Psst! This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
On any given year, it's a task for me to reign in my enthusiasm for gift-giving until it's socially acceptable to be out Christmas shopping. But this year, we have a baby due at the end of October. So we'll have a newborn during prime Christmas shopping time. Which means it's perfectly reasonable for me to do my Christmas shopping early and get it taken care of before baby comes--which is exactly what I did. I'm completely finished!
Truthfully, Christmas shopping is one of my favorite activities of the whole year. (Judge me all you want, it's fine.) It combines my affinity for shopping with my love of finding the perfect gift for someone--and then I get to pick out pretty paper to wrap it all up in and set it under a sparkly tree. I can't help feeling a little like Buddy the elf when I think about it.
Of course, the longer you buy gifts for the same people, the harder it gets to find the thing that's just right. You've picked the low-hanging fruit in years past and now you've really got to get creative. And if your list includes people like my husband, who never wants anything, it's even tougher.
One of my favorite places to peruse in these instances is Uncommon Goods. This site is perfect for finding gifts--it's filled with all kinds of quirky, cool, and unique stuff. If I'm struggling with a gift idea for someone, I can almost always find something on Uncommon Goods. As a company, they're pretty cool, too. Genuine sustainability is a big goal for them, which I can totally respect. They carry a lot of handmade, recycled, and organic products--often produced by individual artists or very small businesses. They enable customers to choose a nonprofit organization to receive a $1 donation from Uncommon Goods at checkout, they limit their printing of catalogues and the ones they do print are printed with recycled materials, and they are a founding member of an organization aimed at ensuring companies are having a positive impact on the environment, their employees, and the communities in which they operate. (You can read more about all of this here, if you're interested.)
Uncommon Goods gifts for my own difficult people
Men are impossible to shop for, aren't they? My men are no different. Uncommon Goods has lots of options for Christmas gifts for men, though. The thing I like most about their selection is that it strikes a balance between cool gadgets (like this bluetooth tracking device for your keys) and highly practical things (like this water-draining sponge holder). I have both types of guys to buy for, and it can be hard to find the right gift for each of them.
Husband
You guys, C is SO hard to shop for. He doesn't collect things, doesn't like knick-knacks or souvenir-type stuff, isn't into gadgets, and DIYs almost everything. I know nothing about tools, so I can't pick them out for him unless he tells me exactly what he wants. I suppose I could get him a gift card to buy his own tools, but it'd be pretty lame if he got nothing but gift cards year after year.
The trick with C is to strike a balance between practical and fun. Something like these scotch-infused toothpicks would be good (he loves scotch and would actually use toothpicks).
Brother-in-Law
In the past, we've done a gift exchange with C's siblings, and last year I drew my brother-in-law's name. I ended up getting him this home-brew journal to keep track of his beer recipes. It's attractive but also manly, has a ton of neat features inside, and he really liked it.
Father-in-Law
C takes after his dad, who also isn't into "stuff." He does, however, value the family tradition of doing puzzles, particularly at the holidays. This color gradient puzzle is basically the perfect gift for him. It also allows me to be just a little bit evil--because seriously, how hard would that be?!
Ten more great gift ideas for guys:
(1) Aristotle's number puzzle (2) Beeropoly game (3) Peanut butter sampler set (4) Outdoor popcorn popper (5) Customizable puzzle of the NYT front page (6) Flavored simple syrup set (7) NFL game-used uniform wallet (8) Key-hiding rock (9) Donut-warming mug (10) Garden trowel bottle opener
Uncommon Goods gifts on my own list
Uncommon Goods also has lots of gifts for women--including several things that I myself wouldn't mind finding under the tree. Someone please forward this list to C, ok?
Uncommon Goods carries these silicone feeding mats that I've been drooling over for ages and ages. They'd be perfect for my nephew or for our own little one coming soon (when she starts to eat real food, obviously). When E was learning to eat real food--and for many months after that--she made awful messes. Her bowl/plate would end up dumped all over the floor multiple times each meal. I got so tired of sweeping and wiping! These mats won't slide and therefore can't be accidentally knocked off the table or high chair. *Cue the angel chorus.* Of course, the kid is still going to throw things--because that's what babies do. But at least you won't end up with the entire plate dumped everywhere all at once.
I've been looking for a good travel case for my toiletries for a long time. Currently I tote around a bag with an open top because the zipper is busted. #Boo This cosmetic bag looks like it would hold a good amount of stuff, and I like that it can hang.
This tealight trough is just cool--imagine the shadows of those trees flickering on the wall while you sit on the couch sipping something hot. Cozy, right? Speaking of sipping, I'd be pretty jazzed to drink my morning coffee out of this unicorn mug or this llama mug.
Ten more great gift ideas for women:
(1) Wine pearls (2) Herbal warming slippers (3) Around-the-world tea sampler set (4) Himalayan salt tequila glasses (5) Travel diffuser aromatherapy kit (6) Peruvian opal necklace (7) Smartphone-charging reversible tote (8) Artisanal bamboo salt chest (9) Macaron kit (10) Eyeglass holder necklace
Basically what I'm saying is this: Uncommon Goods has saved me in the past and will do so again. If you're stuck on ideas (or just want to start off on the right foot), I highly recommend checking them out!
Where are your favorite places to shop for unique gifts? Who are the "difficult" people on your list?
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