How about a gift guide for ladies? After I published 30 Classy Gifts for Gentlemen, my husband remarked that he really wished someone would make a similar one for all the guys out there to help them shop for their ladies. Well. I am more than willing to help a guy out! Of course, these are also ideas for thoughtful friends. The two themes here are cozy times and classic kitchen gifts– both things I am pretty fond of. Let’s get started!
I am settling in for the long English winter I have gotten to know over the last couple of years. My first inclination was to fight it. Now that I’m a little older, wiser and more weathered, I know better. That’s why I’ve started reading like crazy, making tea, and accumulating blankets.
A Cozy Gift Guide for Ladies
Here are some of my favorite picks for making the most of the cozy season:
1. Aveda Comfort & Light Candle— I love Aveda candles, scented with essential oils.
2. Merino Wool Blanket— I already have four. (And I want more. I might have a little problem here.)
3. Therapy Mineral Bath Soak— is there any wrong that a good soak can’t set right?
4. Korres Body Products to keep your skin soft in the winter. (I love this company– their fig-scented products are my favorite!)
5. Himalayan Salt Lamp— not only do these cast a cozy glow, but they purify and ionize the air.
6. Beeswax Candles— I can never have enough! These do an awesome job of purifying the air, so they are great to burn in winter, when you have less ventilation. Plus, they make the air smell like honey.
7. Amaretti cookies– these go well with both tea and coffee, and I love them. This brand is gluten-free, as are many kinds of amaretti cookies.
8. Wool Slippers. I love having real wool slippers, and they last a long time.
9. An Infuser Tea Mug that will also keep tea warm.
10. Kusmi Tea— have you tried any of this beautiful French tea? Heavenly.
I also heartily recommend getting both seasons of Call The Midwife— probably the best show I have ever watched. And I have heard that the books are fantastic– totally on my own list this year! I do realize that these winter months can be really challenging, especially for those of us who are prone to sadness in the darker months. Please pick up a Vitamin D supplement— it makes a huge difference, and is inexpensive (a note to the guys who are shopping– what a kind & thoughtful stocking stuffer!)
I love beautiful kitchen gear, and try to have mostly things I like looking at as well as using. I find that good quality things are almost always worth their price, as you only buy them once or a few times in your life if they are well-made. And working with good things is one of those luxuries in life that makes daily work more of a pleasure.
A Gift Guide for Ladies Who Love to Cook
Here are some kitchen items that I love.
1. Natural Bottle Brushes— a must for homebrewers, and super handy for washing awkward vessels The look is nice and simple, which I appreciate.
2. Natural Pot Scrubber— we started using one like this recently, and totally love it. It’s super durable and feels good in the hand.
3. Olive Wood Salt Cellar— I just love the look of this salt cellar! I like to keep my salt right next to my stove, and always in a pretty container.
4. Weck Canning Jars— I started collecting Weck jars when we were in Germany, and I can’t seem to stop. They are beautiful to me, and have seemingly endless uses.
5. Ceramic Infuser Teapot –(Note: Jeff bought me one of these for Christmas after reading this post, and I love it! I use it for making teas out of herbs and berries I foraged and dried!)
6. Henckels Santoku Knife— I love this knife. It puts all the other knives I ever owned to shame.
7. Copper Colander— I love to see copper in the kitchen. It’s warm, beautiful and classic.
8. Acacia Butcher Block Prep Station— I use mine all day! This is such a classic, and will last forever.
9. Stoneware Batter Bowl— I love ceramics in the kitchen, and this one is so pretty.
10. Wood Scrub Brush— I have used this kind for years. It’s more eco-friendly than most because you can switch out the brush head as needed.
11. Maldon Sea Salt— At the time of writing this, I am lucky enough to live near the Maldon Sea! We buy this all the time at our local supermarket, but I used to go to specialty shops to pick it up when I was in the States. It’s a nice little luxury that I seem to be addicted to.
12. Le Creuset Dutch Oven— such a beautiful classic that will last for decades. Once upon a time, I had a whole collection of red Le Creuset, which I sold for nearly nothing before moving to Germany. Biggest. Mistake. Ever.
13. Hammered Copper Canisters— These are so beautiful and will last forever. I really appreciate kitchen storage that is a pleasure to look at.
14. Picardie Glasses— I love these! They are such a classic, super durable, and work well as casual wine glasses. I have also used them as votives and vases over and over again. I keep a set in our picnic basket because they are perfect for any kind of drink and are hard to break.
Honestly, it was really hard to come to a stopping place with this list. There are so many awesome things I want to tell you about. I guess I just like talking about kitchen gear! Even now, I’m holding back from posting a bunch more links here. (I’ll stop!)
I really enjoyed sharing some of my favorite gift ideas with you! What do you ladies love to give your sisters and friends?
Need some more gift ideas? Check out these posts:
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Nice job with both posts of gifts for gentlemen and ladies. I’ve really begun to enjoy your blog and look forward to it when a notice arrives in my email. Thank-you and Merry Christmas from Little Prairie Wisconsin USA.
So glad to hear this, Julie. You made my evening.
Don’t stop. I love looking at these lists.
Oh, good!! I really loved putting these together, so I will definitely do some more in the future. Thank you!
Thank you! I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts and your adventures as an expat. I’ve added a few things from your list for ladies to my amazon wish list. Keeping my fingers crossed. 🙂
Hi Sheila, I am so glad to hear you have enjoyed my expat posts! It’s a fun adventure, and I hope we can keep it up for many more years. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your wishlist items. 😉
Ariana, I keep meaning to tell you how much I love this guide–I seriously want everything! I hope you’ll do more guides in the future. I need some of those bottle brushes, so they’ll definitely go on my list. That’s my favorite kind of pot scrubber, too–I really don’t like using anything else now. I love that wool blanket and have put it in my wish list. I’ve been wanting Duralex Picardie glasses for a while–maybe I will finally get some this year. I have been a Kusmi tea fan for several years–been to their friendly Paris shop in the Marais a couple of times. I want to try their chai next. I like salt lamps but have only the kind you put a tealight in–the bottom sweats and the salt sloughs off! Know you must be so sad you sold your Le Creuset–funny, we have built up a pretty decent collection ourselves, and my husband is always telling our kids not to sell it all in an estate sale someday!
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know you enjoyed these! I was surprised by how much I enjoyed putting them together, and I’ll definitely do some more. Also: That’s right Kids– never sell that Le Creuset collection!
Oohhh I want all that copper! I love that warmth! And the wool slippers look simply amazing. I am going to send those along to my husband as a hint!