Happy holidays - need help?

I'm not much of an extensive gift-giver, or getter. It's not a tradition I have with many friends, and since we don't celebrate Christmas, my parents would usually just treat us to a small holiday gift (so we didn't feel left out). Still, the spirit of the holiday always gets me excited, and although the blogosphere is flooded with gift-giving guides, here are some of my ideas. The best part is they are all under $100!

Bendel's bangles
I have only been in Bendel's twice...once to pick up some Laura Mercier concealer, and once to kill time before a meeting in Central Park. I never had any intention of actually buying something, thinking the goods were too expensive. I saw these bangles on another blog (apologies, but I forget which at the moment) as a cheaper stand-in for the famed (and $$$) Cartier Love bangles. The Bendel's bangles come in a variety of colors and sizes. I personally love the petite hinged in rose gold, but you can even go with a stripe or leather look. Many of them are sold out online, but it looks like they will be restocking soon! Priced from $58-$98.

bendels bracelets

Items in this set:
Henri Bendel - Jewelry -, $88 Henri Bendel - Jewelry -, $88 Henri Bendel - Jewelry -, $88 Henri Bendel - Jewelry -, $88 Henri Bendel - Jewelry - Medium Hinged Enamel Bangle, $88

Anthro Aprons
Getting married awakened some domestic abilities in me...I love to play around in the kitchen and cook meals now! The aprons at Anthro are SO adorable and reasonably priced. They've taken their design aesthetic and produced some pretty fashionable kitchen-wear!

anthro aprons

Items in this set:
Aprons - Kitchen - Anthropologie.com, $32 Kitchen - At Home - Anthropologie.com, $32 Extra Ingredient Apron - Anthropologie.com, $38 Stockholm Floral Apron - Anthropologie.com, $28

Scarves
Now that scarves are worn year-round, except for the hottest summer days, they are a fabulous gift to give! Every store has a great variety at a number of pricepoints. I'd recommend going for a cotton or cotton-silk blend in a large size...this can be used in winter wrapped securely around the neck and chest, or in fall/spring (although I still rock the lightweight wool blends into spring).

scarves

Items in this set:
Women: Plaid blanket scarf - purple plaid, $25 Metallic Zigzag Scarf - Anthropologie.com, $58 Sheer Satin Floral Scarf, $7.80 Hand Knotted Fringe Scarf - Love Quotes, $85 Print Scarf - Alice + Olivia, $82

West Elm Diffuser
We LOVE these for adding a subtle fragrance to our bedroom and bathroom. We've tried everything from the high-end (Voluspa) to the low-end (Glade), and NOTHING freshens as well or as long as the West Elm diffusers. Plus, they look so chic out on the dresser or over the sink. I don't see them online, but I urge you to run to the nearest store and stock up.


French Press
My only experiences with french-pressed coffee were in fancy-schmancy brunch restaurants, but after some research, I decided to use our Macy's giftcard to purchase. I went with the classic 8-cup Bodum press, with a removable/replaceable beaker. Let me tell you. There is nothing better then a big, bold cup of french-pressed coffee, steaming hot straight from the press, with a splash or two of milk. On weekdays, we live for our programmable Cuisinart, but weekends are reserved for the press...makes it feel more special. The 4-cup version would be a great gift for a single person, and the new colored ones are so fun!

Bodum Chambord Press ($25 and up)

Bodum Brazil 8-cup press ($25)

Cookbooks
Another love I've acquired since getting married...cookbooks! I am always browsing them for tips or new ideas, and I love the idea of perfecting recipes that I can cook for years to come. I love Nigella Lawson's cookbooks, as well as Ina Garten's, but if you're going to go the gift-giving route, Joy of Cooking is a classic that is a must for cooks of all skill levels.

Makeup Palettes
I LOVE these and rarely purchase for myself. A set of eye, lip, and cheek colors...all designed to coordinate and flatter? Perfect and less thinking on my part. I exclusively take these along when we travel. The Sephora sets are especially cheap, with fun, bright colors...perfect for a college-age girl (college girls love to play with makeup!) I especially LOVE the Nars sets...perhaps my holiday fairy will be kind to me this year!

makeup palettes

Items in this set:
LORAC Double Booked Full Face Collection ($350 Value) Double Booked..., $55 NARS Everlasting Love 15 Year Anniversary Palette ($87 Value)..., $75 NARS Wild At Heart 15 Year Anniversary Palette ($87 Value) Wild At..., $75 Too Faced Glamour Revolution ($100 Value) Glamour Revolution, $40 Sephora Brand Glamorous 360 Deluxe Palette ($130 Value) Glamorous 360..., $36

Reusable Shopping bags
I get a ton of use from various canvas shopping bags. Living in NYC, you get used to doing a small amount of grocery shopping at one time, and carrying shoulder bags full of groceries is WAY easier than carrying several full paper bags in hand (especially in the cold). Even when I was driving and lived in a city, canvas bags were invaluable for transporting stuff to/from my car and apartment. Best of all, you can toss them into the washing machine whenever.

My favorite is the FEED bag, which I purchased from Whole Foods. It folds up to a super small size that fits in any medium purse. I've even used these when retail shopping to avoid those clunky shopping bags.

FEED bag from Whole Foods

Etsy is a fab place to pick up a one-of-a-kind tote. Just search under 'reusable bags' or 'canvas tote' to find over 300 pages worth of options.

Source

Source