The Sunday R.E.S.E.T. #7 (Gift Guide Edition!)
Let's make the most of all these sales, and crank out some holiday shoppin'!
Hey there, my friend!
In lieu of our typical Sunday R.E.S.E.T. round up, we are doin’ it holiday/Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday/gift guide edition! *crowd goes wild*
Because, let’s face it— shopping this time of year can be overwhelming, but it can also be such a great chance to get some gifts, treat yourself a little, invest in something you’ve been eyeing, save some money, and shop intentionally.
Today, I am cutting through the noise and sharing the items, gifts, splurges, and sales that are great ideas as gifts for a loved one… orrrrrr as a gift to yourself *wink*
I’m so excited to highlight some of my favorite products and businesses and give you the opportunity to snag a great deal! (Just a heads up that while none of these are sponsored, there will be some commissionable links for products that I genuinely use, love, & spend my own hard earned money on!)
Here’s the breakdown of how our R.E.S.E.T. acronym will be represented this week:
Real-life approved: Those boring-yet-practical things to stock up on while they’re at discount. (Wait, am I an adult?!)
Eating: I think these would be incredible gifts for the home cook in your life! (Many of these are on *my* holiday wish list!)
Skincare, Style, & Small Business: The triple S— I couldn’t pick just one S, so you get a hodgepodge of my skincare, clothing, & some amazing small businesses!
Experience gifts: A bonus “E” this week— while physical gifts are nice, I wanted to share some of my favorite experiential gifts to give.
Expensive: The SPLURGES. Whew. These are when Black Friday sales truly shine, and I am sharing a few splurge-worthy home decor ideas, the aesthetically-pleasing playset that my toddler is obsessed with, the most amazing calendar invention ever, and a…vacuum????
Treats for others: A sneak peek at some of the gifts that I have given in the past or that I plan to give this year ◡̈
Let’s go!
Please note: this post is quite long & may be cut off abruptly in your email inbox— if needed, click here to open in a browser & read the full version ◡̈
Okay, stay with me. They aren’t the most ~fun~ purchases and they definitely aren’t what I would buy as gifts for others, but this is one of my favorite ways to shop Black Friday— stocking up on PRACTICAL things I would’ve bought anyway!
From health supplements to household cleaners to planners, here are my faves to stock up on this time of year:
A planner for 2024: Something to know about me— I live & die by my planner, and put a LOT of thought into which one I pick out each year. I had this one in 2023, and I’m buying again! I love the layout, the size, and the paper quality is amazing & smooth.
Nontoxic home cleaning supplies: This is the perfect place to begin if you want to switch out your endocrine-disrupting cleaning products for an all natural, nontoxic option. I love it because this one set cover all your cleaning needs for EVERY area of your home.
Restocking on clothing items you need (not just want): This is always the weekend when I will replace or buy new some PRACTICAL clothing items— for example, I’ll buy a pair (or even two) of my favorite running shoes while they’re on sale, I bought Miles a nice quality winter hat, I’ll get Adam some running gloves as a stocking stuffer, etc. So, whether it’s a new winter coat, some quality socks, or footwear, now could be a great time to purchase!
This prenatal brand (they rarely have sales): Okay, definitely not an exciting Black Friday purchase, but if you are pregnant, thinking of “trying” soon, or postpartum, these are my fav 3rd party test, bioavailable prenatal brand… this is what I personally used in pregnancy, and LOVED them. 25% off this weekend!
A financial planning spreadsheet: Yawn, I know. (I’m sure a ~fun~ gift guide writer, aren’t I?!) . But if you are wanting to up-level your finances, I love this thing. On the 1st of every month, I carve out 30 minutes to do a comprehensive check-in on our finances, and there is something so satisfying about seeing your progress unfold. They just released their 2024 financial tracker at 10% off.
These herbal natural remedies: I LOVE THESE THINGS. They are holistic herbal supplements that are designed by doctors and herbalists. From headache relief to digestion, this is SUCH a great add to the at-home medicine cabinet. I love stocking up while they are on sale (they have 20-30% off on amazon right now?!).
Okay, out of all of the letters, this is one of the ones I am most excited about! Because we all have a “home chef” in our life, and here are a few gifts that I think they would love!
These spicy chili flakes & sauces: Omg. Omg. Omg. PLEASE GET THESE. Hands down one of the best condiments I have ever tried. This pre-packaged set of 3 different sauces would be an amazing gift. If someone in your life loves spice & flavor, this AAPI-founded brand is amazing. (Adam and I demolished the spicy chili flakes in only 2 weeks….)
This cookbook: I recently treated myself to this cookbook, and it quickly became one of my favs. It is FUN! It’s beautiful. It’s unique. And it’s approachable. Nothing overly stuffy or complicated— yet still elevated dishes. (Bonus: it looks beautiful on the kitchen shelf)
This serving dish: A friend of mine recently had this for Thanksgiving. When I complimented it, I was shocked to hear it was from Target! It looks so chic & fancy.
Nice olive oil: Is there anything better than a GOOD olive oil? Especially when it looks this beautiful?! I think a little olive oil & vinegar set could be a darling gift.
An engraved cutting board: Practical but meaningful. Something you’ll have for a long time. As I explained in this blog post, we need to move on from plastic cutting boards— a beautiful wood option is 1) quality and 2) has the option to add an engraving! Such a wonderful gift.
A le creuset: Ugh, I have been tempted by one of these for soooo long, but I always hold back due to price. But I think that’s why it would be such a good gift for someone— because it’s something the home chef in your life may not purchase for themselves due to cost, but they would use it a ton! There’s just somethin’ about quality long lasting cookware, ya know?! The olive green color is especially lovely.
A little tea set: Get a cute electric kettle, a mug, and some bags of tea— boom! A darling, comprehensive gift.
Saltyface (small biz!): ‘Tis the season for self-tanner, and this is my fave clean ingredient option (and trust me, I’ve essentially tried them ALL). If you’re looking for a little midwinter glow, this is the perfect sale to shop this weekend!
Primally Pure (small biz!): You knew this was coming! The biggest sale of the year is HEEERE— 20% off and free shipping. Primally Pure has been my favorite nontoxic skincare brand for years (I shared my entire morning routine & evening skincare routines here, at the bottom of the post!). Quality, nontoxic ingredients— and my skin has truly never been better. This is the perfect chance to stock up on your empties or snag a gift for your beauty-obsessed best friend, mom, sister, etc.
ILIA Makeup: This is an amazing time to stock up on some everyday makeup staples from my favorite clean makeup brand, ILIA. They even have these amazing gift sets. So whether you’re doing a beauty cabinet overhaul or you’re replacing your fave mascara, now’s the time!
MATE the label organic sweats: How do I know this is a great gift? Because I’ve received this as a gift! MATE creates organic, nontoxic, and comfy wardrobe basics— and right now they are having 30% off everything ◡̈
Everlane: You may want to shop more sustainably with your clothing, but it can feel HARD (and expensive). Everlane makes it easy— quality fabrics, transparent pricing, and a more sustainable approach to business. I find their pieces to be on trend— yet timeless— which means you’ll use and love your pieces for years to come. Their sweaters are on sale, and could make a great gift!
Christy Dawn (small biz!): Now this is more of a splurge sustainable brand, but their pieces are truly made to last a lifetime. I LOVE every single piece I’ve ever gotten from Christy Dawn, and Black Friday is a great time to snag one of their heirloom pieces on sale— plus code 5KATE gets you an extra discount on their sale items!
Girlfriend Collective: Eco-friendly activewear? Supportive sports bras that don’t feel like they’re choking you? This is my all-time fave ethical and sustainable workout brand (As a lifelong runner & fitness lover, the Paloma bra is theeeee best sports bra out there. Trust me.).
Other Small Business: Gosh, the options are limitless! Snag a beautiful calendar from artist, Katherine Corden, get an uplifting children’s book from Olivia Herrick, buy a piece of homemade pottery on etsy, gift a substack subscription for a writer they love, buy some giftcards to local restaurants, or get a personalized ring with their birth flower ◡̈
Okay, you get an extra “E” this week because I wanted to share some experience gifts—
This is prob my fav type of gift to give and the primary gift that Adam and I will do for each other. These are gifts that you can DO— you can live them, enjoy them, look forward to them. There are a few ways to go about this (including how to not give a boring giftcard). Here a few of my fav ideas:
Concert Tickets: This is SUCH a fun one. We recently just bought my parents James Taylor tickets for their 40th anniversary and they were so giddy my mom cried happy tears. It gives you something to look forward to, you can personalize it, and can often find a pretty good deal!
A gift card for an airline service: We asked for gift certificates for Delta a few Christmases ago as our “big” gift in Adam’s family and it was so fun. No, they didn’t cover the cost of the whole flight, but they saved a good chunk of money, and help give the best gift of all- travel!
A gift certificate for a service you want, but feel guilty buying for yourself: The sky is the limit! Get a gift certificate for a massage, acupuncturist, interior design, fancy clothing store, etc. This is much better than a generic Target giftcard— try to think of a store or service that is not necessarily practical, but can really only be used as a “treat” ◡̈
A gift certicate for airbnb OR a pre-planned weekend trip: One thing I love to give Adam is a pre-planned weekend away. I’ll just give him a note that shares where we are going, when, and a loose itinerary :)
A pre-planned (and paid for) day: It doesn’t have to be fancy, but this gift is about putting in the legwork by planning (and pre-paying) a special day for someone you love. Create a mini itinerary with a gift card for a cocktail bar, two tickets to a play, a bowling gift card, or a pre-planned outing to a local tourist attraction (like boat rides or fishing charters in Duluth). It could also be tickets to the children’s museum for your nieces and nephews. Whatever route you choose, buy the tickets or get a gift card and provide a basic timeline for the special day you're giving them.
Okay, this one is random, but: Do you have someone in your life that’s a bit picky? Loves to shop local? Sustainable? Don’t know what to get them?Purchase them an etsy giftcard! I’ve asked for this before as a gift and I loved it— the options feel limitless and your a supporting small businesses while you shop! Win-win!
A gift certificate to a special restaurant: THIS. My go-to. I love giving (and receiving) this gift. It’s one of my fav to give to couples, our siblings, parents, etc. Pay attention to a restaurant they LOVE (again, try not to do just a generic chain restaurant) and get them a giftcard there for $50-$100. You are essentially gifting them a date night! (Bonus points if you offer to babysit, *wink*)
PSA: You can explore more unique gift ideas in our paid subscriber “chat of the month” above!
It wouldn’t be Black Friday without a few splurge options! When I know there’s a big-ticket item that’s on my list, I often try to wait for a big sale to get the most bang for my buck.
Each year, I prioritize 1-2 “big” purchases, and below I am sharing thee splurge item I got this year (it’s so random, haha). Then, I’m sharing some others big purchases I’ve made Black Fridays past and haven’t regretted a single day since!
