2019 favorite things + gift ideas

I have done lots of gift guides in the past (click here for all of them), but I thought this year, I would share some of my favorite things over the last year or so instead. These are things that I have loved and give as gifts because I think the things we use and love make some of the best gifts for the right person on your list.

$$$ ($100+)

Instant Pot. I have the six-quart that is only $49 as of this writing, but if I had a do-over, I would get the 8-quart. I really think every home cook should have an Instant Pot. It will pay for itself in a few months even if you only make stock with it (but you won’t because it can do so much).

Patagonia Better Sweater. Grant has been raving about these for years, so I finally got one last year. If you’re willing to buy last year’s colors (and why not? These things last forever, so who cares if it is the 2018 color?), you can often find them on sale. I live in this thing, and Grant does too. They are warm and cozy, but I feel like I look much more put together in it versus a hoodie. Most importantly, they’re perfect for hiking because they keep you warm, but they’re very breathable. I wear just the Better Sweater on those chilly fall and spring days, but then layer it under my coat for winter hikes. Investing in good outdoor gear is one of the best ways to get outside more, so this will be a welcome gift for the outdoorsy person on your list. I have one, and I’ll be on the lookout for a back-up when they go on sale in the spring because I would wear it most days of the week during the chillier months. Plus, I love supporting Patagonia.

Food processor. If the real foodie on your list doesn’t have one of these, they will love you forever if you get them one. I wouldn’t do lacto-fermentation or much preserving in general if I didn’t have a food processor to speed up the process.

Kindle Paperwhite. I asked for a used one of these for Christmas last year because the original Kindle I had been gifted years ago finally conked out. I still prefer a real book, BUT I love my Kindle for two big reasons: 1) I love it for traveling because it is obviously so much easier to transport than a big stack of real books and 2) I turn the light waaaayy down on this to read at night. I have to read before bed, but Grant doesn’t always read before bed. So this saves us both because the low light doesn’t bother him trying to sleep (and it doesn’t keep me up too long either), and I still get some reading in to relax me before bed. I have a used version, and it works great.

$$ ($25-$75ish)

State Park Pass. We always get a state park pass as a gift to our whole family. It is another great way to force your family to get outside more and explore your start parks because you’ve already spent the money. It would also be a great gift to give to an outdoorsy family or friend. Plus, I just like supporting the state park system. Along similar lines, we have always loved giving and receiving experiences like museum or zoo memberships or tickets to a show.

Nice yoga mat. Yogi or not, we would all do better by moving or even just sitting on the floor more. I like to leave my yoga mat out in front of the TV to encourage me to sit and move on the floor instead of always plopping on the couch. I love my Manduka, and I think a nicer yoga mat is definitely worth the investment. P.S. A carrying strap like this that can also double as a prop is a great stocking stuffer or add-on to a yoga mat.

Weighted blanket. We bought one of these for Jasper for his birthday, and he LOVES it. Now we all steal his, and I plan to get Maeve one for Christmas, plus one that we can just keep in the family room for us all to use. It is very grounding and calming (more benefits here), and the kids use it of their own accord whenever they’re feeling upset or riled up about something. Anything that helps kids (and adults) self-regulate is worth the investment if you ask me.

Tree swing. I love this thing, even though we bought it for the kids. Its amazing to me how kids and adults alike gravitate toward this thing. I am all for gifts that get us outside more, and I think every family with a tree in their yard should have a tree swing.

$ (Under $25)

A good Frisbee. When it’s nice out, we love a family Frisbee game on a Friday night after work. We had one of these, but then we took it somewhere and lost it. So we used a regular Frisbee that we had around the house for a few weeks because we gave up and bought another Discraft one. I’m kinda terrible at Frisbee anyway, but I’m extra terrible with crappy Frisbees. A good Frisbee is still pretty cheap and fun for all ages. We always take one on vacation and like to leave one in the car because you never know when a good time for Frisbee might pop up.

Think n’Sync. I love to give and receive games (more ideas here), and this has been one of our favorites over the last few years. It’s easy to learn, goes quickly, and everybody loves it (it’s great for kids who can read).

Code Names. Since we’re on the subject of games, Grant and I really love this one too. We have the regular and two person version, and we actually use both enough to make it worth it having both.

Vitamin C serum. I have written about my newfound skincare regime this year, but I think Vitamin C makes the biggest immediate difference in my skin. I like The Ordinary, but there are plenty of cheaper and more expensive options out there. This would be a nice treat for the person on your list who seemingly has everything.

Diffuser. We love having a diffuser in each room. We like getting in some tree scents (e.g. fir, cypress, pine, etc.) before bed. It’s easy to add some essential oils to make it into a bigger gift if desired. There are a hundred different kinds, so find what works for you (we use this one in the kids’ rooms FWIW).

A half dome (or three). I’ve written about the benefits of these before, but we love them so much that we have one in our bedroom, family room, and I keep one at work. Twenty-five percent of our bones and muscles are located below our ankles, and having half domes laying around mean that you’re more likely to be caring for all of those bones and tissues below your ankle.

Books! My favorite thing to give and receive is books. I will gifting the following this year, although hopefully the people receiving these aren’t reading!

Kids. Maeve is obsessed with Raina Telgemeier, so she will be getting lots of her books that she doesn’t yet have. I also bought her this because I want to brainwash her into loving Anne. Jasper is obsessed with all things World War 2, so he is getting this version of The Diary of Anne Frank that I picked up at Wild Geese a few weeks ago, Code Talker, and They Called Us Enemy. He loved this graphic novel about Bonhoeffer (as did Grant), so I bought him this one that looked similar.

Friends and family. I’m buying this cookbook for several people (short-ish review here). I’m also asking for this (and gifting it because I’ve heard such good things). I’m giving this to a couple who is newly married because I wish Grant and I had read it before we had kids. I bought several of these for the kids to fill out for various gift-giving.

The best thing I did this Advent was road trip to Franklin to Wild Geese, and Tiffany and crew did my Christmas shopping for me, pointing out which books they have loved, which ones they think I would like, titles that are selling well for kids and dads, etc. There is nothing like knowing your farmer and your bookseller, if you ask me, but if you can’t make it to Franklin/your favorite bookshop for some personal shopping, one of Wild Geese’s boxes would make a great gift for the reader in your life. P.S. I always add a personalized note in every book I gift – my mom told me to always write a note in a book about why you picked that book for that person, and it stuck, so I always add a note inside the front cover.

I love giving thoughtful gifts, so let me know some of your favorite things in the comments because I’ve found that someone’s favorite things make for great gift ideas to give.

*SBTS receives a small commission if you purchase the linked items from Amazon, but do try to find the item at a local store first!