1 Virginia Johnson lightweight wool shawl | $195
2 Moleskine 2015 soft cover large weekly planner | $19.30
3 Catbird 14k Initial Ring | $105 after GRECHEN25 code for 25% off
4 Comme des Garcons full zip wallet | $211 at Azalea (the GRECHEN25 code isn’t valid on CdG)
5 Baggu reusable bag | baby size $7, regular size $9
6 Melissa Joy Manning hug hoops | $100
7 Frieling stainless steel french press coffee maker | $99
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I don’t really like gift guides much. I mean, I do, sometimes, but often, I feel like they’re fake, and sort of an after thought. And we don’t really do a lot of gift-giving in my family anyway, apart from giving each other exactly what we ask for, which are usually very practical things.
But. I was thinking recently about the things I have that I really love, and am grateful that I have everyday and wanted to share them with you. Perhaps they would make good gifts for a loved one, or yourself? Otherwise, they’re just wonderful, meaningful, practical things I happen to really appreciate. Maybe you will too?
1 Virginia Johnson shawl – I’ve waxed poetic about my love of my Virginia Johnson shawl many times before. I guess I’ve had mine for nearly 10 years, and can’t live without it. It’s fabulous for travel, movie theaters, lounging at home, whatever. The shawl is so large it can be used as a blanket, but not so large it doesn’t also look nice as a scarf around your neck.
2 Moleskine planner – I love my Moleskines, and every year I look forward to starting a new weekly planner. I rely on a pen & paper to take most of my notes and keep track of my schedule, and a Moleskine makes it just that much more enjoyable…
3 Catbird 14k gold initial ring – I got one of these with a “g” and one with a heart 3-4 years ago from Catbird and haven’t taken them off. I love how tiny they are, and subtle.
4 Comme des Garcons full zip wallet – If you’ve been reading here for any time at all, you probably are aware of how much I love CdG. I have numerous pouches and wallets by CdG; I’m obsessed. I have this wallet in orange and I love it so much. For nearly 8 years prior, I had the largest wallet they make (even larger than this one), and wouldn’t have thought I’d be able to manage with a smaller one, but this holds everything I need very well, and I’m pleased I downsized. CdG lasts forever.
5 Baggu reusable bags – I ALWAYS have a baby baggu in my bag, and most of the time I also have a larger one, just in case. I can’t remember the last time I took a plastic grocery bag; whatever doesn’t fit in my baggu, I just carry out! I’m never without one of these, and people always comment on how cute the baby one is…
6 I’m a GIANT Melissa Joy Manning fan; I have several pairs of her earrings, and I’ve had a few bracelets over the years. These hug hoops are my newest pair of MJM earrings. Leo bought them for me in April and I haven’t taken the off since. They’re a great, chic, everyday earring that are just a little bit different.
7 Frieling stainless steel french press coffee pot – My dad gave me the 8-cup version of this more than 10 years ago and I’ve used it every day since then. Well, except for that month recently when I stopped drinking coffee…It keeps coffee hot for a couple of hours, and is beautiful to leave out on the counter.
A few more things I love:
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What is your gift-giving philosophy? Do you give practical gifts? Do you ask for things? Or do you give gifts you choose with no prompting? Do you exchange a lot of gifts in your family? What are some of your favorite gifts to receive? or give??
You know, I have never seen these Bagus and now I want one – BUT where are the CATS??? (Smile)
I love re-usable bags but find them flimsy and they fall apart after a few uses, so I may have to try a Baggu bag.
Monica.
MonicaP´s last blog post ..Perfect pairing, Olivia calf hair shoes and dark cuffed denim
For groceries, my trunk is full of heavy canvas bags (my husband has a supplier for one of his products who always gives me his trade show samples 🙂 I have been stalking the baggus for travel though – I like a teeny bag when I’m overseas, something that fits in a coat pocket or purse. I have a neon yellow one from Monoprix right now, but when it dies – I’ll replace with the baggu! (actually, the nylon bags are my husband’s favorites – I also carry an old school cotton mesh market bag)
My BF bought me the Frieling coffee press last Christmas, and it is on my Top 10 list of Best Christmas Presents I Have Ever Gotten. In 43 years, I figure that is saying something!
they usually have cats! they do change out patterns pretty frequently though…
these are definitely not flimsy! and they carry much more than you think they will. my favorite thing is that they come in their own little pouch. i hate when i lose the pouch though…which happens a lot.
oh, these are great for travel, especially the baby one. i carry it with me even in my smallest bags.
isn’t it wonderful?? it is truly an amazing gift, especially for a coffee lover 🙂
I’ve just added two Baggus to my cart for gifts and that coffee pot to my wishlist!
I am going to pin that wallet because I want one so much and I always forget what it’s called! Your list is way better than Oprah’s Favorite Things 🙂
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Thanks – I’m going to look out for this!
wow cathy! that says a lot 🙂
You got me started on Baggu for travel, Grechen. I use them for my shoes and to tote my dirty clothes, but they’re really too cute for that!
I just realized I am SUCH a rule maker for gifts: #1 They cannot be something you’d buy for yourself, hence, nothing practical. (I have a friend whose husband bought her an ironing board for their 1st anniversary…he’s lucky it wasn’t their LAST!) #2 I love shopping for the perfect gift for each person on my list, which includes immediate family and a couple of friends. #3 I send my husband SO freakin’ many ideas for things that I like, that he has a file bookmarked “Val’s Wishlist” 🙂
#4 I’m crazy about receiving beauty gifts, and gradually, with my prompting, my family is catching on!
*Love the Virginia Johnson shawl…just emailed it to my husband!
P.S. How do the MJM hoops work? Stupid question, but how do they stay on?!?
haha! no they’re not 🙂 they’re perfect for that.
i wish they still had the zipper pouches available – i have a TON of those, but always need more…
you can either thread the hoops through the back, or the front, i wear them threaded through the back, so they are open in the front, if that makes sense. and they just stay on…honestly, i check often to make sure they’re still there, but there’s really no need!
i love your “gift rules”!
I love how you presented these products, Grechen. Very classy and in a way that made me want to check out each item! I love hand writing my appointments and such (vs.entering them into my iphone…what a pain). Do you think a college-age person would like these “old fashioned” appt. calendars? I have someone in mind but i don’t want to give them something they might think as too retro! If I rec’vd that moleskin agenda, I’d LOVE it! in fact, i may buy one for myself.
A tad controlling, I know. But my theory is I control what I can, or try to, when life feels a little out of control. Drives my kids nuts!!!
Safety pin! The travel shopping bag we use (which is very similar in size to the standard baggu, I think) has a carry pouch as well, and after a couple of times where it was almost thrown away when we took the shopping out of the bag, we pinned a safety pin on it- now when we take it off, just pin the pouch on the inside of the bag and it doesn’t get lost! Doesn’t add much weight, AND, if you have a wardrobe emergency while traveling, there’s an extra safety pin around 🙂
OMG!!!! what a brilliant idea!!!!
i’m totally doing that.
Ordered 14 (!) standard Baggu bags after seeing your list. Perfect small, fun and practical gift for family stockings and friends. And a red one for me, especially since I’ve been reassessing wardrobe successfully and relishing it.
Love Moleskine and have used it for years; still do, even though iPhone and iPad have my schedule and all necessary contacts. Daughters in their early 30s only rely on the technology tho’.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and readers. I follow you daily for your, above all, real voice.
they do make great gifts…i’ve given baggus to everyone i know 🙂
thank you so much, and happy thanksgiving to you too !!!
Let me add one more recommendation to the gift list: two years ago, the BF got me a Tempurpedic (sp?) pillow, and I LOVE it. LOVE it. He really got it so I would stop trying to steal his 😀 It is a little pricey, and, like Apple products, they don’t ever seem to go on sale. But I use that pillow every night, and take it with me when I travel. It is a great gift for someone with neck problems 🙂
Great choices! I want to offer my personal endorsement for the Lululemon Vinyasa scarf. It is – seriously, with no exaggeration – the most indispensable accessory item that I own, and I own lots. The DH picked it out himself, in a black and gray stripe, about 4 Christmases ago. It’s held up beautifully and is SO versatile. It’s in my bag almost every day, in all 4 seasons. (Anyone who commutes on an ice-cold air-conditioned train in summer – you need this!!!) If I lost it, I would have to replace it, stat. Also thumbs up on the reusable bags – I’ve given them to everyone on my gift list and the thank yous keep coming. Mine are Envirosax, but I like the Baggu brand a lot as well. I think they are a bit sturdier. I don’t have any gift-giving rules, really. An ironing board = bad gift, but I don’t think “practical” is a dirty word. Something that’s meaningful and will be used and loved by the person who receives it – that’s the sweet spot I look for. Maybe a more-luxurious, version of something the receiver might buy him/herself, for example. I think a lot of Grechen’s choices here hit that mark. I’d be thrilled to get a lot of those as gifts and many I couldn’t justify spending the $$ on for myself, particularly the Virginia Johnson shawl or that gorgeous french press.
i got a knockoff at costco a while ago, and thought i would love it, but don’t 🙁 maybe that’s because it’s a knockoff?? i don’t know, i just couldn’t get used to it and went back to my flimsy feather pillow…
I have been enjoying reading everyone’s comments re. the “gift list” and everyone else’s recs. I just wanted to add that I’ve never seen those Baggu’s until now and want to get a few as well. I do want to mention the line of reusable bags by LOVE. I bought a few last year as gifts and I use them all the time myself. They have nylon ones that also fold up into a little pouch to carry around, plus lunch boxes, shopping bags, coolers, etc…
Now I’m intrigued by the Vinyasa scarf that Christine mentioned 🙂
Hi Henny – the Vinyasa scarf is the one in Grechen’s “few more things” — second row in the middle. Click through and it should take you to the page with a video of some ways you can wear it. I’ve come up wth a couple of my own that aren’t on the video, too 🙂
Thanks Christine, I see that now. The scarf is so tempting…i’m going to check it out! 🙂