Monday Memo No. 34 | MEMORANDUM

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November 19, 2018

Monday Memo No. 34 – My Top Gift Picks!

Happy Black Friday week I mean Thanksgiving week! Turkey day creeps in early this year so today’s Monday Memo is all about my favorite crowd-pleasing gift finds so you can get your shopping hit-list assembled before all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness hits. Although, as listed below, some of the biggest retailers have kicked off their Black Friday deals early, so you can actually start sale shopping today! Keep an eye on this space for lots more sale info as it comes available and for my guides to the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales coming later this week!

|Decor|Shopping|Announcements

Home Decor

PSA: Both Pottery Barn and Wayfair have already begun their Black Friday sales. Call it being smart, call it having no chill, either way, I’m into it. Both are fantastic destinations for gifts, but I’m also taking this opportunity to stock up on decor and any serving pieces I need for holiday season hosting. I’m snagging this gorgeous woven bread basket and these super chic salt and pepper shakers. I also love stocking up on holiday hostess gifts, and these Santa’s Sled salt and pepper shakers are too cute to pass up.

|Decor|Shopping|Announcements

Jonathan Adler Coasters

I have these and these and love them because (a) they’re chic, (b) they’re functional, and (c) they can double as small appetizer plates when you’re entertaining. If you’re looking for more special hostess gifts, I’d suggest perusing Neiman Marcus’s home section. They have the BEST stuff, just remember you’re shopping for other people, too. I struggle with that sometimes…

|Fashion|Shopping|Accessories

Leather Tech Gloves

Skip the sportier, less polished versions and give a good pair of leather tech gloves this year. These are super cute and make a great gift for everyone. I also love that they come in four sizes because I have super long fingers so the ol’ one-size-fits-all versions don’t work for me. Also, how cute are the gold buttons?! If you’re looking for additional colors, I also highly recommend this pair which come in all sizes and are cashmere-lined. Need a great men’s gift, too? This pair is a can’t-go-wrong classic.

|Food|Shopping

Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark & Other Great Gifts

Williams-Sonoma has also started Black Friday deals early, so spend some time browsing all the amazing things they have to offer. I always get a few tins of Peppermint Bark each year to have on hand to serve at parties and also give as hostess gifts (it’s the best peppermint bark on the planet!), but my real kryptonite is their Peppermint Bark Cookies. Yes, this comes in cookie form and it’s SO GOOD YOU HAVE TO TRY OMG. Another one of my favorite gifts is their hot chocolate sampler paired with their adorable snowflake marshmallows. Everyone knows the best gifts are edible. Also, just FYI, the snowflake marshmallows (understandably) sold out super early last year, so hop-to.

|Entertainment|Shopping

Dinner Party Game: Which Would You Choose?

If you haven’t heard of it, “Which Would You Choose?” is essentially a grown up and totally acceptable-at-a-dinner-party version of Would You Rather. These boxed card game sets are so fun and always just plain genius to have around after dessert. Some of the best memories made at a dinner party have nothing to do with the meal.

|Food|Shopping|Household

Coravin Wine System

I’ve expressed my affection for this wine preservation system before, and for good reason. I’m planning to give it to….yeah basically everyone I love this year. You know an item makes a good gift if you (a) use it all the time and (b) can’t stop talking about how amazing it is. This is a genius gift that’ll help you cross off more than one name on your list, effortlessly.

|Decor|Shopping

Festive Candle Trio

File under “buy in bulk,” a Nest candle set is one of the most no-brainer gifts out there. Not only are Nest scents incredibly high quality and delish, but when you keep a few sets of these around, you’re giving gifts that people were actually looking forward to, and that feels kind of awesome. You’re definitely not the only one who swaps out home scents every year for far more festive versions, so gift with confidence.

|Shopping|Wellness

Barefoot Dreams

I’ve talked about this brand many times before and take it from me—when in doubt buy yourself a gift from Barefoot Dreams. I have this robe, this blanket, and I would very much like every single other item they make because there is simply nothing softer or more snuggle-worthy on the planet. Most of us are likely to be at home for the foreseeable future, so if that isn’t inspo enough to add some coziness to cart, I’m not sure what will be.

|Shopping|Announcements

Oprah’s Favorite Things

I mentioned this wonder list last week but it’s worth repeating. Oprah’s Favorite Things is a treasure trove of gift ideas. Not just for giving, by the way. If you’re struggling to make out your own wish list (and a certain someone does much better with a little guidance) this list will open up a world of good gift knowledge you didn’t even know was out there. Get after it here.

|Beauty|Shopping

Beauty Buff Gifts

The Sephora perfume sampler is always one of my favorite gifts because the recipient gets 15 samples. Once they’ve tried them all and decided on a favorite, they can take the included certificate to any Sephora and get a full-sized bottle of their scent of choice. That’s just genius. And speaking of gifts from for the beauty lover, my ideal Christmas week is going to be spent on my parents’ couch in my favorite pajamas, with this blanket, watching Netflix and making my way through this INCREDIBLE mask gift set. This is ideal because my dry winter skin already needs help and also because the masks will thoroughly weird my brothers out. It’s win-win for everyone. Sephora has a ton of great holiday gifts right now, so make sure you block off a solid hour on the calendar for scrolling and adding to cart.

|Fashion|Shopping|Outerwear

Puffer Coat

Ok this one’s probably going to be a gift for yourself, but I’ve gotten about 2 trillion DMs asking for my puffer coat suggestions and if you don’t like the length of the puffer coat maxi I shared last week, take a gander at this beauty. It’s 60% off (!!!) during Macy’s early Black Friday sale, and comes in six glorious colors. The shape is super flattering and it’s poliished enough to wear to work. I love everything about it and can’t think of anywhere you’ll find a 100% down puffer coat of this quality at this price.

1 Comment | Leave a comment

One response to “Monday Memo No. 34 – My Top Gift Picks!”

Linda Evans

November 20, 2018

I loved the idea of leather gloves. The pair of genuine leather gloves would make a great gift for everybody.

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