The Lazy Genius Gift Guide 2020
We talked about it last year, but I never want you to feel annoyed, disappointed, frustrated or tired when it comes to giving gifts. Choosing the right gift comes with a lot of pressure, especially this year when we’ve already sacrificed a lot and the number of unknowns is overwhelming.
If you’re giving gifts this year, I want to make the process a little easier and more fun by offering up Lazy Genius-tested and beloved items that you and your people will enjoy.
Every single item on this list is either in my home or I’ve personally gifted it to someone I know in real life. Every. Single. Item.
There are great gift guides out there with a ton of ideas for a variety of people and ages, but this list is simple: it’s what I already love that I think others will love, too. Because of that, this list won’t reflect every interest, age, or gender. It only reflects what we love and use. I sincerely hope you find some good stuff on this list.
Let’s enjoy giving gifts again.
Home Stuff
The Heart Department Co.
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know I love a piece of home decor made out of wood. Tanalee makes gorgeous handcrafted wooden displays for your home and office. I’m talking clipboards, memo boards, card and calendar holders. Her designs are elegant and understated, keeping whatever you’re showing off front and center.
Shop The Heart Department Co Here
Xoan Candle Co.
These candles are perfection.
Hand-poured in small batches, they come in the most amazing scents and have wide wooden wicks, creating an incredibly earthy, relaxing sound as the candle burns. I have Campfire, Tobacco & Thyme, and Christmas Tree. I want them in my entire house.
I know that giving candles is kind of a Bad Gift cliche but not when they’re this incredible. If someone you love likes a mood, this candle will win. I have one burning next to me right, I lit one in the darkness of this morning, and I will continue to light them. Worth every single penny.
Street Carvings
We have one of these beautiful carvings hanging in our living room. American, Asian, Australian, New Zealand, Candian and European cities are available and would make a great gift for someone who’s missing home or wants to remember a special trip.
Scott the Painter
It’s no surprise that Scott is on the list this year. I’ve been a huge fan for quite some time. Three of his pieces hang on my walls, two of his books are on my shelf, and we shared a conversation on Instagram earlier this fall about what’s working in work, home, and heart.
Willow + Burl
Every single piece is handcrafted from reclaimed wood by father and daughter-in-law pair, Mark and Mel. I have an abstract wall hanging in my living room and want one in every corner of my house. They have cutting boards, trays, spoons, and sculptures that are one-of-kind and absolutely beautiful.
They sell out fast since everything is handmade and limited, so I encourage you to get on their mailing list or follow them on Instagram to get the first word on restocked products.
Woven Nook
Woven Nook creates beautiful home textiles, and I have the set of Zulu pillow covers that transformed our space. I think that pillow covers are so underrated; you can switch out styles in your rooms without having to buy (and store) new pillows every time. Just cover existing pillows with a new cover and breathe beautiful new life into a space.
We’ve had ours for over two years, and they’ve held up beautifully.
Wildly Urban
I love wood, and Wildly Urban is all about bringing wood and plants together. I have two wall hangings that are made from reclaimed wood that house those adorable little air plants you see in nurseries but don’t know what to do with.
Put them in a Wildly Urban hanging planter, and live your beautiful life. You can also choose from vases and things that don’t go on the wall if that’s your thing. I’ve also met the owner and maker, and she’s so kind and passionate about her work. You’re supporting a delightful small business with a purchase here.
Primary Sheets
Now this is a splurge. For sure. A set of sheets and a duvet that costs as much as a car payment? That feels excessive.
You guys.
We have two sets. I KNOW. The French linen sheets are so cozy and immediately warm in the colder months, and the cotton sheets are cooling and amazing in the warm ones. But here’s the thing: the top sheet snaps onto the duvet cover. No more trying to find the sheet from the bottom of the bed. No more trying to make the bed right before you want to crawl into it and hating life because your children think your covers are the only appropriate tool to make an elaborate tent. I can’t tell you how much these sheets have enhanced our lives. Again, not cheap, but we’re talking gifts here. Sometimes it’s a lovely thing to splurge on something special.
Turkish Towels
We’ve been using turkish towels for years in the bathroom, at the pool, and at the park when we need a quick picnic setup.
They’re durable, beautiful, thin and easy to store, absorbent, and get softer with time. This particular set has been our favorite.
Kitchen and Food Stuff
Chop and Stir Kitchen Tool
I heard about this little guy from Bri McKoy, my resident tastemaker, and it has been the best addition to my kitchen utensils. I’m sure it can be used for a variety of tasks, but I have only ever used it to break up ground meat and it’s magical. I don’t know why breaking up ground meat is so annoying, but now that I have this tool, it isn’t.
This is a two-pack, so you could always keep one for yourself and gift the other. That’s what I did. No shame.
Jarware Juicer Lid
If you like to make your own salad dressings, sauces, or just squeeze your own orange/lemon/grapefruit juice to drink, this juicer lid is a thing of beauty. It’s incredibly sturdy (and such a pretty yellow), fits on any wide-mouth mason jar, and allows you to juice a lemon into a jar and immediately add mustard, oil, or whatever else.. Pop on a lid, shake it up, and you’ve got your dressing all in one vessel. It’s just really convenient, well designed, dishwasher-safe since it’s just made of plastic, and a lovely kitchen gadget that would fit great in someone’s stocking.
AIEVE Mason Jar Flip Top Lids
I picked up a pack of these flip top lids that fasten onto mason jars a few months ago, and I wonder what we were even doing before we had them in the kitchen. They make mason jars into kid-friendly cups. They are great for storing simple syrups or homemade dressings and sauces. We love them.
Mad Hungry Spurtle Set
Lucinda Scala Quinn of Mad Hungry released a spurtle set, and y’all, it will be the hardest working tool in your kitchen. Spurtles are not quite spoons, but they’re not quite spatulas either. They are great for scraping the bottom of rounded pots and getting in narrow spaces to scoop every last drop of your favorite food out its jar. Available in silicon or bamboo.
Shop Mad Hungry Spurtle Set Here
Instant Pot
I mean. These usually hit a great discount on Black Friday, so keep an eye out.
I was majorly hesitant about the magic of this appliance and avoided buying one for years. I’m not even a hardcore user yet, and I still think it’s worth having. Dishes that take three hours on the stove take maybe 45 minutes in the Instant Pot. When you’re getting home after a day at work or picking up all the kids from all the sports, it’s nice to know you can get a hearty in way less time than normal.
I highly highly recommend any Instant Pot cookbook by Coco Marante. I have and use all three. She offers such a helpful baseline on how to get started with easy-to-follow recipes and ways to transform your own regular family-favorite recipes into Instant Pot recipes. Such a great gift.
Dutch Oven
I’m not sure any kitchen or cook would be sad to have one of these.
A Dutch oven is basically a coated cast iron pan - heavy and beautiful and amazing. It’s great for making soups and stews, browning chicken, even baking bread. Once you have one, it becomes a workhorse in your kitchen.
Le Creuset is the gold standard, but they also cost about as much as gold does. You might be able to find one on sale during Black Friday (Sur le Table is a good resource), but I’ve had success with random off-brands at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s and such. It’s the kind of item a cook really wants but might not actually invest in. You can do the investing for someone else and be loved forever.
Jeni’s Ice Cream
I am here for ice cream as a gift.
Jeni’s ice cream is my absolute favorite brand of ice cream in the whole dingdang world. Her practices are about as environmentally friendly as you can, the flavors are out of this world, and Jeni herself is my business idol. I love love love her.
You can buy a collection of flavors as a gift or splurge for the Pint Club for the ice cream lover in your life. My personal favorite flavors are White Chocolate Peppermint, Darkest Chocolate, Coffee with Cream and Sugar, and Strawberry Buttermilk. And, yes, they’re hella expensive for ice cream, but there’s good reason. Jeni doesn’t cheap out on sources. The reason it’s the best tasting ice cream is truly because they use the absolute best ingredients out there. Such a great season to splurge on killer ice cream.
(If you want to go crazy, get an actual ice cream maker along with Jeni’s book, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream at Home, for the ice cream aficionado in your life. That book is bonkers. I vouch highly for it.)
Kid Stuff
Planetbox
I’ve talked about these on Instagram before, but these lunchboxes are the best. We’ve used the Rover style for over seven years now, and my kids love them. It’s so fun to just open the lid and have your lunch smile back at you. Plus teachers love them because there are no containers to open, and you save a ton on plastic bags and such since nothing requires wrapping.
If you’re interested, Annie has the unicorn magnets (of course), Ben has the sharks, and Sam (my fourth grader) has decided he’s too old for magnets now. And guess what? The lunchbox is still a dream.
Hanna Andersson
A few months ago, my kids were complaining about their pajamas - how scratchy they were, how they got too hot or too cold, and so many seams not doing their job. We always get cheap pajamas at Target as one does, but after buying the third or fourth set, I decided to do a little research. Maybe I could do for my kids what I’ve done for myself - buy fewer but better clothing items.
Then I found Hanna Andersson. These pajamas are LEGIT. I’ve also bought fairy princess costume pieces, tshirts, shorts, all kinds of things. The fabric is shockingly soft and has shown zero signs of wear even though my boys wear them literally every single night to bed.
There’s always a sale and likely a big one on Black Friday. Don’t sleep on them.
OR SLEEP ON THEM I DIDN’T EVEN MEAN TO MAKE THAT JOKE.
Paint by Stickers
My kids love these sticker books. They’re a cross between paint by numbers and kind of stained glass? Basically you put the stickers in the right place it’s not creative we’re not fooling anyone. But they’re such a great little activity that keeps them busy and quiet, and the pictures themselves look really awesome when they’re done. We’ve gone through maybe four of these books, and I’m about to just buy them all over again. Such a blast.
A Marble Run Set
Maybe you already have one of these in your house and can testify to how loud they are and how annoying it is to step on a stray marble. I will not sugar-coat this. However, the actual creativity that comes from building a cool marble track and the literal hours of fun had by all? It’s one of our favorite toys.
We got ours years ago from a local toy shop, but Amazon has a variety of options if your local toy store doesn’t carry them.
Modern Little Kitchen
This little guy has been a workhorse. It’s so cute that we actually have it out in the living room. Annie plays with it the most, but the boys can get distracted by making pretend cookies, too. It’s not super hard to build but is not something you want to save for midnight on Christmas Eve. That’s basically what I did last year and regret it hard. But as long as you give yourself an hour in front of the TV to assemble it, this little kitchen will bring a lot of joy.
Pro tip: I’ve found that the fewer cooking toys available in the kitchen make the kids play with the kitchen more. The more plates and pretend grapes? The less they go after it. Weird, huh?
Fun Stuff
Rkitekt
These necklaces are part whimsical, part classic, and completely beautiful. I gifted several of the wooden bead necklaces to friends this year, and I was blown away by how gorgeous they were.
Madewell Jeans
Here’s the thing. These jeans aren’t cheap, but they also fit better than any jeans I’ve ever owned. Every single human I know in real life who has finally bit the bullet and splurged on a pair wears them constantly. And we’re all shaped differently.
It might feel weird to buy an actual pair of jeans for someone whose size you don’t know, but a Madewell gift card with a sweet note to buy some beautiful jeans? Yes, please. Solid gift.
Lettie + Row
Sabrina makes handmade jewelry for sensitive skin using clay, leather, recycled glass, wood, and more. I love her small-batch releases and always has something for everyone in her collections, whether you love making a statement or you like a more subtle look. A new collection launches November 28th!
Olive & June
I’ve had a bit of a situation with nail polish this year. As in I bought every single color Olive & June makes. I never used to paint my nails, and now it’s a beloved form of self-care. Oh, and go ahead and get the Poppy. You don’t know how much you need it until you have it.
Skip-Bo
Last year, I shared how much we loved Monopoly Deal. So much that Kaz and I would play a few rounds together after the kids went to bed. This year, we’ve swapped it out for Skip-Bo.
Wind Blown Jewelry
I can’t with this little shop. It’s like every single piece was made for me. I met the owner at Nest Fest, and she said she wanted to design jewelry for women who didn’t really love jewelry. [hand shoots up with great enthusiasm]
I have three of the Faithful rings stacked on my ring finger since my actual wedding ring makes my skin want to kill itself. I also wear the Persisting Posts almost daily. I’m not a hoop girl, but I tried on the Unashamed Hoops and was like “Maybe I could become a hoop girl!”
This jewelry is simply stunning. If you know someone who has a more classic, understated style, this jewelry will make them so very happy.
Some Call Me Crunchy
My friend, Erienne, has been creating beautiful products at Some Call Me Crunchy for years now, and you can’t go wrong with any of her products.
I personally love the cleansing oil and eye serum, but every single product Erienne makes is done with care and excellence. Plus, she has killer gift sets available that make gift-giving about as easy as it gets.
Shop Some Call Me Crunchy Here
BLK & Bold Coffee and Tea
I discovered this Black-owned coffee and tea company earlier this year, and I cannot get enough of their blends. Their mission focuses on turning a daily ritual, like drinking a cup of coffee or tea, into a means of giving back. They focus on supporting programs and initiatives that sustain youth programming, enhance workforce development, and eradicates youth homelessness.
Vinyl + Record Player
For real. Get somebody a record. I know it feels hipster or whatever, but if you know someone who loves a mood, get them something on vinyl and turntable to go with it.
Pay attention to what artists somebody mentions and see if you can’t find their music on vinyl. I absolutely love Penny and Sparrow on vinyl.
The Lazy Genius Way
You didn’t think I’d leave this off the list, did you? Books are absolutely a Lazy Genius gift idea. Simple wrap a color-coordinated ribbon around it, and it’s ready for its new owner!
I hope these ideas have you excited to love on your people with gifts.
Feel free to share this with your friends and family so they can have fun, too.
The happiest of holidays to you and yours.
P.S. I know some of you like to gift books at the holidays, and there is a whole Lazy Genius Favorite Books post coming soon! Until then, take a look at my favorites from the last decade or sign up to receive the Latest Lazy Letter, where I give book recommendations every single month.
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through one of my links,I’ll get a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost or inconvenience to you. Thanks so much.
