Witty, Thoughtful, and Practical: The Ultimate Gift Guide
Make the holidays merry and bright - with gifts they'll actually use
Ok, everyone remembers that the holidays should be about connection, loving each other, and all that good stuff. And we already have great suggestions for folks desperately hanging onto that woke thug life. But some days we just want presents darn it! Show me the gifts! Well, guess what? That’s ok, and this Friday I have some suggestions for things you can get for those people in your life that would prefer a remembrance that’s a little luxury. Maybe you even just want something for yourself. I won’t tell.
So without further ado, some of my favorite things that are super nice, can work for almost anyone, and won’t break the bank as long as you don’t go crazy with the credit card. Discretion is your responsibility.
LUSH
I discovered LUSH 27 years ago the same day I first tried sushi on a short trip to Canada. LUSH now has stores across the U.S. While it may be woke AF, its soap and other bath products smell so darn AMAZING we will forgive it, just like we forgive Chick-fil-A its homophobia. Don’t even try to lie to me and say that you don’t. We all know what a miracle for the mouth those sandwiches are.
So go get some soap, moisturizer, body butter, essential oil perfume, or whatever else stirs yer fancy. Stores always have prepared gift boxes, so they are great when you are in a hurry, and they ship to most places. Let’s reinforce good behavior and give the hippies a hand. They got this one right.
Ten Ren Tea
Don’t tell me you are not a tea drinker. If you are also only living once, you owe it to yourself to give some higher-end tea a try. Ten Ren is just the place to dive in and find out what all those East India Tea Company squabbles were all about. If you are not sure where to start, try one of their King’s Teas.
Nuts
It’s hard to go wrong with food. And now that these oversized seeds have been given the all-clear for being heart-healthy, these make a great gift. I recommend Nuts.com. They have a large selection, gift assortments ready to go, and they have stay fresh uncomplicated packaging when you buy in bulk.
My Aunt Pat used to send me candied pecans every year, may she rest in peace, and you know what? I still think of her when I see some. So share some nuts, they also provide you with endless opportunities for punning.
Maple Syrup or Honey
Part of my family was from the Northeast U.S., and every holiday season my parents would be gifted a jug of maple syrup to last the year. It was a wonderful way to stay connected to that part of the country, and with prices of real maple syrup going through the roof, a yearly purchase you savor as long as possible, that just makes sense, doesn’t it?
For that matter, local honey can work the same. Anybody near Tupelo?
Vanilla
For a while, homemade vanilla was one of my favorite gifts to give. It is super easy to make. All you need are some good vanilla beans, little glass jars, and Vodka. Beanilla is a good source for beans. You can even mix it up year after year, make your friends connoisseurs. Then get some cute glass bottles from Amazon, and roll up to your local liquor store for vodka. You don’t need expensive booze to make good extract, so what you spend here really depends on how many sorrows you plan to drown while you work.
House Plants
Cut flowers are so overrated. If you know someone who is good with green things and you’d like to enable that kind of hoarding, Logee’s is among the best places I have found for rare, interesting, and even hardy houseplants. For anyone especially attracted to violets, the Violet Barn has show-stoppers.
Conclusion
Thus ends this year’s list of enviable and easy gifts. Do share your favorite things in the comments below and remember, in the end, it is not the item that really matters, unless it’s a handcuff key.
Housekeeping
Do you see all the white at the base of these plants? In person, it looks like a bunch of trash that settled into the landscape. But on closer inspection, I found that is not the case! It is ice that has formed in distinct thin sheets. Take a look!
On the Bookshelf
No comment. Stop laughing too.
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About
Diogenes in Exile began after I returned to grad school to pursue a Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s degree at the University of Tennessee. What I encountered, however, was a program deeply entrenched in Critical Theories ideology. During my time there, I experienced significant resistance, particularly for my Buddhist practice, which was labeled as invalidating to other identities. After careful reflection, I chose to leave the program, believing the curriculum being taught would ultimately harm clients and lead to unethical practices in the field.
Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to investigating, writing, and speaking out about the troubling direction of psychology, higher education, and other institutions that seem to have lost their way. When I’m not working on these issues, you’ll find me in the garden, creating art, walking my dog, or guiding my kids toward adulthood.
You can also find my work at Minding the Campus