A list of little joys–given and received.
Christmas isn’t generally top of mind this time of year. However, finding ourselves at home with limited access to shopping and a determination to do more with what’s on-hand has opened my eyes to just how great some of our stocking stuffers were this year. Perhaps this list can inspire you to find little joys among your own shelves or drawers, or even give you a head start on your shopping list for next year.
1. Leading with the practical – the Anker PowerCore 5000 Portable Charger is a little beast. In our previous state, this little guy was a must-have for my purse or work bag and my husband’s laptop bag. (We have two.)
It has saved me when my phone died during dinner but I needed to request an Uber to get home, and countless times on the road where multitasking was draining all of my devices. In our current world, you think this might be less useful. I mean, where are we going after all? Well, I will tell you. Keep this charged and close at hand. You never know when you will need to take a conference call on your cell phone in a closet (after your kiddo has drained the battery playing games while you were too busy to notice), or when you will get a chance to make a run for it or a walk for it. I really savor a peaceful walk listening to a good podcast. I don’t want to risk that precious private time to a charging-fail. It’s also great in case of a power outage.
If you are surprised to see this novelty make the list, you aren’t as surprised as I am. DIY hair color of any sort is typically not my jam, especially outside of the context of Halloween. But I love these cheerful little sticks of color! It’s fun, easy-to-apply, and easy-to-wash out. Don’t knock it 'til you try it!
3. Super Hero High Uno: Love it.
There is a wild array of specialty uno decks out there if you haven’t noticed. From Shark Week to Jurassic park, from Super Mario to Peanuts, Minecraft, and Lion King, you can find a spin on the classic game that fits your recipient or your own heart's desire. In our mobile device mania, card games can fall off the radar, but I am telling you they are winners in the stocking, in restaurants, on road trips, and in quarantine.
4. Speaking of classics, how about a great craft?
In one of our stockings this year, Santa left a Dollar Tree craft magazine with simple supplies to make certain projects on earmarked pages. Toothpicks, gum drops, pipe cleaners, beads, and the world’s best craft glue-Tacky Glue. Talk about a gift idea with legs. It can be exceptionally fun for folks of all ages to try their hand at a craft. We have done some following the book and others following our imaginations. We have used up most of the original supplies but found such inspiration, it’s now easier to walk around the house and see potential rather than feeling like we have to do a craft store run to make the magic happen. The process can be as beautiful as the outcome, perhaps even moreso.
5. Quite possibly the most unexpected win from our 2019 stockings have been pocket hand sanitizers from the Dollar Tree.
What might have seemed like the equivalent of the gift of underwear back in December now rates as valuable as gold. My daughter particularly loves her set that includes ice cream scents, which we all prefer to mine that smells more like cheap vodka, but hey they all do the trick. Some time in March we did an all-out scavenger hunt around our house to find all of these pocket sanitizers from Christmas and freebies from trade shows to build a stash of hand sanitizer. If you haven’t done the same yet: Ready, set, go! I am sure every household has at least one or two of these little babies hiding in a pocket or discarded backpack. Go get’em.
6. Staying on the theme of practicality for a moment, and perhaps revealing that my spirit animal might be an 80-year old granny with blue hair, I recommend the Login Locker.
Again, this one might have seemed like a snoozer on Christmas morning, but with a mounting number of passwords to remember as we open even more online and streaming accounts to help manage our new pandemic lifestyle, I am grateful for this little lo-fi helper to track all of the variations of the handful of passwords we use. It’s so helpful to have this hard copy list to share account info with the rest of the household.
7. At long last, I give you a stocking stuffer idea that exudes luxury over practicality–Chakra Spray from Aveda.
I kid you not, a few squirts of this heavenly herbal spray and my hubby and I feel more relaxed instantly. We like using it at bedtime but have also taken to squirting it at each other in moments where working and schooling from home have sent one or both of us into a tizzy. It might not be a quarantine essential but it sure is nice to have around.
8. On the same note, Aveda’s Comforting Tea is a bit of a splurge, but a pure delight.
It’s perfect blend of flavors is just a little sweet but a whole lotta soothing. One box has not lasted til April. We have replenished our supply but still give credit to Santa for bringing this Zen brew into our house for the first time. A few sips of this tea and a few squirts of Chakra spray and you are well on your way to having “spa moments” at home.
9. The Thumb Piano was an unexpected family favorite this year.
Though it was in my daughter’s stocking, we have all enjoyed picking it up and strumming a few tunes. It’s quite therapeutic and melodious. It came with an easy to follow song book, but it’s also nice to simply freestyle–and nice to look at. My nephew who is a music therapy major could probably give us the clinical reason why we are often gravitating to this instrument in times of quarantine angst, but for now I’ll just leave it as it seems to be a very intuitive way to find a calming, screenless moment.
10. Lastly, I would say my “I Love NY” spoon rest is a gift that has kept on giving.
I truly love New York City. Having spent some of my formative 20’s there, it holds a piece of my heart in a deep and lasting way. I have been fortunate to help instill an appreciation of time in the city in my family, and we typically visit at least once a year all together. In no way am I trying to diminish the gravity of the current situation in New York to a tourist tchotchke, or for that matter say a spoon rest sums up my affection for the city, its people, and its heart–but what this gift has done for me of late is remind me daily to send my love where it’s needed. Seeing the iconic I (heart) NY conjures a myriad of memories that provide both comfort and hope, in the face of daily news that is hard to watch. I don’t necessarily recommend you add the same spoon rest to next year’s shopping list but I do recommend not underestimating the worth of a souvenir or something small that bridges the sentimental with practical.
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