Holiday Gift Guide | 2017
Finding awesome gifts for everyone in your life can be...overwhelming.
To assist you in your quest for the awesome and giftable, I have compiled some of my personal favorite things and created this Holiday Gift Guide to share with you! I have meticulously grouped products based on oddly specific interests, and everything you see below is something that I actually own and honestly love. Since these are bundled with like items, you can put everything together and make a fun gift basket, or you can just use it as inspiration. Whatever you do, just don’t judge me and my frivolous ways.
Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals!
FujiFilm Instax Mini 8 Camera - $72.95
FujiFilm Instax Case - $18.99
FujiFilm Instax B&W Film - $12.49
Polaroids are FUN. A few months ago, I took a selfie with one of my favorite three year olds and she was blown away by the photograph that was printing before her eyes. You could see her excitement as the photo was coming out of the camera, and you could feel her anticipation as the photo was slowly and magically developing right in front of her eyes. The photos were took together became a really fun keepsake for her.
Instax Instant Film cameras have been around for a couple years now but they are still a hot commodity. My camera is black like my soul and an older model like, well, me. There is a newer version called the Instax Mini 9 that is less expensive than what mine is currently sold for.
Make your gift a custom bundle with some Black and White film and a nifty case, OR - get this awesome bundle of standard film from Costco (if you’re a member). Seriously, this is the best pricing you'll find for the amount of sheets you get.
Felt Changeable Letter Board - $26.99
When I first got this letter board, Mr. San Diego would randomly leave me terrifying messages on it. We find tons of uses for this thing and it makes a very cute prop for photographs!
Target Wondershop Flannel Sheet Set – $26.99 / Queen
Flannel sheets that FINALLY match your bedding? YES. I love flannel bedding during the colder months but hate that they never come in styles that match my bedding. You’re either sleeping on Christmas sheets in February or have some weird plaid pattern that clashes with everything. When I saw this heather grey flannel sheet set at Target that was PRINTLESS (link for other solid colors), I was more excited than I care to admit. I can’t be the only one who feels this way, and I would have been stoked to receive this as a gift.
YOU GUYS – these pajamas are warm, stretchy, fit like leggings, and HAVE POCKETS! POCKETTTSSSSSS!!!! I’m a weirdo and very much dislike sleeping in loose fitting sleep clothing. I do not own a single pair of cute winter pajamas because they’re all too baggy. American Eagle came out with these pajamas that are like warm leggings designed for sleeping and…did I mention...have POCKETS. I am OBSESSED and these are perfect for the girl in your life that wears yoga pants at home but never to the gym. American Eagle make also makes comfy joggers that are slightly baggy but cinch at the ankles and waist to keep them snug.
Mr. San Diego bought these for me and they’re awesome house slippers. Really, there is nothing outstanding about these slippers but I love them so much. They have a flat bottom so I don’t slip around, are squishy like memory foam on the inside, and keep my feet nice and warm.
ClassPass - $30 – 95 / Month, Depending on Location
Give the gift of fitness options with a membership to ClassPass, the service that allows you to take 3, 5, or 10 classes a month at any participating fitness studio. It is like a buffet for getting your sweat on. Try a yoga class at a new studio on Monday, hop into a spin class on Friday, and Rousey your way into a boxing class on Sunday. Not all cities participate, but San Diego has 257 fitness studios across the county that are listed. It is a great way to find out what (and where) you like best before committing to a contractual membership to one specific studio that you may end up hating.
Will Workout for Cupcakes Gym Bag - $59
Now that you’ve given your giftee a great option for finding the workout that is right for them, they need a gym bag to look the part. Fake it ‘til you make it, am I right? I received this in a past FabFitFun box and I think it is super cute!
Target Ello Chi Tristan Water Bottle - $12.99
I added this water bottle to my list for two reasons. One, it’s cute and functional, and two, if you’re making a fitness gift basket, it’s an inexpensive thing to add to the mix. This is my current every day water bottle and I love it because the silicone sleeve makes it slip-proof (mostly) and has a lock on the side so I can throw it in my gym bag and not worry about it accidentally leaking everywhere. Plus, you can open it with one-handed by pressing the button on the side.
Desi Perkins is a beautiful and successful YouTube Beauty Influencer who collaborated with Quay Australia (pronounced Key), a sunglass company, to make her own line of sunglasses. Her most popular style of sunglasses (I think) are the High Key aviator style shades. When these first launched, fangirls everywhere rushed to buy their own pair and they immediately sold out. Unsurprisingly, I was one of those fangirls and snagged a pair of my very own in the Black Fade color option. They feel well made and are super stylish. Want to impress your YouTube obsessed loved one? Get them a pair of these and you'll make them think you’ve been paying attention to their YouTube dreams.
Also, if your loved one happens to have a smaller sized head (mine is gigantic), Desi recently came out with High Key Minis to accommodate the more petite craniums.
Farsali Unicorn Essence - $54
No unicorns were harmed in the making of this essence. This product picked up steam on YouTube and Instagram when girls everywhere started recording themselves dropping these “unicorn tears” on their face as a primer. It’s pink and shimmery, and therefore became an instant hit. It felt as though every YouTube Beauty Influencer posted a review of this product. I have not used the essence for very long, but it really is a great primer. Sephora now sells a mini version, which is actually what is pictured above, for $20.
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer - $399
Yes, a hair dryer that looks like it’s from the future and costs four hundred bucks. Dyson played it smart and sent a bunch of YouTubers a free Supersonic to review on their channels, and millions of impressionable YouTube obsessed women with wreckless spending habits decided that they definitely needed this dryer too. Am I insane? A little. Ok – a lot, but I have been the proud owner of this beauty for a few months now and I LOVE IT. It’s quieter than a normal dryer, it’s lightweight and doesn’t hurt my wrists after extended use, and I swear it cut five minutes off my normal drying time.
Right now, Sephora is selling a killer bundle for the exact same price as buying the dryer by itself. Want to spend a ridiculous amount of money on someone? This is where to do it. Want to buy this dryer but wish you could break up the payments over a few months without interest? Get it at QVC.
Honorable YouTube Mentions: These are not products that I own but they are YouTube Famous products that may be worth checking out.
The Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette by Morphe - $38
Patrick Starr Set Powder by Mac Cosmetics - $34 (Available 12/13)
Beard Oil by Mountaineer Brand – $11.88
Condition your beards, XYs. Stop complaining about how itchy growing out your eye candy is and throw some beard oil on it. The stuff smells “manly” and does wonders for your beard. It makes a great stocking stuffer, which is exactly how Mr. San Diego received his first bottle two years ago.
Stanley Classic One Hand Vacuum Mug – $20.84
I had to stop Mr. San Diego from buying this mug for himself because I had no idea for what to get him for Christmas. I think the one-handed functionality of this mug makes this a great option for the commuters in your life. Honestly, I just think it is super cool looking and I may get one for myself eventually.
GoPro HERO5 Session - $299
Mr. San Diego recently purchased this awesome little gadget for our trip to Alaska. I know that GoPro is nothing new, but we are newbies to the action cam game and we had so much fun with it! It is a sturdy little beast that is waterproof (no extra case needed) and super lightweight. If you’re planning on traveling soon with a loved one, this may be an awesome gift idea to capture your adventures together.
Cabin Porn: Inspiration for Your Quiet Place Somewhere - $28
Nothing like opening up porn in front of your Mother on Christmas Day. OK, so it's "porn" per se...but you get to see and read about beautiful cabins from all over. It's a great coffee table book and induces serious wanderlust.
Shirts on Tap – $18 / Month
This is a super cool subscription box for the craft beer loving San Diegan in your life. Shirts on Tap is a monthly subscription box that mails you a cool custom t-shirt from a local brewery and includes drink coupons, stickers, details about the brewery featured, and more. It isn’t just for men – they have a women’s cut shirt option as well! You can choose whether you want a heavy or soft shirt, logo on the front or back, and they have tank top options for the summer.
Only five major cities participate at the moment and San Diego is the only one in California. Denver, Portland, Seattle, and Dallas are the other four cities. Mr. San Diego and his father have been members for a year now, and the drink coupons give them a fun excuse to get together once a month over a pint.
Dinosaur Skeleton Gold Choker - $7.99
How fun is this necklace? It’s inexpensive, hasn’t turned my skin green (as of yet), and is super cool! It makes for a fun and attention grabbing conversation topic, unless you’re talking to a dinosaur-denier or flat-earther...then it is not so fun. Run!
Diamond Dazzle Stick - $4.81
Know someone who is recently engaged or married? This stick twists at the base and squeezes out a small amount of cleansing gel onto bristles, making it a perfect (and cheap) on-the-go jewelry cleaner.
Scentportable Clip and Fragrance by Bath and Body Works - $5.50 Clip, $3.50 Fragrance
Just a practical stocking stuffer, especially if someone you know has a stinky car.
Zoella Beauty Soap on a Stick - $6.50
If you plan on making a gift basket with the YouTube Beauty Junkie items, throw this in the mix. Zoella is one of the most famous of the YouTubers from across the pond and has her own line of cutesy beauty and lifestyle products. They smell good and are cute to look at.
Surprisingly, the face mask range from Sephora is really good. I'm a big fan of the Pearl masks in the sheets and sleeping masks. It’s a cheap grab and is something fun to throw into a stocking or a gift basket.
This concludes my weird and random journey into the things I own and think you would also enjoy. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite past holiday gifts have been!
xoxo