Gift guide for all the women on your list (and maybe even you!) with ideas from jewelry to kitchen favs - all affordable and tried-and-true.
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Are you looking for useful, gifts for the women on your list that they'll actually use and won't break the bank?
Then you're in the right place because I've gathered my absolute favorite things I love and use regularly - some things even daily - to give you some inspiration.
Every year for the holiday season I like to look back at the year and choose the things I've discovered, used, and loved that would make good gifts and put them together in an easy to use list for you.
I include the things I still use and love as well as anything new.
While it would be fun to make a gift guide of things that I think look great and you may like, I prefer to recommend only what I've had experience with so you can be sure my gift guides are truly only tried-and-true items.
(Brian's gift guide is the same - the Men's Gift Guide hold his best discoveries, too.)
So if you want to give things that are useful, beautiful, and - maybe most important - budget-friendly, this list is for you.
Favorite Things Gift Guide for Women
Clothing, Jewelry & Makeup
Empowered Goods Handmade Earrings- I love the purpose of this Etsy shop, to "overcome poverty one handmade good at a time." Their artisans receive a healthy living wage empowering them to overcome poverty. I also love the beautiful earrings that are often made from leather and are really unique.
Set of three Stud Opal Earrings. These come on separate cards, so it’s easy to gift them separately or together. The posts are brass coated with Rhodium, which is hypoallergenic. I wore mine 24/7 the first few months I had them with no issues.
Live-In Hoop Earrings by Made by Mary. Truly live-in - you don't have to take these off, they are comfortable to sleep in and don't get crusty when worn a long time. I hardly know I'm wearing anything. Absolutely love these.
Bee Silk Hard Lotion by Made On. I've been using the hard lotions for a few years and they help SO much with "winter skin." You simply warm it up in your hands a bit and then rub on any areas that need it. Plus, they are PERFECT for travel - no need to worry about fitting in your liquids!
Tinted Lip Balm by Made On. I use tinted lip balm pretty much every day - it's so much better for my lips than lip stick or sticky gloss, and gives just a nice hint of color. Women ANY age would appreciate a tube or two of this.
L.A. Colors Matte Eyeshadow Pallet in Brown Tweed. Perfect stocking stuffer with only the colors you'll really use (instead of those huge pallets that are overkill in my minimalist makeup world…). I've used this for years - it's cheap, lasts all day, and travels well in it's compact packaging.
Burt's Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Shimmer, Fig- This is just the best subtle color with a bit of shine and fun minty flavor. Still my go-to lip balm/color you can find in my purse and my daughter's purse that we alternate with the newer Made-On lip balms.
Double Ended Make Up Tools. This set was recommended in a travel group as a way to pare down what you need to bring in your toiletry bag. They did do that and I use them when traveling, but I also use them everyday. Why not pare down everywhere?
Bombas Merino Wool Socks. I've found Bombas socks to have a perfect stretch around the ankle versus cheaper wool socks that are too tight - both the quarter ankle and calf socks don't feel tight AND don't fall down. They are a nice thickness and feel cushiony without being too bulky to wear with slippers and shoes. Socks are a go-to stocking stuffer for our family every year.
Fabric/Sweater Shaver. After going through a number of cheaper ones through the years that didn't work or didn't last, this only slightly more expensive shaver finally does the job. No more pills on sweaters. This is another good stocking stuffer for someone who loves sweaters.
100% Silk Undershirt from Lands End- These are perfect for cold weather, it's so light it feels like you're not wearing anything, but it amazingly keeps you warmer under sweaters and tops. These are a little more expensive, but they last and last and they WORK better than the microfiber ones- all the while leaving no trace of microplastics in our waterways. (I also have this one from Amazon that's similar to the one pictured.)
Merino.tech Merino Wool Base Layer. An actual 100% merino t-shirt (unlike some others you'll find) that's warm in the winter and cooling in the summer all the while being anti-fungal, making it a great travel option since it needs less washing. That wool is amazing stuff! I got the green, but it comes in lots of colors.
Craft, Garden & Kitchen
Knitpicks Options Needles. These are the best needles, so easy to take anywhere and no clicking straight needle ends to deal with. I only use these now for most of my projects, whether they're knit in the round or not.
Bucket Boss Heavy Duty Tote- This is simply the b.e.s.t. gardening tote for all my gardening stuff. It's a wire-reinforced tool bucket stays upright, is easy to find whatever you have in it and lasts and lasts.
Breathable Gardening Gloves with Waterproof Palm - for any gardeners on your list, these gloves are my favorite - I get a set of these every couple years since they're 6 pairs to a set. Stock a gardener up with gloves or separate them out for stocking stuffers - and keep the extra for you!
USB Rechargeable Candle Lighter. There are a lot of these online and the reviews are all over the place. But this one has worked for me for more than a year and doesn't make any noise that bothers us (or our dog). It charges great, holds the charge for a long time and is so fun to use to light candles! I've personally given this as gifts, too.
Easy Fermenter Lids Kit. These lids are the thing that took the fear out of fermenting for me. Not only is it tasty, it's so good for our guts and super easy to make using these lids. Any foodies on your list who care about healthy eating would LOVE these. TIP: print off my two easiest recipes to go with the lids, since they are a great way to start fermenting - Easy Fermented Vegetables and 5-Minute Foolproof Corn Relish.
Stainless Steel No-drip Tea Pot. After visiting Ireland and seeing that every house usually made their everyday tea in a stainless tea pot I bought one, too. This version holds just 2-3 cups so is perfect for us. It also has stay cool handles and a pour spout that hasn't dripped for me once. Any tea lover would appreciate this "real thing."
Brieftons QuickFold 5-Blade Spiralizer. This is a kitchen gadget I actually use quite a bit, mainly for zoodles, but I've also used it for carrots which is fun. This version is nice because it folds up and the learning curve wasn't hard - plus it's inexpensive.
Fun Things, Office & Travel
VerMints Organic Wintergreen Mints. Made from real ingredients and just about the perfect level of mint in my opinion. Nice stocking suffer.
Cavellini Vintage Poster Puzzle. I bought this last year for our family's holiday puzzle activity and everyone who saw it loved it, so I know it would be a great gift idea! It's also super fun to put together since you can focus on one of the mini posters at a time.
Godiva Chocolatier Signature Assorted Truffles. When you need something fun and a little special (and you don't have time to make them), truffles are a great option. Plus, you can have them sent to people, making them a nice far-from-home gift.
Fineliner Pens. This is such nice set of 24 pens for a great price. The color is marked on both the top and the bottom, which is great for storage. The color options are terrific and they write smoothly and easily. Perfect for anyone who's into journaling and/or art.
Leather Look Tree Notebook. This looks so special - everyone who sees it comments on it - you'd never guess it's inexpensive. I keep this out on my nightstand because it's so pretty. It does have a pen holder on the side, so why not add a fun gel pen to go with it?
Filofax A5 Organizer, Domino Black - Even though I've been using a coil bound Flexible Planner lately, the one I printed and used in a Filofax notebook was really my favorite. Any planner fan will love this well-made ringed binder (it does also come with pre-printed planner pages).
One Line A Day Journal. Easiest journaling ever, just one paragraph a day that you can look back on for 5 years. I love mine and have already give it as a gift.
Mini Travel Umbrella with 8-ribs. A must for anyone who travels - or just wants to be able to keep a small umbrella in a purse - this model is surprisingly sturdy for the size.
Travelon Anti-Theft Messenger Bag. For anyone who travels or sightsees anywhere and needs a semi-compact cross body bag that can actually hold a LOT of stuff. Really - like a full size water bottle inside, along with other things you need.
Bonus: Book Ideas!
Born a Crime, Trevor Noah. Completely fascinating look into a different world, really, as Noah grew up in apartheid South Africa. Wild child does not come close to describing him! The only thing I wished about this book was to learn more about his journey to becoming a successful comedian given the lack of opportunity in this story. Hopefully that will be a next book!
The Man in the Window, Jon Cohen. Sweet, sweet, sweet. The characters, the sentiment, the two lost souls who find each other - when you know someone who likes feel-good books, choose this.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat. Both a cookbook and cooking primer, I think this would be a great book for both new cooks and experienced cooks. I've been cooking for many years and got some great information on the hows and whys of cooking. I found the recipes to be very approachable, thankfully, with basics and how to build from them.
Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein. Brian and I both loved this book that we listened on audio, but I will say right out that it has some hard scenes (not graphic, just tense as a character is undergoing interrogation), but you only hear about them in a letter-journal form. It also doesn't have the happiest of endings. BUT, if you know someone who enjoys a very well written, engrossing story that celebrates friendship and loyalty, has a bit of mystery and a twist, and is set in WWII, I highly recommend this.
Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman. Both adults and older teens will be taken in by Elinor Oliphant. A character that we eventually realize probably lives somewhere on the autism spectrum, we get to see how she has friendship thrust on her and how it changes her life. Simply lovely.
Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid. I wasn't prepared to like this book as much as I did. I thought it would be too gritty and graphic, set as it is in the 1970s rock-and-roll scene. But with it's journalistic, interview format, you only hear stories without the details that typically make me cringe. So this is a good "beach read" kind of book for anyone from older teens through mature *cough* women.
Want even more ideas?
- Favorite Things Gift Guide for Men
- Favorite Things Gift Guides for Kids and Teens
- 21 Fun & Useful Garden Gift Ideas
