’Tis the season to make a list and check it twice (or as many times as needed to make sure you didn’t miss anyone). Whether you’re gathering ideas for others or dreaming of ways to treat yourself after a difficult year, we’ve compiled a helpful guide of recommendations. We hope this will ease the stress that comes with holiday shopping by helping you get organized and inspired for gifting. So go ahead and settle on the sofa, get the Hallmark Christmas movies rolling, and sneak a peek at our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide.
PATTI’S PICKS
Whoever your recipient may be, a bottle from CREED may be all you need. For the gentlemen, Aventus features a fruity and rich scent inspired by the dramatic life of a historic emperor by celebrating strength, power and success. Aventus for Her, on the other hand, was inspired by the inner strength and radiance of a woman by offering a fresh, floral scent.
“I love gifting perfume or cologne,” Patti said. “It’s thoughtful and shows you put in more effort than just grabbing the closest gift card. Scent is also a mood-booster so, if you think about it, you’re giving them the gift of feeling better.”
One of the most annoying aspects of wearing a face mask is how frequently we find ourselves taking it on and off with nowhere convenient to put it. That’s where these face mask chains and lanyards come in to save the day.
“With the chain, I don’t have to worry about throwing it into my purse to find later,” Patti said. “Belles and Beaux offers so many unique styles and colors that can add a fun pop of color to what you’re wearing!”
Add a warm glow to the holidays by gifting a Le Labo Santal 26 candle. Housed in a thick, heavy glass, you’ll enjoy an elegant scent that’s gentle, smoky and leathery all at the same time.
“Candles are cozy,” Patti said. “I love these candles specifically because they include a high concentration of oils for a lasting scent that isn’t overpowering.”
Le Labo products are hand-poured, 100 percent soy wax and feature a pure, cotton wick for the ultimate clean, fragrant burn every time.
For the fitness guru or those focused on getting healthy in the new year, this nearly invisible home gym may be exactly what the doctor ordered.
“Convincing yourself to get up and go to a gym is difficult,” Patti said. “That is what’s so beautiful about MIRROR. It’s the ultimate in convenience.”
Elegant in design yet compact enough to fit in nearly any room, this smart home fitness station features certified trainers from the country’s top fitness studios that provide motivation and live feedback. Stream 50 types of workouts including cardio, boxing, yoga and more while choosing from a customized playlist that includes popular music from a variety of genres.
Who doesn’t love a sparkling clean floor, especially when they didn’t have to put in any of the effort?
“Spending more time at home means there’s more chance of messes happening,” Patti said. “So there’s no better time than 2020 to present the gift of a clean house.”
While there are plenty of models to choose from, the Roomba 675 allows you to schedule a daily cleanup of dirt, dust and debris with the iRobot HOME app or voice assistant. It eventually learns your cleaning habits, offers personalized schedules, and will even suggest an extra cleaning when your area's pollen count is high or during pet shedding season.
SHELBY’S SELECTIONS
For the person who loves coffee and cocktails, this sweet and unique brew is hand-crafted right up the road. Made by infusing a blend of whole coffee beans in Texas Prickly Pear Spirit, Texas Dulce Coffee Liqueur is the perfect marriage between coffee and cactus.
“Polo and I visited this distillery in October and did a tasting which consisted of about 10 different samples,” Shelby said. “There are several that we liked, but my favorite was the Texas Dulce Coffee Liqueur! It is amazing on the rocks, in coffee or poured over vanilla ice cream, which is my personal favorite.”
Located in Comfort, Hill Country Distillers is family-operated and offers a range of Texas Spirits that utilize native ingredients such as the Prickly Pear Cactus.
For the babies and new parents out there, this footwear isn’t as structured as a shoe but is more sophisticated than a sock.
“Lincoln owns several pairs in various colors,” Shelby said. “They honestly were his go-to shoe for the entire first year.”
One of the top baby brands in the United States, Zutano has been rooted in the values of practicality, whimsical fun, and unique personality for over 25 years.
This season and coming year, help others put their best foot forward! Whether designing a basket-full of goodies or searching for a few great stocking stuffers, look no further than these at-home pampering essentials.
“With the COVID restrictions, at home pampering was necessary this year,” Shelby said. “I discovered Earth Therapeutics and really enjoyed the benefits of their foot masks!”
For over 20 years, Earth Therapeutics has been on a quest to provide people with feel-good bath and body products that combine both affordability and efficacy.
The quarantine may have disrupted our summer travel plans but you can still “send” your loved ones on a tropical journey. Cheers to island time!
“When I received The Bahamas™ Frozen Concoction Maker® as a gift, I thought it was unnecessary since I already had a blender,” Shelby said. “Boy was I wrong! This machine makes it so easy to make drinks with the perfect ratios. It even comes with a cute carrying case!”
The Bahamas™, in particular, takes the guesswork out of creating delicious frozen drinks every time with ingredient measurements on the side, manual and automatic settings for blend only, shave only, or a combination of the two, and a durable plastic blending jar.
What lady in your life couldn’t use more room in her bag for carrying all the essentials? Between face masks, hand sanitizer, keys, makeup and a cell phone, there are a lot of necessities that go into a purse.
“I have been searching for a bag that could hold my legal-size files, but I didn’t necessarily want a traditional style briefcase,” Shelby said. “I found the perfect combination of a bag that is sophisticated yet fun and efficient at Tory Burch.”
Made of durable nylon and available in Claret or Black, the Ella Tote is ideal for both every day and vacation use. It has a roomy interior, 1 interior zipper pocket, 1 slit pocket and a snap closure to keep everything where it should be.