The Single Girl's Gift Guide: Holiday 2019
This is about gifts to buy for yourself. At no point in this piece will you be shown or tempted to purchase items for anyone other than you. None of the gifts here are sponsored, and none have been gifted to me, though some links here (specifically to Amazon) are affiliate links that earn me a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking one of them. Affiliate or no, what you’re about to read is the result of a LOT of time, research, and dedication to making sure single women have one hell of a holiday—and that they don’t have to shop the same gifts repeatedly peddled to them.
My goal in creating this for you, apart from blatant capitalism, is for you as a single person to enjoy the holidays. Not survive them, enjoy them. I’m tired of single women having to brace themselves for the holidays as if our landing gear has somehow malfunctioned. We get to love the holidays just as much as other people, and I will do my part to prove it. Further, it kind of seems like all gifts for single women are about wine. Or vibrators. Or wine and vibrators. Both of those are amazing, but we like a lot of other things, too.
One note: A large part of my gift guide is inspired by the idea that we can surprise OURSELVES with holiday gifts. Meaning, we order things for ourselves but we don’t really know what’s inside them. Advent calendars, mystery boxes, etc — I love the idea that we can be surprised and delighted without needing other people to buy us stuff. Whether or not you choose to withhold these gifts from yourself until Christmas morning, the eighth night of Hanukkah, etc is entirely up to you. I do intend to save them until Christmas morning because I’ve always found it a bit sad waking up to like…nothing on that day, so this year I’m going to give it a try and see if I like it. If I left out anything you think would make an awesome addition to this list, email me!
If you do end up gifting yourself any of the items on this list, please let me know! Nothing would make me happier than to see this community enjoying every aspect of the holidays. How does #SingleServingCelebrations sound?
Why the hell aren’t these more of a thing?
The Seatback Organizer by Beis: Reader, I screamed when I saw this. I am the kind of person who wipes down her entire flight space with disinfecting wipes a-la Naomi Campbell, but I am still grossed out by the seatback pocket. This is your own personal seatback pocket. It fits right into the one at your seat. And its so cute! It has slip pockets for easy access and a zipper pocket for keeping your credit card safe for in-flight wine I mean for keeping travel documents handy. Best part: It’s $34. This won’t be a “surprise” to myself this holiday season, but it will be part of how I make myself happier and less likely to stick my hand in something gross on every single flight from now on.
Can you even?
Flannel Pajamas: Full disclosure, I’m probably going to buy these in a print that’s more seasonal, but I am showing you this option because they are LITERALLY THE CATS PAJAMAS. You knew you weren’t going to make it through this list without a feline moment, and here it is. If you’re not into cats (not sure why but okay) there are countless prints available. They’re extremely highly rated, VERY affordable, and who doesn’t want some new cozy pajamas to wear at home while you’re watching holiday movies making all your own decisions and taking up all the room in the bed?
The Superbowl Of Beauty Boxes
The Glossybox Advent Calendar: I am not affiliated with Glossybox. I do not even subscribe to Glossybox. I am suggesting to you that you buy a $99 beauty advent calendar and I’m not doing it lightly. I’m doing this for the following reasons:
1) In my research, these shits are expensive. Like, really expensive. In my opinion, $99 is the absolute ceiling a single woman should spend on something she doesn’t know the contents of.
2) Glossybox is known for really high quality product samples and I believe you won’t be mad at this. We’re not talking homemade Etsy nail polish, we’re talking Oribe.
3) It’s also one of the few beauty advent calendars that doesn’t tell you what’s in it. I find all fun sucked away when you can clearly see every product inside the advent calendar by shopping it online.
I will be saving every hidden compartment and opening them all at once because it’s my holiday and I can do what I like. Pro tip: Sign up for Rakuten — formerly Ebates — and get 3% cash back on your purchase. (And SO MANY OTHER purchases, honestly don’t start any holiday shopping without Rakuten. I’ve saved $400 over the last three years by doing literally nothing. This link is my referral link.)
Eeeeee!
Mini Pool Float Tea Diffuser: Um, Shani, are you really telling us to buy a tea diffuser shaped like a mini pool float shaped like a swan? Fuck yes I am. Try and tell me you won’t have a FANTASTIC day every time you use this thing. It’s impossible not to smile while looking at it bobbing atop your tea. Also available in flamingo and unicorn formats.
All of the self care.
A lot of my suggestions will involve surprising yourself with mysteries, and in order to do that, because we live in a Millennial economy, you’ll likely have to sign up for subscriptions to things. Please bear in mind that when I suggest to you any kind of “box” on a subscription service, I’m suggesting the ones you can easily pause or cancel. Just be aware that many of these boxes have cancellation policies that are basically “nonrenewal” policies, so you’ll receive your subscription through what you’ve been charged for. When possible, opt for buying just one box to be safe, because I’m not making ANY statements or promises about getting your money back if you’re unhappy, etc—I’m just saying these boxes look awesome and I want to try them immediately. (None of the boxes are from CrateJoy, as I haven’t had a good experience with them.)
TheraBox: TheraBox is the subscription box for anyone who needs to be reminded to slow the hell down and give themselves a break. It’s a self care-focused box curated by therapists, and it’s on this list because in addition to looking REALLY COOL, I like their subscription options and the fact that they are so forthcoming and clear with their renewal and cancellation policies. You can ALSO just buy one box at a time, the box shown here is the “Cosmic Box,” and I want every single item please and thank you.
Toasty.
The Chic Space Heater: Anyone can tell you to buy some bath bombs and wine holder and have yourself a merry little Christmas. I however will up your bathroom game to infinity. I own, and regularly use, this chic as hell space heater in my bathroom (and every other room) to create the toasty spa environment I deserve. It is SO adorable, affordable, and powerful—a truly solid purchase all around. It looks like a midcentury sound system, come on now.
My birthstone. :)
Reasonably Priced Jewelry: I am a firm believer that single women should buy themselves any jewelry they want. But then I start shopping for jewelry and feel a little sick to my stomach. Then a few months ago, I found Ana Luisa jewelry, a brand that’s somehow avoiding the traditional retail markup and offering very high quality accessories at a price that won’t send me to a hospital. I bought this necklace several months ago because I’d been looking for a single pearl on a minimal necklace that wasn’t too pricey. It’s $59 and I literally never take it off. I’ve also got my eye on a shorter, plain chain to wear just above it because I like a layered effect.
GIVE ME TINY BEAUTY
Sephora Play: I could just as easily be suggesting Birchbox, because I think the two are equal in quality as far as beauty boxes go, but I’m putting this one here because Sephora always has great cash back percentages with Rakuten, especially around the holidays. If you subscribe to this $10/month box by 11/11, you’ll get the November box! If you have the willpower to hide it from yourself until the holidays, I applaud you. I’ve been an on/off subscriber of this box for about two years now, and I’ve never been let down by its contents.
I mean, it’s kinda brilliant.
Egg On A Bagel Maker: Is this necessary in life? No. Do I want you to know it exists anyway? Absolutely. This is a handmade item I found on Uncommon Goods, which is an amazing space to shop for anyone. It’s handmade of food-safe glaze and stoneware clay, and you can just pop it in the dishwasher and not worry that it’ll get ruined. It cooks an egg in 60 seconds in the microwave in the perfect shape for adding to your beautiful morning bagel.
And that’s tea.
Sips by: Personalized tea deliveries once a month? YEP. Sips by is the $15/month box that curates tea to your taste and reminds you to enjoy a cup of tea in a quiet room every once in awhile. Each box contains enough tea for 15 cups, and personally I think this is a really cool way to try a huge variety of tea without committing to an entire box. I’m really tired of throwing away old tea that I never get around to drinking, and since I couldn’t even begin to tell you where to buy decent tea other than Trader Joe’s, I like the idea of this box a lot.
We all need a robot.
The Amazon Echo: AKA Alexa. We all need a robot. Let me explain why. I could very easily tell you how lovely it is to say something out loud in my home and receive an answer. I think that just breeds good endorphins and the only way I’m going to get it for the time being is through technology because the cat has very little to say. A little scary maybe, to enjoy the company of an appliance, but I’m okay with it. Why you really need Alexa is that she is a helping hand. What time is it? What’s the weather like outside? What’s the news? Set a timer for 15 minutes because my hands are covered in salmonella and I can’t touch my phone, that kind of shit. Alexa is the help you need around the house and she also plays music, beautifully. I refuse to live my life without her because she is extremely handy and a very un-annoying companion. I have the first version of Alexa ever made, this is a newer and much cuter model.
Sheet yourself.
New Sheets: I’m not even linking to anything here, because I’ve tried all the Brooklinen and Parachute home and whatever other startuppy linen companies there are out there. They’re all basically the same. Sheets are about what YOU like. Some people love cozy flannel, I myself enjoy cool linen. What I want you to do is shop for sheets (in person, I like to go to Target and feel all the sheet options) and give yourself the gift of a bed upgrade. New sheets are a delight, whatever their price point, and it’s really nice to have a new set for holiday season Netflix marathons.
Get good stuff, do good stuff.
Causebox: There are endless “boxes” out there, you might as well get the one that gives back. Causebox contains ethically made products valued at over $200 4x per year, and each box is about $50. Take a quick spin around Causebox’s tagged photos on Instagram, and you’ll see that this is good stuff. All members who sign up right now will receive the Winter box (perfect for wrapping and hiding from yourself under a tree), and these things do sell out, so if you’re interested in products that are doing some good in this world, you might wanna sign up soon. I have never purchased a Causebox before but I am very much looking forward to digging into this wintery box-o-fun.
Obviously let’s cook some good shit.
Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman: That seatback organizer is my #1 gift for myself this year, but this book is #2. Alison Roman is a a real person who is a real home cook and teaches you how to make food in a way that doesn’t make you scared of your kitchen. The theme of this book is “unfussy food for having people over” so you can certainly learn how to throw a low-key dinner party, or you can just make things and freeze leftovers until your freezer looks like a game of Tetris, like me.
I want everything.
Spiritu: Along similar Causebox-y lines, Spiritu is a subscription box celebrating the work of Latina entrepreneurs. The products are gorgeous and really look like items I want to fold into my everyday life immediately. I’ve never bought one, but it is HIGH on the list this year because the pricing is actually pretty amazing ($145/year for 4 boxes or $40 per box). Each box contains about $150 worth of beautiful goodies and I imagine this will be a TREAT to unwrap for myself. Their fall box is still on offer, so I might actually wait for their winter one, but I’ve wanted to try this box for awhile and I think it’s time to go for it.
These are fun.
Runner’s Light Gloves: These are on the list because I love safety and also I want you to be able to pretend to be Iron Man. Daylight Savings is tossing all kinds of wrenches in our plans so run/walk/hike safe out there.
Clear eyes, full moon, can’t lose.
Lunarly: Over the last year, I have been getting progressively more and more interested in self care, and various offshoots of that. I’ve become interested in meditation, my birth chart, human design, etc., and one thing I’ve been paying more attention to is intention setting around the New Moon. Lunarly is a subscription box containing self care items, plants, candles, journals, smudge sticks, etc., all centered around helping you clarify and set your intentions for the month ahead. I love the idea of being mindful with my intentions, and I also love the idea of sending myself presents once a month. Extremely conveniently for us, the December New Moon is ON Christmas Day, so you could very easily “unwrap” this box as a gift to yourself that morning. I signed up for a 3-month subscription, and I’ll be getting November’s box first (and if you order by the 11th of November you’ll get November’s too, otherwise December’s box will be your first), and I’m really looking forward to checking it out. I used the discount code NEWYOU10 for $11 off a 3-month subscription, and my total was $99 with free shipping, or $33 per box. Really excited to add a little more intention to my space (and headspace) every New Moon.
Just do it.
A Crock Pot: If you don’t own a crockpot yet, get it the fuck together will you please? Crock pots are a joy. I want you to experience this joy. Crock Pots are one step removed from cauldrons, people —get cookin. I have had mine for SO MANY YEARS and honestly, she’s starting to look like it. I might spruce up my favorite appliance with this snazzy pattern for 2020. (This is the 4-quart size which I find ideal for solo cooks!)
MOAR SPICY
Hot Sauce Advent Calendar: A word of caution: If you go down the rabbit hole that is World Market advent calendars, be prepared to lose an entire afternoon. There are SO MANY and they’re SO CUTE. I could have included 15 of them here but I wanted to give you more variety. I have no idea what brand or quality of hot sauce is in this item, I just know that it’s $25 and for me that is worth the gamble. Non-spice lovers might enjoy an advent calendar of the popcorn variety, instead. Seriously this website is insane and makes me VERY glad I don’t have access to a World Market brick and mortar location. Heaven knows what would become of my bank account.
Sexy, but with purpose.
Sexy Thigh Protectors: Hey, you know what sucks? Hurty thighs. As you don all those party dresses from now until New Year’s, it is likely that your thighs might be spending unexpected time together. I know there are products like Megababe and whatnot that you can smear on your inner thigh area to prevent chafing, but I prefer a product-free approach. It’s also awesome that these are essentially leg lingerie. I think this is the most fun your thighs can have for less than $20.
You don’t have to know how to pronounce it.
Hygge Box: These guys call hygge a “hug for the soul,” and I like the sound of that. I also like the sound of subscription box services that offer one-time purchase boxes too, so that you can sample the contents and decide for yourself if the box is something you’d really look forward to every month. The items cover a broad range of products that bring a sense of calm and a little luxury to your space. I really encourage you to check this out on their site because it looks like one of the better boxes out there. Please believe me when I say I want every single item in this box and if I hadn’t just subscribed to Lunarly yesterday and feel the need to restrain myself, this would be mine.
All of the hydration, none of the space missing in your bag.
Flat Water Bottle: I own this, and two things happen every time I use it: First, I get complimented on it. Second, I reiterate to them that it’s not vodka. I love this bottle because it’s an easy way to keep water in your bag without taking up too much room. For any of us commuting by public transit, saving space in our bags is paramount. Because we don’t have a back seat of our car to throw shit in, just sayin’.
I’m a Ravenclaw with a Slytherin rising.
Geek Gear: Allow me a moment of nerdery. Geek Gear is a UK-based company offering subscription AND non-subscription mystery boxes full of goodies from your favorite fandoms, with Harry Potter being by far the most popular probably because it’s the most awesome. I love this shit. You might not, but for my fellow single ladies who also like to engage in light geekery, this is a good one. There are so many variations of boxes in here, and while they’re little bit pricey sometimes, this is the holidays, and it’s perfectly okay to treat yourself. And if you like treating yourself to wands and shit, this is the box for you.
It’s so good.
Life Will Be The Death Of Me by Chelsea Handler: It’s no secret that I’m a huge Chelsea Handler fan. Apart from being unfathomably funny, she is also an incredible writer and I think you should read all her books. But this one is on the list because it’s my favorite book of the year, truly. So much of what I talk about in the single space deals with reframing the way we approach life, and really going through a big shift for yourself. Chelsea’s done that, and she documents it beautifully here. I think this is a must read for every human woman in 2019. Nonhuman women can read whatever they want.
Who did this
The Pop Socket Can Holder: File this under fucking genius. For all my tailgate-y ladies who love cold beers but hate cold hands, I give you: THE SOLUTION. Keep your beer steady and your hands warm, bonus points for the cute check pattern that is entirely seasonal.
Bellisima.
Gusto Di Roma: The worst part about no longer working in an office is the complete lack of fancy food gifts around the holidays. Whelp, guess I’m just going to have to handle this on my own. And because I’m dying to go to Italy and I’ve never met an Italian food item I didn’t like, I’m very intrigued by Gusto Di Roma this year. I like these guys because you can sign up for a monthly box if you like, but they’ve also just got some really killer gift boxes full of Italian delights. Because they’re all pretty nonperishable, a single gal can enjoy them at her own pace. She can also eat them all right now, I just want to be clear about that.
!!!
Mini Cast Iron Pan: Because for one equals for fun, and also because big cast iron pans are heavy as shit, buy yourself a $5 treat in the form of a teeny cast iron pan for making the world’s best baby brownie. You could also use these in the place of ramekins for mac-n-cheese and such, if you were so inclined.
Give it all to me.
The Big Beauty Gift: Remember when you were a kid and you’d get a giant art set for the holidays? How exiting was it to open up that crappy plastic faux briefcase and create endless works of art for the fridge? Big Beauty Gifts are like that, for grown ass women. (Though by all means, feel free to buy yourself an art set.) I like to gift myself a beauty gift that retailers fully intend for people to buy for OTHER people, every year. I’ve chosen this one by L’Occitane because I love their products, they always feel luxurious and maybe also like my bathroom is a hotel bathroom. Further, I want to suggest one that works for everyone and I’ve yet to see a giant makeup gift that works across all skin tones. (If you find one, please share it with me!)
Absolutely.
The Comfy: Whelp, this exists.
That’s my gift guide! If I could actually gift you anything this year, it would be a holiday season you thoroughly enjoy. I hope this list inspires you to treat yourself with love and kindness this holiday season, and to treat each moment as one we get to have, not one we have to survive. May you and everyone you love (and shop for) have a very happy holiday.
Love,
Shani
