Holiday Gift Guides, 2020
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and let’s be honest, the most stressful. If you’re anything like me, there is a lot of stress associated with getting gifts for others at the holidays. While I do love getting a gift, I love the act of giving gifts just as much. But there are some people in my life that are incredibly difficult to shop for (my husband being one). And then there are some people, like your in-laws or your colleagues, that you just have no idea what to buy!
One of my biggest pet peeves is giving meaningless gifts or gifts that you know people won’t use. These things end up in a pile in the corner of a room for a few weeks following the holidays until you finally decide to find a junk drawer to house it, regift it, or donate it. The goal for these gift guides was to avoid that entirely!
There are also so many gift guides for him or her. Truthfully, that’s not really my thing. I like to buy something for others that I would use myself, and that isn’t going to be stuck in a gendered box. I am a huge lover of any gifts that promote self-care, and my true loves are beauty and skincare. Those are gifts that can be appreciated by anyone. The same thing goes for my other gifts – they are for anybody, a homebody, a luxury lover (aka, my wish list), a beauty lover, and everybody you have have no clue what to get.
If one thing is true, 2020 has changed our needs and our priorities. The things I would have bought or desired last year are different than what I would want now, especially with so much time spent at home. From loungewear, to games, to scents and soaps, my gift guides have it all covered, and include some of my most loved belongings and gifts over the years. Enjoy!
This first gift guide is a wish list because if I was putting together some presents I would want for the holidays, these would the the gifts. Starting with this full SKIMS cozy knit set, including the robe I already have and love. I have major heart eyes for this Polene bag I saw Brooklyn Blonde with. My sister and I are all about this Liz Adams collaboration with Dana Rebecca’s beautiful fine jewelry line. You can’t go wrong with Golden Goose, ever. I wear my pair pretty much every day. On my big ticket list for this year is a Dyson fan or their air wrap hair system, paired with this luxe hair brush. And for a little bit more, I love this YSL key chain, my favorite scent for anyone, and this gorgeous eyeshadow palette that I have been eyeing for months.
Considering it’s 2020, I guess most of us fall into this category now. And to be honest, I feel like there is something very special about getting a gift you can proudly display in your home. I’m including this gorgeous coffee table book, Made for Living, and my favorite, most-used recipe book from the Defined Dish. Our Sonos sound bar is an absolute TV-watcher essential. Who wouldn’t love a luxe sweats set, or these cozy throws from Barefoot Dreams (I have and sleep with mine every single night). If you’re looking for a gift to thank one of your delivery person or a landlord, we love to gift these gorgeous plants from the Sill. I love these chic tumblers that would make a great gift for any host. And 2020 is the year of the candle – I love this one with a cloche and these gorgeous candle accessories to match.
While you will see beauty gifts in all of my guides, it had to have its own moment here. For makeup buys, I have had this insanely gorgeous Hourglass palette on my wishlist for a long time, and I have and love this lip trio from lipstick icon, Charlotte Tilbury. I also included some more luxe buys, like this cult-favorite brush set from Artis, this beginner set from La Mer, and my hands-down top beauty splurge – Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream. I included my ride or die beauty tool, the GloPro, and my all-time favorite eye patches. On my own list for this year is this face steamer for some special at-home self-care, and this clean beauty set from Wildling that includes two of my new favorite tools- the gua sha and a dry brush. I’m going to round it off with the skincare bible book from Caroline Hirons, and this silk Slip set that’s great for your skin and your hair that I think anyone would be happy to have.
This is the list for anyone you are still struggling to shop for, and it includes a lot of the gifts I have gotten for the pickiest person I have to gift – Chris. He and I both love our Airpods Pro (the quality really is just superior to the standard), and our Bose wireless headphones that are the most comfortable for all-day wear. His boss sent him this sweet boba matcha latte kit from The Boba guys, which was an unexpected treat. Chris loves his theragun (his gift from last year), this weighted blanket he uses daily, and our favorite silky-soft joggers from Tommy John. I’m including my favorite chunky scarf, because no one would be mad at that, as well as two of our favorite scents from Otherland and Apothoke Co. Looking for an excellent parent gift? Try an Apple TV. Top it all off with a Nordstrom gift card, which is the gift that keeps on giving and you know they will love, because they get to pick!
I wanted to put together a few gifts that I felt might fit for anyone, starting with this gift set from Necessaire. This is totally not something you want to spend your money on, but anyone would be glad to get (you can even buy it fragrance-free if you’re worried about allergies). Keeping that self-car theme going, I love a good bath bomb, and these CBD bath bombs are it for a gift that is sure to bring some relaxation. I included a few coffee/tea favorites (Chris and I are more into caffeine than alcohol), including this milk frother I use daily, this electric kettle I am eyeing for Chris, and my favorite coffee mug from Yeti that keeps your beverage the temperature you intend for it to be all day. I love this indoor herb garden, perfect for NYC friends. Since we are all staying inside, I love this colorful lucite Jenga set you can keep on display. Pair it with some cocktails from this leather-bound book, with this ribbed glass carafe set, perfect for your work-from-home setup. And finishing it off with this gift that everyone needs – a sanitizing box for your phone, keys, sunglasses, or whatever needs to get clean.
Some of my most used/favorite gifts every year come from my stocking, for those who celebrate Christmas. I love these two lip sets from Sephora – one with my favorite sleeping mask, and the other with some gorgeous clean beauty tinted lip oils. This adorable silk scrunchies set is even in an ornament. I included some other great beauty buys to gift, like my favorite hydrating face mask that Chris and I love, a hand cream for your bedside table or bag, and two of my favorite beauty tools of 2020 – this ice roller and a gua sha kit with room to explore the art a little more. Chris and I always gift each other underwear, and our top pick will forever be Tommy John. My 2020 pick is this silk face mask (you know I have and love). And no one is upset with a winter hat – Chris love this wool Barbour baseball hat, and I love an itch-free cashmere beanie to keep me warm.
Thank you for shopping my holiday gift guides! For transparency, some of these links may be affiliated, which means I make a small commission off of any purchases made when clicking these links. I always share with you only what I love – thanks for your ongoing support!
