Remember when Oprah would air an “Oprah’s Favorite Things” episode each year? The people who happened to be in the studio audience that day would leave with a fabulous haul of gifts.
I was inspired by Black Friday to craft a list of my own favorite things from the past year. Just… without the freebies. 🙂 If only!
Perhaps one of these items will give you gift inspiration for yourself or someone on your list.
Key ring by O-Venture. $55 I recently received this key ring as a birthday gift from my sisters and I love it. If I’m carrying a load to or from my car, I slip the ring over my wrist, which frees up a hand. Best of all, it’s now very easy to find my keys in my purse.
Colorful Keurig. $70 Earlier this year, I spotted this turquoise Keurig on sale at Target and fell into instant (and lasting) infatuation with it. It brightens up the coffee/tea bar corner of my kitchen.
See’s Chocolates. If you know me, you know that I adore chocolate. The best of the best, in my opinion, is See’s Chocolates. They’re AMAZING. This silver box assortment is perfectly delicious but if you wanted to give a friend or co-worker chocolates for Christmas, See’s also has several holiday-themed assortments to choose from.
Tom’s Shoes. $55 My most comfortable high heeled pair of shoes, hands down. They’re so cute and they wear astonishingly well. Plus, the company donates a % of the money you spend to help people in need.
Winter Candle. $24.50 (Bath & Body Works constantly offers specials and coupons) I’m devoted to this scent. I’ve purchased one every winter for years. I can’t get enough of it! It’s a blend of orange, fir, and cloves and it’s yummy yummy yummy.
Solar Defense. $48 My favorite “beauty” product of the year! After you smooth on this 30spf sunscreen, it tints to match your natural skin tone, thus it functions as a light foundation. It’s smooth and airy and flattering. This is what I reach for most days of the week.
Audible. Did you know that you can give a membership to Audible as a gift? If interested, go to audible.com and click “Browse” in the navigation bar. Then click “Gift Memberships” in the right-hand column. I’ve become a huge fan of audio books. If you have someone on your list who A) loves books or B) spends quite a bit of time in the car or C) has difficulty reading in print or finding time in their schedule to read in print, then this might be just the gift for them. My Audible membership has allowed me to double the number of books I read each year and made my time in the car lots more fun.
The Voxer App. Free. I included Voxer on this list because it’s one of my favorite things and because it’s a gift you can give yourself. Voxer allows you to converse with people who live all over the place via voice messages. You can talk back and forth one-on-one or create a group thread and talk to several friends at once. Speaking your thoughts is both faster and more personal than texting or emailing them. It’s also more schedule-friendly than talking on the phone because each party can listen and respond to their voxes when they have time. I’m not much of a phone-talker, but I’m crazy about Voxer.
What are some of YOUR favorite things of 2017?
Becky Wade
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I tried See’s chocolates when I was in America (at the airport in Denver) but really didn’t enjoy them. I am not sure what my favourite things for the year are. I would have to say a friend introduced me to Holy Clothing an online site that sells ethically made clothing from India. I love the way it feels.
I won’t hold your dislike of See’s against you, Jenny! We can build a bridge of friendship across our differing views on chocolate. :))
I’ll have to check out Holy Clothing. Isn’t it great when you find clothes that feel great?
We share a lot of the same favorite things:) And now I have a few new things to check out! Great list, Becky!
Thanks for stopping by, Susan!
Thanks for the list . I like the candle and the aroma blend sounds right for me. The key ring is great. Somewhere in my purse is the starter for our keyless van. Where they are in my purse I can’t say but they are there. Every time I go out to bring my van out of the garage I must have my purse with me. Even if I’m just taking the van out so I can put out the garbage can. If I want to start the van the purse comes with me. Of coarse I always get strange stares from the neighbors. LOL! Then Sees Chocolate. Never heard of them but if I ever come upon them in the stores I’ll remember your recommendation here.
Shirley,
Yes! I have a big purse and finding my keys has sometimes been an effort. There are times when I’m juggling bags, shivering in the cold, and using my thigh to balance my purse as I comb through it for my keys. No longer!
Oh yes, Sees Candies are wonderful! I know they can be purchased year round, but I strive to make myself only enjoy them during the Christmas season. Besides, for the rest of there year there’s always Godiva to tempt me. 😉
I’m a tea drinker, so one of my favorites is Adagio Teas. I’ve never gotten a “bad” tea from them. Good quality and interesting flavor combinations. They usually do festive blends for different times of the year. Oh my goodness, the Candy Cane is SO GOOD. During Black Friday weekend they’re doing free shipping.
http://www.adagio.com
Another of my favorites is shopping at boutique stores and indie stores. I’m partial to discovering new gems in the downtown spots of smaller towns. It’s like a mini adventure because you never know what you’ll find.
I tend to drink decaf coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon, so I’m glad to know about Adiago! Thanks for the head’s up. And I think it’s great that you enjoy finding treasures at independent stores. Whenever I travel through small Texas towns, shopping on Main street is one of my favorite things to do. The boutiques and restaurants are charming! And it’s wonderful to support small business owners.
I love your list sooo many good choices! 😀 The candle from Bath & Bodyworks sounds like it’d be amazing. I’ve never heard of Voxer that sounds cool for my far away friends! 😀 I have a tip but maybe you’ve heard of it before. It’s called TopCashBack and you get money back for your shopping. I’ve gotten about $11 back already deposited straight to my account or you can have it into Paypal or Amazon other options also. I’ve got $19 more pending. I just did shopping I had to do at Walmart but they have tons or retailers to choose from! If it’s something that interests you please send me an email so I can get credit for your sign up. 🙂
And Yes I remember Oprah’s Favorite Things it was a must watch show every year or magazine to get to see what she picked! 😀 Your list is JUST like that! 😀 Something for every price point! 😀
Some of mine are my books, my cricut ( a crafting machine), my Kindle, my crochet hooks and yarn, my coffee.
I love Audible. The kids and I drive about 40 minutes each way to school, so we usually download books that we can enjoy together. Ditto to the Adagio tea suggestion; they have these fairytale tins that double as a practical (and cute) gift.
My other favorite – Vera Bradley plush blankets. My college roommate sent me one for Christmas a couple of years ago, and I’ve ordered several more since. They are SO soft and pretty. Catch them on clearance for an affordable gift!