The holidays are officially upon us. Which means your to-do list now has one more big item on it…
Holiday shopping.
You’ve barely had enough time for a second sip of your white peppermint mocha, much less brainstorming gifts for everyone on your list.
You’ve got two options:
- Drive yourself crazy coming up with THE perfect present for your friends, partner, kiddos, and pets.
Or…
- Keep it simple. Stick to practical gifts. And don’t sweat it.
Yes, the holidays can be stressful. But you don’t need to overthink this, mama!
Here are our favorite proven-to-please gift ideas for everyone on your list. They may not be the most exciting gifts of all time, but they’re thoughtful, uber practical, and definite crowd-pleasers!
Girlfriends (The Ones Who Feel Like Family!)
Pre-natal massage
For any expectant mom on your list, this gift is life-changing. It’s as good for the body as it is for the mind.
Club together with a friend or two to treat your mama-to-be to some much-needed “me time”.
Pick up a gift certificate to a local spa or grab a SpaFinder gift card online to make it super simple.
Lauren wallet
Source: hobobags.com
This wallet from Hobo is all sorts of amazing and we can’t think of a woman who wouldn’t love it to pieces.
It’s got two deep side pockets that fit receipts, ID, credit cards, cell phone, lip gloss, pouches of baby food, wet wipes, everything. It comes in a zillion color options and doubles as a clutch. Any woman will get a ton of use out of this bad boy!
Funny wine bottles
Source: etsy.com
The problem with gag gifts is that they’re funny...but serve no actual purpose. That’s where these babies come in.
They’re a great tongue-in-cheek gift that pulls double duty. Because extra wine is a great thing to have on hand at the holidays. (Slash all days.)
Starbucks gift card
Is a Starbucks gift card original? Heck no. But is it appreciated? YES. Ask literally any mom on the planet.
A Starbucks card will always, always, always delight the recipient. And isn’t that what holiday giving is all about?
Husband, boyfriend, or dude in your life
Cord Tacos
Source: thisisground.com
Tangled Headphone Syndrome happens to everyone, which makes these clever cord tacos an incredibly practical gift.
If you’re looking for something different, This Is Ground has tons of awesome leather gadget storage options. We also love the Cordito roll-up and Knick Knack Nacho.
Google Home
Source: (https://store.google.com/product/google_home_mini)
GrubHub gift card
Seriously? Who doesn’t want a gift that delivers tasty food AND gives you an excuse to spend a night in sweatpants?
We can’t think of a guy who wouldn’t love using this when it’s his turn to cook dinner.
Unisex diaper bag
Source: amazon.com
Many a dad soul withers away while carrying a magenta Vera Bradley diaper bag.
You’ll use your diaper bag constantly so treat your expectant dad to one he feels good wearing. Choose a neutral option like this one from Amazon that you can both enjoy lugging through the grocery store, mall, and let’s be honest — everywhere else.
Little Ones
Magna-tiles
Source: magnatiles.com
Is it too bold to say Magna-Tiles are the new Lincoln Logs?
Little kids absolutely love these and they’re great for a toddler’s development. They also happen to be really fun for adults to play with too, which is a huge plus!
Sophie the Giraffe
Source: sophiethegiraffe-usa.com
We’re not sure what it is, exactly, but this toy is FIRE with babies.
Every baby we know has at least one Sophie and they can’t get enough! It’s part teething toy, part baby catnip. Any little one in your life is sure to love it!
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
Can we please turn back time and have this book when we were little?
This is a children's book of 100 bedtime stories about the lives of 100 extraordinary women — from Amelia Earhart to Queen Elizabeth I to Serena Williams to Joan Jett.
“To every little girl who dreams big, I say yes, you can be anything you want — even president.” - Hillary Clinton. Isn’t this the kind of message we want our kids to hear?
Indoor Snowball Fight
Source: amazon.com
This product is designed by two moms, so you know it’s gotta be good!
Even if you don’t have a white Christmas, you can still enjoy a good ol’ fashioned snowball fight indoors. These soft “snowballs” are so much fun for kids and parents to play with. They’re great for getting kids active and they’re machine washable to be used again and again!
Furry friends
Chic name tag
Source: etsy.com
We’re throwing away our pets’ tacky tags from Petco and upgrading to a sleeker model this year.
For around $15, you can gift your pooch a really classy handmade dog tag. Etsy offers tons of hand-hammered options. We love this upscale cutie — you can even get it in rose gold!
Hide-a-Squirrel toy
Source: amazon.com
This is the dog toy to end all dog toys!
It’s a fun way to play with your pet — when you get bored of throwing the tennis ball around the house. Dogs are obsessed with this plushy toy! (Also, it’s got over 9K positive Amazon reviews. If that doesn’t scream “proven-to-please”, we don’t know what will!)
Cat crib
Source: catcrib.com
For the coziest catnap ever, hook up your kitty with a cat crib!
This smart design fits under your four-legged furniture to give your pet a comfy place to snooze, without messing with the decor of your home. Win-win!
Being a mom is a big responsibility — especially around the holidays.
Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to get THE most perfect gift that has ever graced the planet. Remember, really good is good enough!
Stick to practical, tried-and-true gift ideas for a satisfied family and a well-balanced Mom — and enough time to sit back and enjoy the peppermint mocha.
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