuser, a second one will always be welcome to fill a bathroom, living room, or any other space with your Secret Santa’s favorite scents.

2. For the Culinary Snob: Herb Garden Seed Starter Kit from Nature’s Blossom

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Growing your own herbs isn’t just an investment in fresher meals, it’s the gift of a new hobby and fresh life around the home as well. Your Secret Santa will love watching their herbs grow in and then using them on their favorite meals.

3. For the Music Lover: Portable Bluetooth Speaker from LENRUE

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With this portable speaker, your Secret Santa’s music an go wherever they go, whether it’s at the beach, the park or even in the shower. It’s small but powerful, giving your friend more access to their music as it’s supposed to be heard.

4. For the One with the Curated Instagram Feed: HD Phone Lenses from LEKNES

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This set of lenses that easily fits any smartphone is the perfect gift for the amateur photographer in your life. They’ll love getting to elevate their phone photos with the different angles and distortions this lens kit provides.

5. For the Book Lover: Antiquarian Bookplates from Potter Gift

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If your friend loves their books, you know they’d like to add a personal touch to them, including their name in each one. These old-fashioned book plates can make your Secret Santa feel like the owner of the greatest study in the world.

6. For the Avid Biker: Epic Bike Rides of the World from Lonely Planet

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This book isn’t just a great read but a talking piece your favorite biker can keep on a coffee table to share with visitors.

7. For the Sweet Tooth: Microwave S’mores Maker from Progressive International

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We all know someone with a passion for sweets who has more than likely had a few failed experiments trying to recreate everyone’s favorite camping treat in the oven. This nifty gift will save your Secret Santa time and cleaning and produces perfectly crispy s’mores every time.

8. For the Ethical Beauty Lover: Holiday Nail Set from Smith & Cult

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Beauty sets are always a great gift for around the holidays. Not only is this set gorgeously eye-catching, but it’s also a guilt-free purchase as Smith & Cult is proudly cruelty-free and vegan. Help your Secret Santa out with their New Year’s Eve look by giving them this curated gift collection.

9. For the Eclectic Plant Person: Self Contained Venus Fly Trap from Bloomify

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If there’s someone on your list who’s impossible to shop for, sometimes you have to think outside the box. For someone with eclectic tastes, this self-contained carnivorous plant might be the perfect gift. Low-maintenance and fun to look at, this will add a bit of intrigue to your Secret Santa’s desk or shelf.

10. For the Retro Gamer:Playable Mini Arcade from My Arcade

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For the gamer friend who already has everything, this mini arcade equipped with hundreds of games might be the exact dose of nostalgia and fun they needed.

11. For the Adventurer: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders from Atlas Obscura

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Your favorite traveler might not have gotten to see the world as much as they’d wanted this year, but this gift might be the next best thing. Atlas Obscura’s Explorer’s Guide will transport your Secret Santa to fascinating places all over the globe and might even inspire a few travel plans in the future.

Sometimes we get so stressed out by the pressure of gift giving that we can forget it’s supposed to be fun. Each of these gifts will brighten your Secret Santa’s day no matter and take one more thing off of your list so you can get back to enjoying your holidays.

As our dining options have been limited in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve found ourselves having to choose between cooking and takeout more often than ever before. For me, cooking often requires energy, especially when I know prep is going to take a long time. So many of us want to make the healthier, often less expensive choice of cooking at home, but sometimes we just face too many obstacles between shopping, setup and cleaning afterwards. Sometimes a few items can transform your entire experience, making cooking an act of self-care that’s not only easy and nourishing but fun as well. These innovative and unique kitchen gadgets might make you look at cooking a bit differently; one of these products might transform your cooking process from a chore to a treat overnight.

1. longzon Reusable Silicone Stretch Lids

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If saving leftovers has become an ordeal because of an unruly stack of Tupperware, these reusable silicone lids might be the perfect solution. Taking the place of Saran wrap, Ziploc bags and other containers, these earth-friendly lids can stretch to fit around a variety of containers.

2. Dexas Over-the-Sink Strainer Board

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This unique gadget can help declutter your kitchen and leave you with one less dish to clean! The combination strainer and cutting board fits over your sink to save space and cut down on mess.

3. Command Broom & Mop Grippers

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It’s always a drag when cleanup involves wrestling a mop or broom out of the closet. These easy grippers will keep your Swiffers separate and accessible whenever you need them, saving you from getting overwhelmed by your cluttered broom closet.

4. Creative Co-Op Hand Painted Stoneware Hedgehog Measuring Cups

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Who says something can’t be convenient and cute at the same time? This set of nesting measuring cups isn’t just a space saver but a cute new kitchen companion as well.

5. Surpahs Over The Sink Multipurpose Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack

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Have you been trying to save counter space and keep your kitchen from getting cluttered? This tidy drying rack is there when you need it and can be easily stored when you don’t, leaving one less thing on your counters.

6. Microwave Pasta Cooker

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Pasta is a great staple for many meals, but it can come with a lot of mess and dirty dishes. If you ever want to make pasta without all the setup, this unique kitchen gadget will make ready-to-strain and serve pasta in the microwave. The whole process only takes 15 minutes and will save you valuable time and energy as you make yourself a meal.

7. Joseph Joseph Nesting Utensils

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If you’ve ever struggled to pull the right spatula or spoon out of your overcrowded drawer or cluttered Lazy Susan, this set of stacking utensils is sure to make your life (and your cooking process) simpler, easier and more enjoyable.

8. Zevro Indispensable Dry Food Dispenser

Whether you buy in bulk and need more room or are just tired of your dry foods going stale, this storage and dispenser is a unique gadget that will keep your kitchen running smoothly! You can use it to store whatever you seem to run out of the most: cereal, oatmeal, baking supplies or even dog food will stay fresh and accessible whenever you need it.

Cooking meals for yourself can be such a crucial act of self care, an investment in nourishing your body and your mind. Now more than ever we are aware of the energy it takes to do even small things; why not make a choice to make this one action easier than ever?

There are so many facets that make up a healthy, happy life, and I believe a few choices can compound for greater wellness. If you’re looking for more ways to organize and streamline your home, you can find our suggestions for home organization here. To make the process of eating healthy even easier, you can click here to read our guide to smoothie supplements that can supercharge your diet. I hope a few of these pieces can help make daily life easier, giving you more time and energy for the things that truly matter,