Valentine's Day or Engagement Gift (Married Bucket List)

I've celebrated Valentine's days before, but because this is my first as a wife, I'm hoping to make it special! My husband is a hard one because he doesn't love "stuff" as much as I do, but I got a great idea thanks to my friend. She was talking about her bucket list and I thought "Yes! A family bucket list for us to do together!" I got a Paperblanks journal or you can buy any other journal he might like (favorite team, color, whatever), and wrote things to do at the top of the page and left the rest of the page blank to be able to write the date and a description of how it all went down. Some examples include:

• Go to the Olympics (I'm watching right now)
• Create our own flavor of ice cream
• Experience zero gravity
• Watch a meteor shower
• Swim with glow in the dark algae in the ocean
• Skinny dip in the bay next to our home (keep old age at bay)
• Places to go

Great gift for him as a newly married couple (did I mention also inexpensive?), plus it promises more fun to come! Also a good gift for other couples, you might fill in a couple items but let them do the rest!

Father/Wife

As I've said before, it's a difficult thing to shop for a man who doesn't want anything and doesn't need much, but the one thing my father can't say no to is COMFORT. That's why this year, I got him and his wife sheepskin lined slippers. I find that UGGs are super comfortable and last a long time, but there are cheaper options out there as well. LL Bean does a good job at the slipper thing too! Below you'll find pictures of UGG's Byron slipper for men and Dakota slipper for women.

Gifts for Uncles

This year, I gave all the men in my family different products from The Art of Shaving. This company does a great job of elevating an every day activity to something luxurious... I love the lavender scent but picked a neutral scent for others!

Xmas Gift for my Mother

My holiday gift for my mother had many pieces to it, but her bigger gift was a coffee-table photography book of the Beatles (her favorite). Barnes and Nobles has great bargains on coffee-table books during the holidays so be sure to check them out! This gift can readily apply to anyone with a favorite band, topic, or hobby and it's also gender neutral. This can also apply to a couple who has a shared interest!

Xmas for Uncles

It's always difficult for me when I know I have to give a group of men a gift, knowing that they'll be opening them in front of one another. Being the gift-giver that I am, I'd love to personalize the gifts but alas, I don't want to offend anyone in thinking that some gifts are better than others.

This year, I went with some very handsome scarves. The prints were varying and the colors were different as well, and I took note to which uncles wear what colors the most. Water color blues for my pastel-color loving uncle, and masculine navy/grey stripes for my black wearing uncle, etc.

Banana Republic always has good ones during the winter that fit well within the budget of any savvy shopper!

BF stocking stuffer

Another great stocking stuffer from the Personalization Mall! As this was the first set of holidays my bf and I split between our two families, it was the first Christmas we'd spent together. I wanted to commemorate the occasion by getting an engraved ornament that said the date and the #1. I hope to give him a new number each Christmas so that we can travel round the tree to count the years!

BF's X-mas Gift + Stocking stuffer + Groomsmen gifts

As mentioned in a previous post, my BF currently goes to school in Michigan and it can get quite chilly there. It's unfortunate that my X-mas gift was backordered and didn't arrive until March, but they're so deliciously warm and good-looking that I'll forgive LL Bean for their gaffe! Did I mention they have these in women's sizes as well? Also, check out the multi-functional titanium collar stays (sweet stocking stuffer!) from Bonobos that are also bottle-openers! Can't get more festive than that. Update: husband bought these for his groomsmen and had a short inside joke engraved on one and their initials on the other.

Yankee Swap Ideas

The holiday season means merriment, parties, and gift exchanges! This often sends people into a dizzying tizzy about what to present that's gender neutral, funny, or thoughtful (and let's be honest, you kind of want your gift to be "stolen" at least once).

FOR CLOSE FRIENDS: So since I just witnessed one of the best yankee swap gift exchanges with close friends (it was filled with laughs, "oohs," "ahhs," and stealing), I thought I'd share the notable mentions. (It was a $20 maximum for twenty something year olds)

• Fish, with requisite fish bowl and food!
• 20 single $1 bills (labeled for a bachelor or bachelorette party)
• whiskey stones (amazing to cool down your drink without watering it down)
• $20 gift certificate to a local lunch spot
• Mine: "holiday party for two" gift basket... Two mini bottles of champagne, cheese and crackers, milano cookies, whipped cream. Nothing says holidays like romantic gestures!

WORK COLLEAGUES: Work or non close friend swaps are completely different story, ie stay clear of fish bowls, $1 dollar bills, etc. Best ones are stocking stuffer type items, cool but inexpensive tech gifts like mini speakers or water proof music ear buds. 

Bonobos

A great pair of pants for men (very comfortable/affordable/cute on the behind).. and super cute pocket linings that peep out. Incentive: pants are made in limited quantities with each lining, so they're all limited edition at Bonobos!

Boyfriend's birthday

Some back to school essentials for the new student... Croakies so as not to lose sunglasses frequently and Land's End ever stylish yet classic driving moccasins. Only thing I regret is not getting one of the new collegiate UMich croakies instead...

Father's Birthday Gift

It's hard to shop for my father because he doesn't need much and what he does need, he gets. We'll be meeting in CA soon, so I thought I'd get him a nice framed art print that'll remind him of summer. I got him this beautiful print of a sailboat that has these architectural lines that he'll appreciate. It's from an etsy shop called delaflamant, this artist makes great modern prints!

Birthday Gift

Just purchased this print for my friend Jeff. He's a pretty hip guy who just moved to NYC, so I wanted to get him something cool to hang in his new apartment. It's from the artist S.Sarat's Etsy Shop. Etsy is an online community of buyers/sellers of all things handmade or vintage, and it's a great place to find something unique that won't break the bank, although be warned... you'll have to sift through a lot of stores to find the best ones. I'll post links to any of the stores I purchase from.