Christmas Gift Ideas 2019

If you are looking for holiday appetizers, please click on over to the Easy Holiday Appetizer article I wrote for Coastal Design Magazine. I am so excited to share four easy recipes that taste SO much better than the ones from the freezer isle but are almost as fast.

Now that you have some great recipes, let’s talk gift giving. I am definitely procrastinating doing the 4,857 things I need to do for Christmas and instead put together a gift guide for you lovely readers of le blog.

If you’re anything like me it is hard to come up with great gift ideas in the 15 minute increments you have to Christmas shop, and then I try to text girlfriends frantically for good ideas. Here are some ideas of things I have loved or have loved to give in the past.

So without further ado, here are…

15 Christmas Gift Ideas (Procrastinator’s Edition): 

1. These comfy pants from JCrewFactory    I got these when I was shopping for my daughter’s birthday and they have been my go to when it is time to relax and get cozy. I have only recently realized the love I have for putting on the comfy pant as a ritual to hunker down and love my people. Winter and hygge-ing are not going anywhere soon, so you might as well buy three for the whole weekend.
2. Short Rib Braising Sauce from Williams Sonoma – While they are an investment, they are still cheaper than taking our family out to eat. I like to brown the short ribs before we go skiing, put them in the crock pot with this sauce, and then when we get back they are falling off the bone and I just have to boil some egg noodles or make mashed potatoes. I also ordered the Black Truffle version because that just sounds delicious.  
3. Fog Hand Cream – This scent is amazing, with hints of lavender, amber and black current. Every time I put it on I get transported…to a spa? a vacation? somewhere nice smelling? It’s my jam. I got it at a local beauty boutique in Portsmouth called Making Faces and when I just googled it I learned they also have hand wash.
4. Trader Joe’s Taste Test of Carmels – What is not to love about a gift that is both eating chocolate and guessing? The Espresso and the Chile flavors are my favorite. Would make a great teacher gift!
5. I just got  this Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs  and know my kids will want to make everything in it. 
6. I also just got these books upon the rec of Grace Patton. She said her kids get so absorbed in these books and we have a lot of discussions about what part of the animal our dinner comes from. Is that weird?
7. These silicone oven mitts were gifted to me by my husband last Christmas and I love them. They are so thick you could lift a hot oven rack with them (I do) and they wash off under the faucet. And I know it sounds crazy but I love that they are bright because I always know where they are in the kitchen if I am doing a million things. These are the exact ones he got too – Rachel Ray knows what she is doing.
8. Kind of intrigued by the low sugar wines I see coming out. This Syrah from FitVine was ranked one of the top 11 low sugar wines. Also liked the reviews of the wines from Dry Farm Wines I read while I was ironically working out and they come in a subscription service. The perfect gift for someone you love who loves wine and working out. Which strikes me as a big demographic.
9. Flavored Salts – These are super easy to make, and after loving the flavored sea salts I got at a local store last year, I’m determined to make these for my fellow foodie friends. They are so good on bagels, chicken, fish, salads..and with a bow they look so pretty.
10. If you are in the mood to make another food gift, my cousin just sent me a bag of these Spicy Almonds from Martha Stewart and they are addictive. I used some in a quick salad with arugula, strawberries, goat cheese and raspberry dressing and they were mind blowing.
11. Two of my favorite Instagram Foodies have cookbooks out – Rustic Joyful Food and Half Baked Harvest. This one is basically because I hope my husband reads my blog and gets these for me.
12. We’ve given away waffle ‘kits’ to friends and family before with our hometown NH Maple Syrup and the heart waffle maker plus Stonewall Kitchen’s Waffle Mix. I love the idea of using this mini waffle maker because they are the perfect size for kids.
13. Sriracha Key Chain – for serious heat lovers. A great stocking stuffer.
14. If you have a HomeGoods near you, I have to rave about all the white platters and pitchers I have found here for very little money that I use all the time. They are all made in Portugal for some reason, and I don’t get sad when little kids chip them because they are all under $20. If you have one near you and time to run out there, I’m pretty positive you’ll come away with the perfect gift.
15. Last but not least, everyone can always use a good cutting board. Bonus points if you create a cheese board on it before you wrap it up and gift it to them.

Ok I am off to go shopping with twins, wish me luck! Hope you have fun playing elf and you remember to turn up the Christmas music when you get stressed.

Happy Eating! xoxo Katie