I have so many posts I need to do (like recaps of Poland!), but those feel like they take so much mental capacity that I am lacking these days. Instead, my mind has been consumed with gifts and the holiday season, and while I am having an extremely hard time finding gifts that feel meaningful and chosen with love for the people I care about in my own life, I am having no trouble whatsoever coming up with long lists of other great gifts for people. You should see the notes in my phone! One is titled: “What to Get for Someone When You Have No Idea WTF to Get Them”. Coming to a computer screen near you in December, 2016…or maybe 2017. I have been trolling gift guides all week “Gift Guides for Him”…”Gift Guides for Her”….etc, etc. They have given me some inspiration, so I am hoping these gift guides will also inspire you. The hardest part of finding a gift (and the reason that I am very much against gift giving during the holidays) is that it is often done just for the SAKE of doing it. Like there is all this pressure to buy a piece of junk for someone that they MIGHT like. So then you buy them something they’ll never use, or you buy something that they’ll use, but they may have picked something a little different (this applies to clothes, shoes, etc.). And those things feel so impersonal to me…I want to find gifts that the person will LOVE, but they wouldn’t have thought of it or wouldn’t have splurged for his or herself (hey iPhone 7 😉 ) hehe. With that being said, the perfect gift can be inexpensive and mean so much more than a fancy gadget. But those are cool, too.
Anyway, here is my first installment of gift guides! This one is for the coffee and tea lover in your life. I am drinking coffee and tea and sometimes milk all day, every day, so these are all things I have or would love to have. They range in price, so you’re sure to find the perfect gift for someone. Enjoy!
2016 Christmas Gift Guide: For the Tea and Coffee Lover
1 // Nespresso Espresso Maker– ok, starting with the most expensive! This would make an incredible gift for the avid espresso and coffee drinker in your life, and while I don’t have one myself, I want one 😉 . The model that I linked to is very expensive, but it’s because it has a milk frother, but you can buy less expensive models. I like the idea of the refillable pods 1000x more than the pre-purchased ones, but I am not sure if that’s possible with Nespresso makers.
2 // Tea Box – something to organize your teas! I have my teas in 6 different open boxes, but my parents have these types of boxes and they’re so nice.
3 // Electronic Tea Kettle – before moving to Spain, I had only ever used the stove-top kettles, but these are great for boiling water in under two minutes. A nice stainless steel one won’t be an eye sore in the kitchen and there are all different types- totally affordable for someone on a small budget.
4 // Aerolatte Milk Frother – I don’t have one of these, but of everything in this gift guide, it’s what I want the most. I have used them before and basically, you shove the wand into your milk, turn it on, and have a beautiful cup of perfectly-frothed milk in seconds. Delightful.
5 // Glass Tea Pot – I just think they’re pretty, and while it probably wouldn’t be used often, it looks nice to serve tea for company. Pair it with a nice set of glass tea mugs, and you have a great gift.
6 // Hanging Loose-Leaf Tea Infuser– These are great for the avid tea drinker. You can give them a couple bags of yummy loose-leaf tea, this infuser, and a mug and they’ll be good to go.
7 // A pretty mug – I love, love, love mugs- particularly of the interesting pattern/ hand-painted variety. Check out the Anthropoligie site for some inspriration.
8 // Loose-leaf teas – head to any tea market and you’ll find an abundance of loose leaf teas. Personally, I like fruity and sweet, or calming teas.
9 // Thermos – People need to have something to transport all of these perfectly hot beverages! Why not get them a nice thermos that will keep their drinks piping hot for hours? The one I linked to has really great reviews.