Favorite Gifts (Given + Received)

This was such a fun Christmas season. I know we’re a few weeks out, but I wanted to share some of the fun things I received and gave! As always, I tend to go overboard on gifts so I’m just sharing some of the highlights! I hope this post doesn’t come across as tacky or braggy. Personally, I love to read posts about what people gave/got because I file away ideas for birthdays and the next holiday season! Unfortunately, it’s not really a post I can do before the holidays because it would ruin the surprise…

GAVE:

I got my dad another pair of Allbird sneakers. I normally try not to repeat gifts, but they were such a hit last year that I wanted to make sure he had another color option to work into his wardrobe!

For my dad and sister (both Florida alums), I purchased a Hillflint sweater for him and a sweatshirt for her.

I also got my sister this food sensitivity test. I know that sounds kind of lame, but I knew that she’d love it. She even sent me a photo of her bandaged fingers from the test about two hours after opening. She already has her results and has been tweaking her diet to accommodate her allergies. (As predicted, she’s basically sensitive/allergic to everything!)

My mom is harder to shop for, but I got her a gift certificate to DryBar because they just opened one up in Tampa. Whenever I’m home, my mom always requests that I straighten her hair for her, haha, so now she’ll be able to get blowouts on the reg! I try to avoid gift certificates because they can seem a little sterile, but this one is more like an experience she can use for months to come! I also got her some personalized stationery and a recipe book from our favorite Instagram account.

I spent the holidays with my boyfriend’s family and he’s one of five siblings so I had so much fun shopping for everyone. I won’t share everything because it’d be too hard to list the whys for people you don’t know haha, but here are two of the biggest hits. I got his youngest sister a Lilly S’Well bottle from the Starbucks collaboration. (We’re both obsessed and I bought it for her back in October because I knew she’d love it!) And for his brother, who is into all sorts of healthy things, I got this foot massager which is amazing– highly recommend everyone buy this for themselves. Also, his dad and I got each other the same gift (a biography of Alexander Hamilton) and we thought it was so funny!

RECEIVED:

Even though I was adament about not getting gifts from anyone (I have everything I could possibly need), I felt pretty spoiled… My boyfriend commissioned a painted portrait of the dogs and I cried when I opened it!

I also got so many books, which is the best! The coffee table books featured above (Paris in Color, In the Company of Women, Explorer) are all amazing. Interesting to look at and read!

A few other things: these super comfortable slipper loafers, this Champagne candle that smells SO good, Liberty Floral mugs, and a slim monogrammed wallet.

Because I told a lot of people “no gifts,” I ended up with a ton of holiday candy which I love/hate. I have one cabinet now that I have to actively avoid because the chocolates and sweets are so tempting. Sugarfina remained a top pick– both to give and receive. I sent out holiday bento boxes and bars of chocolate and everyone seemed to love them!