A few of my Favorite gifts I received this Christmas! It probably won’t surprise anyone to hear that my Amazon wishlist is pretty much full of VERY practical items. My cousin was like, “You’re no fun, add something fun!” BUT I LOVE PRACTICAL AND USEFUL. Still though the majority of it might be practical but its many things that I won’t buy for myself because they still feel like something I don’t ABSOLUTELY NEED. (Miss frugal here, its a sickness…) Which means, every Xmas, I feel utterly and totally spoiled! Here are a few of my favorite gifts from this years holiday!
You’re damn right socks are on this list! Not too long ago the only socks I would wear were ankle socks.
Anything above the ankle was just too Steve Urkel for me to handle and I have horror images in my head of tube socks pulled up to the knee worn with shorts and flip flops… To be fair, I won’t be doing that ever in my life lol.
HOWEVER, I happen to live in the #1 state for the worst winters in the country and let me tell you: a tall pair of warm socks are an absolute treat! I wear them over fleece lined leggings AND a pair of ankle socks, and then I put on my jeans and head to my day job (or wherever) I am so totally over being cold in my life!
I’m actually not a HUGE vest person. Back in my golfing days vests were an absolute must but I’ll never forgot a comedian joking about vests that I heard, “Seriously is it winter on your body and summer on your arms somehow!?”
He’s a got a point!
But this lovely vest I received as one of my gifts is absolutely WONDERFUL. Its warm, lined and looks nice enough to wear to my day job!
I’ve heard of flannel (or fleece) pajamas and sheets but I have never actually owned them!
Oh how I have been missing something wonderful for the last 33 years of my life. These are SO WARM! I had absolutely no idea how much just a different fabric could help! This frugal gal never lets her house get much above 60 all winter long so these are now my winter staple, I will never go without fleece sheets again!
These are truly one of my very favorite gifts!
I am a SERIOUS coffee drinker. And what I mean by that is that I do not take anything in my coffee. I love it absolutely as it is with no frills, no milk, no sugar, no creamer etc.
With that being said I love trying different flavors of black coffee. This is my favorite assortment that I keep at home: it comes with several dark roasts, medium roasts, light roasts and even a few fun flavors like hazelnut, caramel and vanilla but with NO added sweeteners or anything.
Lodi took me to a little restaurant for breakfast one day and I couldn’t believe it when I saw them serving up highlander grog. I HAD FORGOTTEN!
MANY years ago my mom and I had discovered the wonderful highlander grog roast when we got into grinding our own beans. Somewhere along the way of life it was simply one of things we forgot about.
Guys this is absolutely the most delicious black coffee I have ever experienced. It has notes of caramel and vanilla and yet its still REAL coffee. It makes my house smell like HOMEMADE TOFFEE! And, even better, the k-cups are recyclable!
I know I said last year that I was so ready for summer to be over and I also mentioned I would be, of course, eating my words. I think I also said that I was SO sick of making pickles I couldn’t stand it anymore!
Well, January is here and I’m so ready for winter to be gone so I can plant my garden. I received a wonderful set of gardening tools and a garden colander for gifts this year!
I lost my trowel last summer… I THINK Its under my deck somewhere because I used it to dig in a few more posts for beams for better support… But I looked and looked and looked…
crawled all over under there and never found it.
Kind of a bummer because it was my Grandma’s but, to be fair, it was ANCIENT and barely holding together. So, when I received a whole new set of gardening tools I did a little dance this holiday!
I’ve had a garden before in my life but never to this extent! With my garden full of beats and carrots and cucumbers and beans last year I found myself with a dirt filled kitchen sink OFTEN even after hitting them with my garden hose.
Besides that I was hauling SO MUCH produce from my garden to the house that I struggled figuring out what to haul my dirty wet vegetables in. I ruined MANY grocery bags (both cloth and plastic) and MANY boxes with my hauls… and plastic beans were awkward and just not practical in that application.
I did look at plastic laundry hampers at Walmart but they were all WAY bigger than I needed.
Then I saw this lovely idea on Amazon and immediately added it to my wishlist! A plastic garden colander!
We just got dumped on (nearly a foot of snow) and I’m not the only one who is looking at the next couple of winter months with dread. So, until spring finally arrives, I’m going to be enjoying my fleece sheets, new warm socks and a cup of highlander grog!
OH I love flavored coffee and creamer and sugar, but I do love Highlander Grog coffee and I have not had any in quite a while, so I must go find some soon. I may make a stop at the grocery today in order to get some.
Carol I keep a package of highlander grog as just my little treat on the weekends ๐ Love how it makes my house smell like butterscotch!
Highlander Grog is the BEST!! I love my flannel sheets, but I can’t use them and wear my flannel nightgown together, they act like velcro! LOL!
OMG LOL Trudy, that makes sense! The “stickiness” of the flannel sheets definitely took a little getting used to!
We used flannel sheets for years. I finally replaced our old comforter and haven’t needed them so far! But our house is newer and very well insulated. I’ve owned fleece lined jeans before (LL Bean) and they were so warm! I but smart wool socks from costco, nice and toasty, no itch, throw them in the washer. Your vest is really cute! Beats being cold!!!
Nancy, I remember having a pair of fleece lined jeans year ago, they were incredibly warm! I’ll have to go looking for another pair, currently I wear leggings under jeans all winter so I don’t freeze up here in northern MN.
Hi Tarah!
The Toasted Southern Pecan by Cameron’s is also amazing! Try it if you haven’t!
I would love to hear your thoughts on your beloved barn. My husband and I had a steel machine shed collapse last winter too. We spent the better part of last summer and fall agonizing over what to do, how to do and how to pay for it. Looking forward to hearing what you have in store for the building.
Best!
Mikayla
Mikayla, that sounds delicious I will definitely have to try it! I’m sad to say I am still totally stuck on what to do with my old barn. The cost, the time, all of it is still pretty damned over whelming. Once I figure something out I’ll be posting here on the blog with it. I’m so sorry to hear about your own building, let’s hope this winter isn’t so hard on everything!
I like practical gifts as well. One year for my birthday my husband built me a potting shed. The gals at work told me I was crazy and should’ve asked for jewelry. I like my way better!!! A gift of time is far more valuable to me.
Ernie, I totally agree! My boyfriend bought me a ladder for christmas I am SO excited about it!