This year the gift guide is split into two parts: 1) self-care: We’ve been through a one of the odder, more stressful years of our lives as a collective. You and your friends all likely need a little self-care. 2) optimizing the WFH experience: a lot of people starting working from home this year, and this will likely continue well into 2021, so let’s make WFH better.
I want to note that a good gift doesn’t necessarily have to be a(n expensive) physical item. Sometimes an offer of service, helping out with the kids, going on walks together, making a meal for them – these can be more valuable. What you gift someone should take into account what their life is like currently, especially in this nutso COVID season.
Self Care
Foot massager machine
My feet tend to hurt..often out of sheer stress. So a heated foot massager seems like the perfect thing to help de-stress, also..who doesn’t love a foot massage?
Melatonin
Weren’t we all awake in the middle of the night with hearts and minds racing with thoughts, worries, and minor panic attacks on random days this year? Melatonin will help you sleep..so will Netflix.
A bed spray
This is my favourite bed spray, I spray it on the bed and my pillow in the morning and I swear it helps me sleep better every night. Also, it smells fantastic. However, this is also a fairly easy spray to make – I found [this recipe] with a quick search.
An easy to follow cookbook of healthy recipes
The best way to be healthy is to cook at home, however, it can be draining looking for easy to cook recipes that don’t require a lot of exotic ingredients. Sometimes I’m especially frustrated when I’m looking for recipes to incorporate more vegetables in my diet, but all the recipes have outlandish ingredients only pure vegetarians or vegans might have. This book of recipes is fantastic – the ingredients are wholesome, easy to shop for, and the food is legitimately delicious.
Optimizing the WFH experience
Moka pot
Coffee is an important part of most people’s morning. I’ve tried drip, instant, French press, and now the moka pot – my newest obsession for making delicious coffee in the morning. There’s something about switching up your coffee routine and being in the present while you make and enjoy your coffee that just can’t be beat.
YouTube Premium / Spotify Premium / Apple Music
Gift someone a year of ad-free music. Seriously, uninterrupted background music while you’re working is so great and so appreciated.
Cleaning service
Work is tiring and when you work from home, sometimes it’s hard to motivate yourself to also work at keeping your home clean. A couple cleaning service vouchers from a local company can be an amazing gift people can use in a pinch or when they are really worn out.
A good water bottle
It’s important to stay hydrated at your desk, and I believe a good quality, easy to use, and nice looking water bottle helps! I have this exact bottle in light blue, it’s easy to open with a single hand while working and keeps water tasting fresh.
Books from A Book Apart
Here are some recommendations from yours truly:
- Resilient Management
- Flexible Typesetting
- Going Offline
- Accessibility for Everyone
- Animation at Work
- Color Accessibility Workflows
The Bootcamper’s Guide to Accessibility
This is an ebook, released in October, by one of my favourite online accessibility writers. It’s a beginner’s guide, I pre-ordered it, and will be diving into it during my winter break. However, the Table of Contents promise a fantastic and useful read!
While I have your attention, I’d also like to suggest taking a moment to donate to a charity this season – perhaps a homeless shelter or an organization that supports BIPOC artists, or protects women escaping domestic abuse, or fights discrimination. Doesn’t have to be a large donation, but as we head into the holidays, let’s give some thoughts and a little help to those in need.
I also want to note that a good gift doesn’t necessarily have to be a(n expensive) physical item. Sometimes an offer of service, helping out with the kids, going on walks together, making a meal for them – these can be more valuable. What you gift someone should take into account what their life is like currently, especially in this nutso COVID season.
Always include a note that explains your gift (why you picked it). A small (handwritten) note can elevate a small candle to a treasured item that makes a person smile every time they light it.
Happy gifting, y’all.