2024 Gift Guide: Stuff I Own, Love, and Would Replace Immediately

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but honestly? It’s a lot. The decorating, the shopping, the what-do-I-even-get-this-person panic – it’s enough to make anyone want to hide under a blanket with a mug of spiked cocoa. Gift-giving, in particular, has always been a challenge for me. I don’t like “stuff for the sake of stuff.” I want to give something genuinely useful or meaningful – and, honestly, I’ve been told I’m hard to shop for, too.

That’s why I decided to create this list. Instead of the usual gift guide filled with random links to things I’ve never tried, I’m sharing items I actually own, use, love, and would replace immediately if my house burned down tomorrow. Hopefully you’ll find it helpful – whether you’re shopping for a woman in your life or just looking to treat yourself.

And here’s where you come in: I’d love for you to help, too! If you have a tried-and-true gift that’s been a hit (or something you’d personally recommend), drop it in the comments so we can all benefit from each other’s ideas.

So here we go, in no particular order.

17 Tried-and-True Gift Recommendations

Heated Coffee Cup

We’re starting with what I think is the best gift: a heated coffee cup. My husband got me this for my birthday last year, and I’ve used it every single day since. I drink my coffee slowly and usually finish it around 2 PM, so before this, I would microwave it about 47 times a day. Now, it just sits there, warm and wonderful. Also, it’s great for keeping that nightime tea toasty warm. The cup comes with a charging coaster, and the battery lasts about four hours off the charger. It even has three heat settings – warm, hot, and piping (which is practically lava). The only downside is that it’s hand-wash only. It’s also on the pricey side, but in my opinion, 1000% worth the splurge.

HEATED COFFEE CUP LINK

Fancy *ss Espresso Machine

Hang with me, this one comes with a story –

I was never a coffee person. I thought coffee was gross, but I forced myself to start drinking it in my mid-30s because I had little kids and was tired, and holding a warm cup sounded nice. I used a Keurig back then because I didn’t know any better. Then I married an energy drink guy who also hated coffee. Then one day, we met new neighbors – who we call our “bougie” friends – who were hardcore fancy coffee aficionados. They made us amazing lattes every time we came over, and eventually, they won us over to their fancy coffee ways.

So, my non-coffee husband asked the fancy coffee husband to help him get all set up beginner bougie coffee style, so he sent us links to everything we needed to buy on Amazon, exactly what coffee to purchase (Merit), and came over and taught us how to use our new setup. It came with a warning though. He said “Are you sure you wanna do this? Because as soon as you have this coffee every day, every other coffee experience is just going to be let down, after let down, after let down.” We laughed it off, but dang it if he isn’t completely right… coffee from anywhere else just sucks now. And that’s the story of how we became fancy coffee snobs. Here is a list of everything our bougie coffee friend instructed us to buy.

CLICK HERE FOR EVERYTHING IN ONE PLACE ON MY AMAZON STOREFRONT

Individual items –

• BREVILLE ESPRESSO MACHINE
• SCALE
• SCREEN
• TAMPING STATION
• STIRRER
• LEVELER
• TAMPER
• LATTE CUPS
• MILK THERMOMETER STICKERS
• SYRUP

Portland Leather Purse

I like clothing and accessories. I have a decent amount of clothes – mostly thrifted – and a good collection of shoes and jewelry, too. I’ve tried to be a “purse person” because it sounds fun, but I despise switching bags, so I only own two purses… which happen to be the same purse in two different colors. Purses are a personal thing and you may hate this style “dump it all in” style, but I absolutely love mine. I’ve used the same one for, like, six years? It’s great quality and has held up wonderfully, and once, a girl even stopped me at the grocery store to ask, “Oh my gosh, is that an original Portland Leather!?” I felt super chic and elitist, even though it only cost me $80.

PORTLAND LEATHER MINI CROSSBODY TOTE LINK

Toto Bidet Seat

If there’s one life-changing item on this list, this bidet seat is it. Giving someone a bidet might sound like an awkward, slightly-too-personal gift – until you realize the real embarrassment is letting your loved ones walk around with a dirty butthole. Enter the Toto Washlet: a magical toilet seat that sprays warm water exactly where you need it. It also has a heated seat, which I honestly never knew I needed until I sat on it.

I have so much more I want to say about this…I actually think I’m gonna write an entire post on this because that’s how life-changing this thing is. Stay tuned for all the juicy details. (UPDATE – CLICK HERE FOR MY FULL REVIEW!)

TOTO WASHLET C5 (THE ONE I OWN)

Mary Jane Heels

As I said, I own plenty of shoes, and many are great. But these particular heels are my absolute favorites. I own four pairs but would gladly add more. They go with everything – jeans, dresses, whatever. I can wear them all day, and best of all, they’re cheap on Amazon. I just looked it up, and I have owned the black ones since 2019 (5 years) and wear them all.the.time. I just noticed that these are actually two different brands…they are the same shoe though. I’ll link to both so you can choose from ALL the color and material options. Have fun!

J. ADAMS HEELS | CITY CLASSIFIED HEELS

The Perfect Sports Bra

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect sports bra for ages. I own plenty that I like, but every single one has removable cups, and they make me want to rip my hair out. Then, about a month ago, I found the one at Target, and it’s freaking perfect. It feels like nothing, has a plunging neckline (which I love), and – best of all – the cups are sewn in. No more pulling a pile of stupid bra cups out of the dryer, rolling them up to stuff inside those stupid little side holes, then trying to flatten them out… you know the struggle. I threw out all my other sports bras and haven’t worn anything else since. Just go get one already. Or four.

SEAMFREE BRALETTE (WITH SEWN IN CUPS!)

“Phone Cord” Hair Ties

I discovered phone cord hair ties a few years ago and I haven’t touched a regular hair tie since. I’m sure I’m showing my age with that name, but that’s what I call them. These things are awesome… They don’t ever leave a dent in your hair, hold everything tight (no more floppy ponytails), go back to their original shape almost instantly. They come in different thicknesses, I like the smaller, thinner ones best. If you need the perfect stocking stuffer, this is it.

PHONE CORD HAIR TIES

Thrive Mascara

I’m not exactly what you’d call brand loyal. I’m always game to try new products or snag a good deal. While I do have a handful of makeup products I’ve repurchased over the years, there’s only one that I’m ride-or-die for: Thrive mascara.

I’ve been using it religiously for six or seven years now, and yes, it’s pricey – but worth every penny. It goes on like a dream, stays put all day without smudging (seriously, not even a little), and the removal process is downright magical. It flakes off in chunks when you wash your face, so you actually feel like you’re getting all of it off – no raccoon eyes the next morning. That said, it’s never flaked off prematurely. Not once.

I stick with the trial size since I only wear mascara a couple of days a week, and the idea of a decade-old, half-used tube doesn’t thrill me. But if you’re a daily mascara wearer, they offer full sizes too. I’ve also tried their volumizing version, but I prefer the original.

THRIVE LIQUD LASH EXTENSIONS MASCARA

Argan Oil Hair Mask

I’m not going to pretend I’ve tried every hair mask out there, but I’ve tested a few, and this argan oil mask is the one I keep coming back to. I’ve probably bought it a dozen times because it just works. It leaves my hair soft and shiny without feeling heavy or greasy. I also think a hair mask makes a great gift in general – who doesn’t love a little self-care? This one is an easy go-to for me, and it’s even perfect as a stocking stuffer. Simple, effective, and universally appreciated.

ARGAN OIL HAIR MASK

Korean Snail Moisturizer

I’m not entirely sure how to explain why I keep buying this moisturizer – other than it just feels really good. It’s light, not heavy or greasy, and definitely not a heavy-duty nighttime moisturizer. It’s not erasing wrinkles or performing miracles, but as a light, everyday moisturizer, it’s fantastic. It’s gotta be the snails.

I use it as the first layer of moisture at night – right after cleansing and toner, and before retinol and my DIY night cream (a mix of castor oil, jojoba oil, and a drop of frankincense or tea tree oil in a roller bottle). It feels so nice going on that I just keep coming back to it.

SNAIL MOISTERIZER

Side Sleeper Leg Pillow

I’m a side sleeper, but sleeping on my side with my knees touching makes my hips ache – because apparently, I’m that old now. To fix it, I’ve used a third pillow between my legs for years, but it always ends up tossed around, tangled in my feet, and basically feels like a third person in bed.

Enter: the leg support pillow I found on Amazon. It’s small, compact, and stays put all night. Even if it shifts a bit, it doesn’t turn into a chaotic mess. The best part? My hips feel nothing in the morning – which is exactly the goal.

SIDE SLEEPER LEG PILLOW

Purple Mattress

This is probably too big of a purchase for a Christmas gift, but if we’re talking about things I cannot live without, I’m actively addicted to my purple mattress. It’s the best sleep I’ve ever gotten. I don’t even have a fancy one, this is a bottom baseline model. It’s just the right combo of everything… It’s not hard, it’s not soft, it’s not hot, it’s not cold, the supportive and bouncy and firm and I don’t know… It’s just perfection.

PURPLE MATTRESS

Massage Gun

This is a fantastic gift – I know because I received it as a gift and have also given it as one. My husband and I don’t use it for relaxing massages; we use it for the “I slept wrong and now I can’t turn my head to the right” kind of pain. That’s when you grab the horrible, pointy, bullet-looking attachment (pictured above) and press it into the spot that hurts the most – right up until your eyes water. Then you ice it. Works like a charm. How’s that for a sales pitch?

MASSAGE GUN LINK

Anecdote Planner

I live and die by my planner – pen and paper, old-school style. It goes everywhere with me, tucked into my purse, carried around the house, sliding around in my car… Over the years I’ve tried a ton of planners, from cheap and simple to super expensive and overly complicated. This one is my favorite. The format works perfectly for me (I have a whole system, but I’ll spare you the details). This is my third year using this planner, and I have zero plans to switch. Bonus: you can pick a fun new color every year to keep things fresh.

LINK TO PLANNER

Drawstring Makeup Bag

This is the ultimate makeup bag. I’ve tried all the systems – acrylic countertop organizers, drawer dividers, countless makeup bags – and this is the one that finally ended my search. It holds everything and opens up so you can see it all – no more dumping everything out on the counter or digging around endlessly. I also have a taller version for skincare, and it’s just as great. Last Christmas, we got all three of my stepdaughters the same set (different colors), and everyone loves it. Bonus – it’s only 14 bucks. I KNOW.

DRAWSTRING MAKE-UP BAG | SKINCARE BAG

Joyspun Pajama Set

For my entire life I have slept in old, oversized T-shirts and random cotton shorts. But earlier this year, I was influenced by someone on social media to become a pajama-set girl. So, I bought a few pairs from different brands, and here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Being a pajama-set girl feels very “I have my life together.” It’s surprisingly nice.
2. Not all pajama sets are created equal.

Oddly enough, my favorite set is the cheapest and the most well-made. The winner? A $17 set from Walmart. They’re super soft, and thick enough to feel appropriate around others but thin enough that they’re not sweaty.

These sell out constantly (both online and in-store) so if you see your size (or your gift recipient’s size), grab it fast. Also, they do run a bit big, so keep that in mind.

JOYSPUN PAJAMA SET

The Best Paint Brush

Let’s end on a DIY note. I’ve said this since the beginning of this blog, but I’ll say it till the end. The Wooster shortcut is the best paintbrush and the only one I use. If you have a DIYer in your life, grab a few of these to stuff them in that stocking.

LINK TO PAINTBRUSH