Holiday Gift Guide 2019
Happy Holidays!
We’re looking forward to taking some time to relax a bit over the holidays with our friends and family. Although we purchased our house last November, this is our first holiday season in our house. When we moved from our apartment to our house, we decided to have a little bit of work done to the house and move in slowly - we ended up finishing the move in February. Any other new homeowners out there spending your first holiday in your home? I always feel like the holidays make home even more special - maybe its just the time spent settling in and slowing down for a few days - and we love it.
If you’re like us, you’ve already racked your brain for gift ideas and turned up short on ideas for a few people who are difficult to buy for, or you’re scared of buying them the same thing you did 2-3 years ago… (guilty!), we hope that this list can lend you a helping hand.
We’ve got a few things on our wish list for this year that we wanted to share in case you’re stuck in a rut, too. While we compiled this list for mass availability, we also have a general gift guide that is full of items from Pittsburgh area makers, which you can find by clicking here. Enjoy!
A Brick Clips allow you to hang wreaths, lights, etc from your brick - no drilling needed. Available at Lowe’s, Amazon and Container Store.
B This classic game will always have a home in my heart. Many late nights were spent with the women in my extended family gathered around the table at my Grandmother’s or my Godmother’s playing Rummikub for hours on end. This tile and wood easy-to-store set is available on Amazon, but you can also find this game on the Rummikub site (so many varieties!), on Pressman Toy’s site, or at Target.
C We have a small diffuser on our third floor and love it. Our laundry is on our third floor, so there is quite a bit of static up there. The diffuser helps immensely. Vitruvi’s diffusers can diffuse water, or you can add a few drops of essential oil and diffuse that for some aromatherapy. We love these Vitruvi diffusers because they are ceramic, are easy to operate and clean, and come in beautiful colors like this terra cotta one. Caution: if you are a household with pets, like us, you need to do your research before buying essential oils. For example, two of my favorite scents are lavender (safe for pups) and eucalyptus (poisonous to pups = a no go in our house). Available on Vitruvi’s site, and on Amazon.
D I’m slightly ashamed to say I don’t own this book yet. I’ve been eyeing it for years and just haven’t picked it up. If you have a family member or friend who is an architect or designer, is interested in Historic Preservation, or just likes old buildings, “A Field Guide to American Houses” is one to pick up for them. Available on Amazon. If you’re local, the gift shops at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob usually stock this book. Bonus gift idea - take a trip to one or both houses! Fallingwater was listed earlier this year as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can read more on that here.
E Thank you to my boss for bringing this book into my life! If you have a friend who is an architect or designer, has an old home, or is prone to DIY everything (totally my Dad), then this book is a great one to give. From getting solid proportions to geeking out over terms I had no idea even existed (cue many moments of “oh that’s what that is called!”), this has been a great resource in my day-to-day life. Hoping it brings joy to the nerdy building-lover in your life, too! Available on Amazon.
F Who else is tired of plastic wrap and aluminum foil? We were gifted one of these wraps from a rep at work, and let me tell you, this stuff is awesome. We use it for covering cheeses and chopped veggies (not for onions - too smelly!). We would like to have a few more so we can use more of our Pyrex containers for prepping lunches. If you have someone in your family who is eco-conscious, an avid home chef, or even someone who loves bees, this is a great gift that will last for up to a year of reuse. Take that, single use plastic. Multiple patterns available on Amazon, directly from Bee’s Wrap, or over at Grove Collaborative.
G-K Pretty dish towels, and beautiful hardworking cleaning supplies - who could want more? These are a perfect gift for the cleaning junkie in your life (hi, Mom!) or for that person who just loves aesthetically pleasing, simple housewares. In order of appearance: Dish Towels in Fog Grey, Grunge Buster Grout and Tile Brush, Tiny Team Mini Brush and Dustpan Set, Clean Team Dust Pan and Brush, and the Bubble Up Soap Dispenser and Brush Set. These items are available through Grove Collaborative.
L Digital scales are great for the kitchen and for weighing packages. We found this one for our own wish list, which had great reviews and comes with a stellar price point. Give it as a present for a home chef or as a stocking stuffer. Available on Amazon or Greater Goods. Their headquarters is in our former home city of Saint Louis, and they have a great mission. Check them out!
M This travel scrabble set is a great gift to carry with you for holidays to come. This classic game is another that brings back special memories with my family. We have spent many holidays with my Dad’s family playing Scrabble together at my Grandma’s table. You can find this travel set on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble or from WS Game Company.
N We have this bluetooth speaker by KNIT in our bedroom, which is great for lazy weekend mornings with our pups. The speaker battery lasts for about 3-4 hours before it needs a charge and the sound quality is quite good considering the price point. This speaker used to be available at Target, but we could only find it recently on Amazon and KNIT’s site.
Happy Gifting!