2024 Gift Guide - Part 1, Non-Book Stuff

Hi everyone! Time for a bit of an unusual type of post around here. I’ve been wanting to make a list of unsponsored and genuinely endorsed recommendations for a while now, and on the eve of that evil consumerist event known as Black Friday, I figured it was time to put together a little list of recommendations that includes, but also spans beyond, books and bookish material. Quickly, this list got too unwieldy to keep in one post (as you may have expected, it’s the literary stuff that is responsible for this unwieldiness). So, I’m publishing part one, miscellaneous recommendations, now, and a literary part two in the next few days!

I also want to emphasize a few principles I’m bringing to this guide. I’m a frequenter of the Buy It For Life (BIFL) subreddit and a follower of

Jenny Xie

’s newsletter, Ode, which is focused on meaningful decluttering and purposeful wardrobe-rebuilding; Xie’s work has been inspirational as I focus on better managing my own consumption practices. Honestly, if not for her influence, it probably wouldn’t have occurred to me to make a list like this.

My primary requirement for adding something to this list is: does it independently come to mind [as opposed to me searching through my closet, cupboard, etc.], would I verbally and enthusiastically recommend it to a friend, and crucially, can it sustain its usage in a way that justifies the “FL” in “BIFL”? I believe strongly in giving and asking for gifts that are really worthwhile and actually usable, not just junk.

So, with that, let’s begin!

My Top 8 BIFL Gift Recommendations

Bowl Cozies

My parents gifted me a set of these a few years back, and (because I am a fan of warm things, such as soup, veggies, etc, in bowls) they have become a part of my daily routine. They’re basically potholders that fit around bowls –– you can reheat things in the microwave with them on and throw them in the wash if they get dirty. They come in infinite patterns, and, if you’re crafty, you can “easily” (for crafty people) make them yourself. I’m pretty sure my parents got mine here, and they usually go for $5-10 each.

Tangles

These are a great gift for the stimmy/fidgety person in your life, and there’s a huge range of styles available for all ages, genders, and sets of sensory needs. You can get an original Tangle Jr. for $7 (I have three), or get more specialized/textured/plush/larger versions for more. These are the perfect stocking-stuffer (or Little Treat for yourself). Hell, they even have a trans-coded one. Fuck yes.

HunnyBunny Boutique

A small, Black-owned and D.C.-based shop featuring some of the best moisturizing/personal care products I have ever encountered. I have severely dry skin, and their shea lotions keep me hydrated like no other, and their bar soap is somehow not drying. I’ve shopped with them for years. I love the cherry almond body butter, as well as the chocolate & vanilla bar soap, but they also have gift baskets. All told, a gift from here would probably run you $15-20, or more if you buy a pre-made, larger gift basket.

Leuchtturm Stationery

Leuchtturm is my favorite brand for journals and planners, and last year, I purchased my dream desk planner ($22) from them! I’ve also enjoyed their journals of various sizes, and can’t recommend them enough. My favorite part about this particular planner is that each spread includes one page with a week’s worth of boxes, and another with a blessedly empty slate of lined paper. Perfect for a writer, or someone else with random ideas that pop into their head at random moments.

Verilux Lights

These lights are designed to help those with seasonal depression, but have the splinter benefit of rescuing those (such as myself) who simply cannot stand The Big Light. I have this one in my living room and this one on my desk; both have different brightness settings as well as tone settings, and they’re durable enough to bring with you on a trip if need be. I started out with the desk light, and after a little over six years of daily, sometimes all-day, use, I had to replace it. My second one is going strong at about 3 years old. Both of the lights I listed are about $50.

Vera Wang Bath Towels

I am the type of person who enjoys socks, towels, etc. as gifts. I am also someone who deeply, deeply hates the enshittification not only of digital/tech stuff but of, you know, everything. Enter, towels ($60 on sale for a six-linen set; $80 standard). I got these in 2016 when I moved to college. I did not put a huge amount of thought into them –– my mom and I were at Kohls buying things like linens and those little shower caddies that get all slimy at the bottom. We picked up these towels because they were soft and, according to my mom, they had a good thread count. Closing in on nine years later, I still use these same towels every day. I actively pass over slightly-newer towels I also own because I like these better. Obviously, this is not a truly “for life” item. But I’m excited to spend more than a decade with these damn towels.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Oy. These motherfuckers have gotten me through hell and back, and I couldn’t go on without them. I first bought the no-longer-available (RIP) wired versions of these in 2016, preparing (as above) for the realities of dorm life. Said headphones lasted about 3 years with overnight (anywhere between 6-10hr) use; when I repurchased the exact same pair, the new one lasted approximately the same length of time. In around 2022, I learned, to my horror, that the OG versions had been phased out in favor of a wireless-only replacement, but gritted my autistic teeth and purchased the new ones ($229) anyway. After a period of adjustment, I can say with certainty that these are even better –– at their noise-cancelling job and at staying in my ears while sleeping, exercising, and going about life –– than the others, and have held up over 2+ years of nightly use, regular airplane use, plus during my recent 10k training runs (more about that in my next monthly update). These are, and I say this without exaggeration, a life-sustaining accessibility device for me, and (I suspect) for many other very auditorially sensitive people.

Osprey Packs

This is probably the only place I will get backpacks (at least, for serious/multi-year heavy use). They’re sturdy and pocket-full and incredibly durable. Catch me on hikes and on campus (I use it for both and just transfer stuff in and out) with this one ($90). I use this one ($110) as my “personal item” on flights. Osprey stuff tends to be around $100 (what I spent) at the low end, up through $300+.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of items, ranging from roughly 5 to 300 dollars, that I 10000% endorse (and am not sponsored by or whatever!) as gifts for yourself or someone you love.

Of course, I also encourage buying your loved ones art, stickers, and other fun items from the small artists you care about –– especially given the rapid encroachment of amazon (which I have not purchased from since 2017 and deliberately do not link in this post) on our lives as creatives. Some that I enjoy include Tiger’s Tooth, Woolblossom, and sweatermuppet, but you almost certainly have your own favorites! It’s always a good time to support small artists.

Oh, and speaking of which –– if you need a place to make a wishlist that isn’t the bad site, I wholeheartedly recommend Things to Get Me. You can make multiple public/private lists (I have one that I share, and then another private one with gift ideas for other people!), there’s an app and browser extension, and you can add all sorts of details/notes to the things you list. I used to put things I wanted in a massive, messy google doc, and this site is so much easier.

Let me know what you think of these recommendations, and comment below if you have some of your own! Keep your eyes peeled for part two of this guide, focused on (you guessed it) book recommendations for you and/or that Highly Specific type of person in your life. Until then, happy shopping!