EDITED TO ADD! I am updating this post to add a few more catagories, with ideas for the foodie, the coffee lover, and the wine lover/entertainer. I also added a part two to my gift guides, which includes gifts for guys and kids, also broken down by catagory with lots of ideas. I hope these help you tackle your holiday shopping, and I tried really hard to get these up so you could still enjoy those cyber Monday sales! Just scroll to the bottom of this post for the new guides if you’ve already seen the first part of this post.
Here’s how I decided what to include in these guides: would I buy it for myself, for Robert, or for our son? Do we already own and love it? Or would I honestly buy it as a gift for someone I love? If the answer was yes, I included it. It’s that simple. Honestly, this was a good way for me to do my holiday shopping, too.
END EDIT.
Well, this is officially the earliest I’ve started my holiday shopping. I’m normally a Black Friday Sale girl, but I have to admit it’s nice to get a head start and start organizing my gift game this year! And even if I’m not buying gifts yet, I can always save items for later and then buy them when I’m ready (aka if/when they go on sale!). On that note, did you know that shopLTK now offers a price drop alert option?! All you have to do is favorite the items you have your eye on, and if the price drops, you’ll instantly get a notification from LTK! This is an amazing feature to get ready for the seasonal sales that are about to happen any minute, but also for those big ticket items like furniture that you want to make sure you’re getting the best price on!
So, that’s one reason why I decided to share holiday gift guides the first week of November. Another reason is that everyone seems genuinely a little nutty this year and I’m afraid items will sell out or not ship in time for my usual post-Thanksgiving shopping timeframe. I do hope to post at least one more round of gift guides that will include toys, gifts for guys, and some other categories, so please let me know if you’re looking for ideas in particular!
But in the meantime, I’ve created six gift guides broken down by category and price point to get you holiday gift-giving ready. (Although, if you’re anything like me, you might sneak a few of these in for yourself too. ) Everything can also be found on my LTK page, and I’ll leave a highlight up on Instagram too.
This is probably my favorite round up, because it’s pretty much just all of my favorite things that I love to use to hang out at home. I’m also 95% sure that every woman in the world would happily accept the coziest cardigan ever, or a pair of Lululemon Align leggings. These bamboo sheets are also a great gift if you’re looking for something a little pricier (but use code HARBOR20 for 20% off your order!), and I always ask for a new set of pajamas myself (these J.Crew ones I picked are my personal favorite). And I’m currently wearing the Ugg slippers and a cozy Abercombie loungewear set I included in this round up as I type this, so I can vouch for these items too.
Since holiday get togethers and parties seem to be a go this year, it’s always nice to show up with a little something for the party host! There’s also some good ideas in general if you know your gift recipient likes to entertain. I’m a sucker for a pretty holiday coffee mug, so this Anthropologie one will be arriving to my home shortly. We’re also wine lovers here, so my go-to is usually a bottle of wine, but I think it’s a great idea to include a nice cork screw or some glasses too!
3. my favorite stocking stuffers
I’m a big stocking gift giver. Some years, Robert and I have only done a “stocking exchange,” meaning any gift we give the other person had to fit in their stocking. (I’ve also been known to not guage size appropriately and then having to break my own rule…) So with that in mind, I included stocking stuffer gifts of all price points. I finally purchased air pods this year and they changed my life, so this is a great higher-end gift, stuffed in a stocking or not! I also love to recieve jewelry (that I’ve picked out in advance, hahahaha), so I’ve included some under $50 options here (including a necklace I wear and love under $15!). These hair ties are my absolute favorite, and I’ve hyped up these cute bluelight blocking glasses so much on Instagram. Finally, I purchased a bunch of these Athleta face masks for my family and put them in their stockings last year. They’re by far the most comfortable ones I’ve found.
Next, I broke down gifts by price point, starting with gifts in the $100, $50, and $25 price ranges. I may try to include more luxury items if there’s an interest for that, and probably a $10 or less round up too, just to cover everyone’s bases. But the gifts in the $50-$100 price range include lots of my personal favorite things. My go-to stores for gifts have always been J.Crew, Anthropologie, and Nordstrom, and all are represented well in this round up. J.Crew has beautiful accessories like this crossbody bag and these leather gloves at great price points that make wonderful gifts, and I actually just bought this mockneck sweater from Anthropologie for myself. It’s so flattering and buttery soft. These Ugg slippers are my all time favorite pair, and this All Saints perfume is what I wear most in the cooler months. And how cute is this Abercrombie shacket?! I’d be happy if Santa brought it to our house. 😉
(Also please note that some of these items are under $100 while currently on sale, and may otherwise be over $100.)
I feel like the $25-$50 price point is the most standard in the gift-giving world. A lot of our “Secret Santa” gifts are $50 or less, so I tried to include items that appeal to all types of people. This single-serve Keurig is currently on sale for under $50, and I received this white tea kettle as a gift one year myself. I also included a great sample pack from my favorite skin care brand, Tula, and this Lululemon belt bag is the PERFECT gift. I cannot recommend it enough! And you can’t go wrong with cozy lounge wear, so I included a bunch of options.
I also rounded up some super affordable but still really great gift options, all under $25. I love my Yeti coffee mugs and think this one is a great price! This vase or these wood chain links are great for the home decor lover. If you haven’t tried these Barefoot Dreams socks, you’re really missing out, and I actually can’t believe these fuzzy slippers are under $25 right now. A great deal!!
NEW GIFT GUIDES (as of November 28th, 2021).
7. Kitchen Gifts
I tried to include gifts for all price points in this catagory, because these are the kinds of things that are so versatile that you can gift them to your mom, your husband, or a teacher/neighbor, etc. I’ve definitely asked for and received an instapot, an air fryer, and a tea kettle as gifts, and love them all. I’m also so impressed with my new Always Pan from Our Place, and I think it makes an amazing gift, especially at the sale price of under $100 right now! It’s pretty enough to leave out on your stove, too.
8. Gifts for the Coffee Lover
It’s me. I’m the coffee lover. Send it all here, please. An espresso machine is probably a bit much as a gift, but if you’re like Robert and I, we like to “combine” our gifts at Christmas and buy a major purchase or take a trip instead of worrying about a bunch of smaller gifts under the tree. So this is a great gift idea if that’s your style. Since moving to the suburbs (re: away from all of our favorite coffee shops; we’re kind of in a Sbux wasteland…), learning to make our own espresso has been an important life skill.
And on the other end of the spectrum, a cute coffee mug, or a nice travel mug, is a great gift when you don’t know what else to get. Bonus points if you fill it with candy and/or a gift card.
9. Gifts for the Wine Lover and Entertainer
I think these sorts of gifts are always appreciated. They’re great as a host gift, too. They’re the kind of items you probably don’t think to buy yourself, but are fun to have. I’ve had a Coravin wine opener on my wish list for a while, and it’s such a great price right now! Robert and I like to enjoy “nice(r)” wine now and then, and this would help us be able to drink it a glass at a time rather than a bottle at a time. We also love to break out our glassware etched with maps of our favorite cities when we’re entertaining too.
I hope this helps you get your holiday shopping started (if you haven’t already!). I know I’ve been using other bloggers’ gift guides for years to help me find gifts myself, so it’s a pleasure to be able to help you out now! And if you are interested in seeing more of these, please let me know in the comments!