Holiday Gift Guide 2020

Last year when travel was still possible, we made our first trip to Mexico and spent the first half of our time in Mexico City. We were lucky enough to dine twice at Gabriela Camara’s restaurants and I couldn’t wait to buy her cookbook upon our return. This has since become a reliable go to favorite book of mine and is full of authentic regional cuisine.

Along with probably the rest of the internet, I have been long awaiting this book from former Bon Appetit editor Claire Saffitz. Her brilliance in the kitchen, especially when it comes to baking, is truly special. I love the variety of classic and unique desserts offered in this book and the beautiful photographs are a perfect accompaniment.

I included this book in my gift guide last year but at that time, I hadn’t spent much if any time with it in my own kitchen. A year later, I have thoroughly cooked from this gem of a book and recommend it even more heartily than before. We have so many new favorite dishes thanks to this one.

I have not yet cooked from this recent addition to my own cookbook collection but I have paged through it several times, once along with Andrew because he absolutely loves Chinese dumplings, noodles, and more. I loved reading the story behind this now infamous family restaurant and I am excited to be able to make some of their dishes in my own kitchen, especially since it will probably be quite awhile before we can visit NYC again. We can’t decide what we want to make first!

Everyone and their brother hopped on the sourdough bandwagon during the pandemic except, I guess, for me? Even though I haven’t been baking it much lately though, I couldn’t resist investing in this excellent book from Bryan Ford. While I haven’t made anything yet, I am so excited to make so many of the recipes inside. I love the wide variety of recipes included far beyond just sourdough boules and baguettes.

This is another one that I haven’t baked from just yet but I have bookmarked plenty of things to try. I love simple recipes and the approach of everything being baked in one tin is a great idea. The raspberry cheesecake streusel bars are at the top of my list of recipes to try. I think I might have yelped a bit when I first laid eyes on them.

This is another repeat from last year’s guide and I am featuring it again for good reason – Midwest Made is my cookbook equivalent of a warm hug from a friend, a cozy blanket, or any beloved creature comfort of your choosing. I know any time I open it, I will find something I can’t wait to bake with ingredients I likely already have on hand. It is simply a brilliant book that will have you yearning to bake something wonderful the moment you open it.

This is a very new addition to my cookbook library but I must say that so far, it is a major hit. There are lots of recipes I am really excited to try, and the cocktail section is especially exciting to me. Everything we have made from this book so far has been excellent!

Here is one more repeat from last year’s gift guide that I truly adore. With so much extra time at home this year, baking layer cakes has been a fun and delicious way to pass the time. Caroline loves to flip through this book and choose one of the many stunning cakes for us to make. Every recipe we have made so far has been wonderful. I highly recommend this lovely and well written book.

I really love making pitcher recipes of cocktails, or at least I used to when I could have people over to drink a pitcher of cocktails. Anyway, these gorgeous pitchers are begging to be added to my entertaining collection so I’ll be fully prepared when it is time to host my friends again.

I was given a Piebox years ago and at the time, I didn’t think I really needed it or would get that much use out of it. Honestly, I love it and use it way more than I ever thought I would. Whether I’m transporting a pie or other low profile dessert to someone else or just storing it in my fridge, this simple storage solution has served me well.

I invested in a pack of these fun colorful straws years ago and we use them daily. They have held up remarkably well! I try to keep some in the car and at work as well to avoid disposable straws as much as possible.

Continuing my obsession with beautiful glassware, please behold this delightful array of offerings from Estelle Colored Glass. She has plenty more than just drink ware – even cake stands!!! Someone take away my credit card.

Okay, one more glassware item in this round up but I simply couldn’t resist these gorgeous handblown Champagne glasses. I love the lines and the slight tint to these. Can I have a kitchen completely full of glassware? Let’s find out.

I have many funny oven mitts in my kitchen, courtesy of this favorite local shop. This particular one, “Let’s eat your feelings too” is my all time fave and makes me laugh every time I use it. Be sure to flip through all the options because there are so many excellent ones to choose from!

I have been trying to find a good option for utensils to send in my kids’ lunchboxes and I think this might be the thing. I don’t trust them to not throw away my good silverware, but I don’t like giving them disposable utensils either. This seems like a good compromise – we can reuse them but if they get thrown out by accident, it won’t be the worst thing.

Super longtime readers might remember a time when I shared a day planner the had the word “shit” on the cover and Karens clutched their pearls and made sure to announce their unfollowing. Well, look out Karen because FUCK I LOVE CHEESE, and I also love this towel.

I love a set of coordinating canisters and these are just so simple and lovely. They would be a great option for anyone in your life who loves to bake.

Anyone who enjoys baking deserves a beautiful set of mixing bowls. Sure, they may already have bowls, but there are times when a prettier set is worth using and they really brighten my spirits when I get them out. Plus I don’t think you can have too many mixing bowls.

Linoto is a company that makes gorgeous linen sheets and bedding, and these towels are part of their zero waste initiative. Our cloth napkin situation is looking a little sparse these days and I think I will reup by investing in a pile of these beauties.

My friend Rana of Salame Jewelry Designs is such a talented artist and I always love browsing her whimsical and sparkling creations. Her crescent moon collection is particularly catching my eye right now and I love these gorgeous bracelets. So dainty and beautiful.

The Tiny Tassel is a shop I discovered earlier this year and I am positively smitten with their entire aesthetic. Take your time browsing through their colorful jewelry and clothing items. Just looking through their shop puts a smile on my face every time. The worst part is trying to narrow down what I want because I want it ALL!

I.LOVE.THIS.HAIR.PIN. I desperately want this piece and also desperately hope I’m cool enough to pull it off.

Elegantees is a really cool company doing good work, and they also happen to make some beautiful and very comfortable clothes. I’ve been eyeing this recent addition to their collection. Such a chic addition to any wardrobe, and could be styled to wear in so many different settings!

I don’t have any tattoos but I love the idea of these temporary tattoos featuring the work of the talented poet and artist Rupi Kaur. Which one(s) would you buy? I am definitely going to get some of these for myself.

I was thrilled to discover this local to me company that makes a variety of creams, balms, and other body products in lovely scents. Practically everyone deals with dry skin at this time of year and these fun gift sets are an ideal remedy. Her shop has so many wonderful offerings, I can’t wait to try more!

I’m always on the lookout for cute stud earrings and I also love a pop of color, so these ceramic studs are right up my alley. I want to collect them all.

Comfy clothes are essential for sleeping, and extra bonus if that comfy item is simultaneously sexy. I love these flutter pajama shorts so much. The contrasting neutrals, the silhouette, and the sexy little cut outs on the sides – I just love them.

Those that know me know I can’t resist yellow and this yellow stripe folder clutch is SO cute! It’s making me miss warm weather so much.

I don’t wear a ton of bracelets but I did add this one to my collection this year and it is lovely with its pearlescent sheen and gold accents. It goes with practically everything and is comfortable to wear, a must in my book.

This year was the year I became a plant lady. I discovered a local plant shop that I love and have to restrain myself from constantly buying all the plants. I think half the fun is finding unique planters to highlight the natural beauty of the plant, and this 3-piece planter from Jungalow is one I would love to add to my collection. Her entire shop is full of beautiful housewares, be sure to browse!

Normally I’m not a fan of gifting mugs but I make an exception when they are handmade stunning ceramics. Alexia Marcelle Abegg is an extremely talented artist and I love her work in both ceramics and textiles. Take a look through her pieces and see what you love best. Take note of the mug club which is a super fun gift idea!

These napkins are the kind of art that makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time. Maybe send a pack to each of your friends and then enjoy a virtual wine date! Also, be sure to browse through Emily’s shop. She has so many wonderful products, I had a really hard time choosing just one to share (but I think this wins for obvious reasons.)

I am very picky about candles and scents, but this candle is one of my all time favorites. I keep a few on hand all the time and have it in multiple rooms of my house. Her “You’re My Person” candle is another favorite of mine.

I have a feeling there are a lot of people who could use this reminder in their line of sight on the regular, myself included. Certainly reexamining the ways I spend my time and prioritizing rest has been a silver lining of the pandemic, and this art print is a nice way to affirm that sentiment.

I love puzzles so much that I could easily and would happily make an entire category of this gift guide “Puzzles” but I’m not sure anyone else feels the way I do. Anyone? This puzzle is probably my favorite I’ve done this year. It is very pretty and also decently challenging. I really enjoyed it!

Wool dryer balls are a wonderful way to reduce waste in your laundry routine. They last a very long time (seemingly forever? Mine have been going strong for many, many years) and work very well. I love the various kits available on this site, some of which include essential oils for fragrance and some with a stain stick. These would be a very cool gift, in my opinion.

I think most people have at least some reusable bags by now but in case you know someone who hasn’t gotten on the bandwagon yet or if you know someone who could maybe just use a few more, I think this Baggu set made to look like classic carry out bags is just so cute!

I have my sister in law to thank for this amazing find of a gift. How cool and fun are these decorate your own canvas shoes?! I want a pair for myself! I can’t wait to see what Caroline creates when she receives hers.

I can’t remember if I’ve ever included this game in the gift guide in past years, but this is one the kids and I still love to play together. It always ends in fits of laughter. We love introducing newbies to this favorite of ours.

Anti-racism starts at home, and having these discussions with our kids is absolutely vital to creating lasting change for racial justice in our world. These conversations should start as early as possible and so I couldn’t resist grabbing a copy of this for my niece (soon to be nieces!) and nephew.

The entire line of trailblazer tees from Piccolina is strikingly lovely, and I had SUCH a hard time narrowing it down when I made my purchase for Caroline and my niece. They have so many legends to choose from and the graphics are beautiful. Not gonna lie, I kind of want the Mommy & Me size of them too.

I love this gift because it is fun, whimsical, and very inexpensive! You can make your own using the PDF pattern and basic craft supplies. I might make one for Caroline because I know she would absolutely love it.

When in doubt, I always think a well chosen t-shirt for the right person can be a perfect gift. I am sewing Andrew some pajama pants with baby Yoda fabric, and I wanted to get him a Yoda shirt to go along with them. Also hoping somehow the READ emblazoned across the top might actually make him want to read? A girl can dream.

Speaking of wanting my kids to want to read, I’m always on the lookout for great books for them. This book is one of the first that Caroline has genuinely loved and wanted to read of her own volition. Every time she read, she couldn’t wait to tell me all about what had happened in the story.

Only when I was compiling this guide did I realize that this book is by the same author as The One and Only Ivan! Home of the Brave is a written in verse and conveys the story of Kek, an immigrant from Sudan as he tries to acclimate to life in America. It is touching, often funny, and at times sad. Many thanks to my brother for this excellent recommendation – this was fun to read allowed to the kids.

Did you have glow in the dark stars on your walls or ceiling as a kid? I did and I thought they were pretty much the coolest thing ever. I can’t believe I haven’t gotten some for my kids before now but that all changes this year. I am excited to see if they love them as much as I did!

This is a pretty cool necklace kit that is more than a basic jewelry kit one might expect. Your child can trace shapes onto special plastic paper and then you shrink the shapes in the oven to create the charms for the necklace. Such a fun idea that lots of kids would enjoy.

I can’t remember if it was exactly this set or something very similar, but I bought a set of ice cream sidewalk chalk for my friend’s daughter earlier this year as a birthday gift and it was a HIT. And really, doesn’t this make even adults want to get out and draw on the sidewalk? I would not be mad if I received this as a gift during the holidays…

My end of year reading recap is coming soon, but here’s a spoiler: Know My Name is the best book I have read (rather, listened to) this year, so much so that I have listened to it three times already and expect to do so again soon. I do think the audio version is necessary, so you can hear the words directly from the author herself. The story of Chanel Miller’s experience of her sexual assault, the subsequent legal proceedings, and her personal grappling with and healing from those events is incredible. However, even more incredible is her exquisite writing and truly beautiful way of seeing the world and conveying those thoughts to the rest of us. I deeply wish every person would read this brilliant work. Chanel is a true gift to the world.

When I ordered my copy of What Kind of Woman, I went ahead and ordered a whole stack of them for gifting to my friends and family. This slim volume from Kate Baer contains an unthinkable amount of truth. Some of the poems take my breath away from how deeply they connect with me and my own experience. I will be savoring this gorgeous work for a long time while eagerly awaiting whatever Ms. Baer brings us next.

If there is one thing I could recommend as a remedy to this shit year we have all experienced in 2020, it is this book: Shit, Actually by Lindy West. I must insist that you listen to the audio version – you will be so glad you did. Lindy West reviews numerous popular movies from the past few decades and I’m telling you, these reviews will give you life. She covers plenty of movies I have seen as well as many I haven’t but in every chapter, I found myself absolutely laughing out loud. My fiancé and I have relistened to chapters together multiple times because they are just so funny. A short list of my favorite chapters include those on The Fugitive, Top Gun (OMG SO FUNNY), Harry Potter, Face Off, Forrest Gump, and American Pie.

This is another book every single person needs to hear, and again, I recommend audio to hear this information directly from the brilliant Stacey Abrams. I am blown away by her resolve, dedication to democracy, and passion for engaging individual citizens to help shape our collective future. I was certainly aware of voter suppression prior to this book, but my eyes have been yanked open by the information Ms. Abrams presents flawlessly here. Her ideas and plans for a way forward to a true democracy that actually works for all its citizens is extremely compelling and I hope this will be a roadmap for changes in state and federal government going forward.

I’ve been a fan of Mike Birbiglia for a long time. We had tickets to see him in a live show back in April which of course ended up being canceled due to the pandemic. I eventually needed my fix, so I downloaded this book by him along with his wife who is a poet. This lovely collaboration describes their journey in deciding to become parents and what that reality has meant for them and their lives. This would be such a great book for any new or expecting parents, but really I think almost any parent would enjoy it.

Oh my goodness, do we all need to read Hood Feminism, and then read it again, and really absorb the information. This book is a wealth of shrewd and articulate thought on numerous topics surrounding racial justice. Mikki Kendall has done a masterful job of examining systemic racism and white supremacy, and the many ways these effect Black communities. I read this once and then downloaded the audio so I could listen again and really sit with her words. I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

This is a gorgeous novel set partially in Chicago in the 1980’s during the AIDS epidemic. I don’t want to say much more about it, nor do I think I could do it justice. It is simply a beautiful, heart wrenching story that I just never wanted to end.

This is such a fascinating and important book about male sexuality, toxic masculinity, and how these things manifest in our teen boys and young adult men. It covers topics including hookup culture, love, porn consumption, consent, and more. While this is a great gift idea for any parent of a boy, I think the information is widely applicable and important for just about anyone to understand.

This book absolutely blew me away. It is one of those gripping sorts of novels that I simply couldn’t put down. I think I read it in less than three days, which is unusual for me. Any lover of reading is likely to enjoy this book.

Given the number of people who posted black boxes on their social media back in June, but the fact that 55% of white women voted for 45 shows we still have an enormous amount of work to do to combat racism and white supremacy in our society. For any person in your life that has shown the slightest inclination toward wanting to become anti-racist, this book is the number one thing I would recommend. You could gift it and then discuss it chapter by chapter with the recipient.

Embroidered monograms are a beautiful way to add personalization to any item, handmade or otherwise. I think these floral embroidery monogram kits are just precious and looking through them has me thinking of all the ways I might use them.

A few years go I attended a workshop about natural dyeing. It was fun and I learned so much, but I haven’t had much time to experiment more with this incredibly cool art form. I’m hoping to make more time for this next year, and I think something like this Shibori indigo dye kit would be a fun place to start.

How cute are these necklaces?! This is one of those projects that is so simple and satisfying, and the recipient would probably get a ton of wear out of the final product. The hardest part is selecting which color way you like best.

For those trying to get more comfortable with sewing, I think simple sewing kits are a great place to start. This tote bag kit is an ideal project with mainly straight lines and ending with a functional item. Who wouldn’t love this fun crafty project?

This is another super simple yet lovely beginner sewing kit. I’ve been meaning to make some eye pillows for a while but I love the idea of naturally dyeing the fabric first to add an extra special touch. Is there a maker in your life who would have fun making this kit?

This book is on my personal wishlist. The natural dyeing workshop I mentioned before was led by these two talented and extremely knowledgeable women. I can’t wait to add this to my own collection and learn even more about natural dyeing.

Let’s hear it for form and function! Period panties are an awesome concept and I love even more the option of making your own using these beautifully curated kits from Sophie Hines. Which colors would you choose?

I recently checked this book out of the library and I am going to have to add it to my own personal collection. This would be a perfect gift for a sewist who is looking to become more comfortable sewing with knits (stretch fabrics). I wish I had had this when I was learning knits. Even though I’m more experienced now, I still found plenty of helpful information. It also includes multiple sewing patterns, several of which I hope to make.

For the sewist or knitter who loves making clothing, these fun and spunky labels from Kylie and the Machine are always a welcome gift option. I have some and they bring a smile to my face every time I see them in my finished garments.

I’m so excited that one of my favorite podcasts finally has merch, and this Stich Witch shirt is just too cute! Though it is primarily meant for sewists, I feel it could work as a gift for knitters as well.

This particular cause is very near and dear to my heart. Coburn Place is local to me in Indianapolis and I cannot begin to articulate how amazed I am by the work they do. I volunteer there and my partner and I regularly donate. We are humbled to be a tiny part of this incredible organization. If you have enjoyed any of the content you have consumed on my site over the years and would like to donate as a thank you for my work, I would be enormously grateful. Thank you for considering!

Another local non-profit that is dear to my heart, Indy Reads Books promotes and improves the literacy of adults and families in Central Indiana. The profits from Indy Reads Books go directly Indy Reads to improve the literacy and English language proficiency of adult learners in the community. This is another place I would love for you to consider a contribution to if you have enjoyed the content on my site over the years!