My Wish List / Gift Ideas For Women

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...
Ok, I'm only missing half of one but I HATE the way I look right now. I'm not a vain person. That's a lie. I'm vain enough that I put on eyeliner and mascara to drive my dad to the eye doctor this morning so I am a little vain. There's enough Southern Belle in me to never leave the house without at least a little lip gloss although I will admit to not being AS concerned about wearing makeup as I was in my younger/hoping to find Prince Charming days. I'm an animated person and it's impossible for me to talk and not show that gaping hole in my front tooth. This is one time I am looking forward to going to the dentist because I want my tooth fixed SO BAD! Since this is meant to be an actual wish list / gift guide... so you can make donations for my "two front teeth" with the Associates of Family Dentistry in Cleveland, Georgia. LOL! Just kidding... I've got this. December 14th is my day to get "my two front teeth".

Now for the more reasonable requests/suggestions...

Number one favorite gift for me to receive is CANDLES! Always a win in my Nest. I love fresh, green scents like balsam and fir and evergreen. I am currently burning "mahogany balsam" from Bath and Body Works and it's very nice. I don't like syrupy sweet scents, anything to do with baked goods and things of that sort gives me a headache but I did have a lovely "warm apple pie" candle from Walmart last week that I really enjoyed. Our normal practice is to smell ALL THE CANDLES when we're at Walmart with Cosy. She's very particular about what scent can go in the cart with us and gives a definitive "no" head shake when what she's smelling isn't up to her standards. She's also mastered the concepts of "hot" and "don't touch" but if she's here I don't put the lit candles on my hearth, just in case. Toddlers are like mini drunk people and tend to be highly flammable. I'm also very paranoid of fire so... very careful with it.

Number Two on my wish list is any kind of food gift basket. Shari's Berries are uh-mazing, I got them for Mother's Day once. I love the Edible Arrangements (even though I'm allergic to pineapple) and I'm keen on having one of those Hickory Farm's sausage and cheese combos any time of year but especially at Christmas time. Home made goodies are even better but I'm not connected enough with folks to actually receive those since I don't work. Sometimes a treat or two will make it's way into our Christmas brunch and I am grateful for every bite of fudge or divinity that comes my way. My New York sister-in-law has provided us with a spread from Zabar's in NYC the past few years and ... I have no idea of the cost but that is a fabulous gift for your Christmas Brunch. And for later in the day when you don't feel like making lunch. And for dinner. And for a late night snack. Seriously, there is no wrong time for bagels. I have come to associate Christmas with bagels now. Food for Christmas is the bomb-diggity.

3. Although I am not a big jewelry wearer, I am always happy to receive sterling silver jewelry. I'm not one of those ladies that has the big jewelry wardrobe with matching earrings and statement necklaces for every outfit. I'm the kind of jewelry wearer who keeps my jewelry on all the time and I only wear sterling silver because... that's what I've been able to afford. It fits my low-key/ low-maintenance style. I recently ordered the stackable Lisa Leonard rings with Oliver and Cosette's names on them (shared a few blogs back) and can't wait for them to get here! I wouldn't mind having rings with my kid's names as well. I also have a lovely charm bracelet that my parents got and would love to have additions for that. I know jewelry can be a very personal thing, taste-wise so maybe do a little detective work before making a big investment. For me... I like things that have some sort of sentimental meaning.

4. This might go in the food category but... I love getting tea as a gift. Right now I'm loving the Sleepytime Vanilla tea but I've always loved mint teas, chai tea, chamomile... most things except for things that have ginger in them. I also love tea "accessories" such as interesting types of honey, coffee mugs... and I collect teacups and teapots. The more unique the better!

5. This year I'm redoing my bathroom in a mermaid theme so I've asked for mermaid themed bathroom things. I think going on any special theme or collectable for the women in your life is always an appreciated gift... to a point. My mom has too many angels but I still like to get them for her if I find one that is unique or particularly special. (I'm not getting her any this year though... she asked for something very specific so that is what I got her!)

6. I may be alone in this but I am always happy to get new photo frames. I really need to do some big prints of my favorite phots of my grandkids to add to my very barren walls in my living room. I also really enjoy getting framed photos. Again, the more unique the better. We are such a digital society now that we don't do actual physical photos much but I still love them. I bought a ton of Cosy's Santa pictures and have had so much fun sharing them! I forgot how nice it is to say, "here, stick a picture of this adorable baby on your refrigerator!". I also love refrigerator magnets because my granddaughter loves refrigerator magnets. Having framed photos and photos on the fridge has been a good way to teach Cosy the names of family members she doesn't see as often. She even pointed to a picture of Ryan yesterday and said, "Booboo?" Which... she has seen him maybe half a dozen times in her short life time... so that was exciting (for me).

7. Last on my Christmas wish list... and maybe a risky one for you to purchase for others... is clothes. I think my style is really easy to shop for because I love hoodies, leggings, long sleeved shirts... anything that says Nana, anything with Florida State on it... but I'm at a size that's hard to shop for because if you buy something way too big it's like... "do you think I'm THAT big?" but if you buy something too small it's like... "geez... I've got to admit that I'm even bigger than they think". It's also risky to buy clothes because your style may not be their style. However... the clothing items I've gotten in the past few years have been awesome... a beautiful purple jacket from my sister-in-law... a great plush robe (that I picked out for myself) from my parents... I've gotten lots of fuzzy socks which I love and honestly, I don't think you can have too many of. Basically, like with the jewelry, do a little detective work and think about their style. My niece likes a certain type of t-shirts so, although I would be super hesitant to buy clothing for teenagers normally, I was able to find the brand she likes and pick a color she likes and I think she's going to really enjoy what I got her. For myself... with hoodies... the bigger the better. With leggings... go for the plus size... and for any clothes, have a gift receipt available just in case. Or, if you know of a shop/website that your lady likes to frequent, give her a gift certificate for that particular place.

So there you have my Christmas wish list / gift ideas for this year. It never hurts to just ask, "what do you want?". Some people are great - like my Cody who sent me an Amazon wish list which I followed exactly. Some people are vague so you have to get creative. Most of the people in my life have everything they want and need. I try to give gifts that someone might not buy themselves... or something that I know they use a lot (like me with candles and for instance, I got my grandma stationary because she does a lot of written correspondence - don't spoil the surprise for her, though!). Think about the person's lifestyle and hobbies... buying me fancy clothes would be a waste because I don't go anywhere that I have to dress up... buying me travel accessories would be pointless because I never go anywhere but for my sister-in-law who travels for work all the time, travel things are great! Don't be afraid of the staples - gloves, pajama pants for example but keep in mind the age and expectation of the recipient. For me, though, it's the thought that counts. It's not just a cliche. The fact that someone purchased something with me in mind and went to the trouble to get it to me means a lot. I'm not a material girl and I'm not the least bit greedy but everyone likes to feel important. I had a lot of Christmas as a single mom where there was nothing for me to open on Christmas morning and that's hard. Fortunately I've had a lot more Christmases where I've been blessed beyond measure.

Please keep our family in your prayers as my aunt is laid to rest tomorrow. After a long discussion with my mom today I realized that the best way for me to help her get through this time was to stay home and watch her dog Oscar. She was going to take him with us but that is a lot of time in the car for a little dog...a lot of stress for a dog who doesn't take well to strangers... and it's going to be really cold. I feel like I'm honoring my aunt the most by making sure her sister can be there without distraction tomorrow. She wouldn't leave Oscar that long with anyone else. So thank you in advance for keeping my parents in your prayers as they travel tomorrow and please pray for my cousins who are facing their first Christmas without mom. Love and hugs!