15 gifts to buy yourself for the New Year
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Whether you’re someone who loves reflections and journaling, someone who swears off resolutions, or someone who goes to bed like any other night on New Year’s Eve, we can all use a little self-love. It is winter, right? The season of going in, gaining insight, and taking stock of your daily rituals, stressors, decisions, and aspects of your life can feel stark. And after the tumultuous year we’ve had, it might feel a little lonely as well.
I try to gift myself something each month—either a tangible item like a new journal or candle or a relaxing service like a sauna session or a manicure. This practice has helped me tremendously. It gives me something to look forward to, a reason not to make impulse purchases, and it serves as a reminder to take some time to spend with myself. I recommend you do the same and start off the new year with a gift (or two or three) to set yourself up for true relaxation, mindful productivity, and plenty of self-care.
1. A good planner
I swear by this Moleskine planner. This is my third year with this exact one, and I’m so happy to have found a format that works well for me. It has a weekly spread on the left, and it’s easy to fit in daily appointments and cute stickers since the space for each day is horizontal. The appeal for me, though, is the lined right side of the planner. It gives me an entire page that I can use as a grocery list, notepad while on calls, wishlist, brainstorming space, and task list. I recommend the large or extra-large version with the softcover, but mix and match your favorite color and feel for a fresh start to this year.
Get the Moleskine 12-Month Weekly Notebook Planner for $19.63
2. The pan you’ve been wanting all year
The Our Place Always Pan has sold out numerous times this year, and it’s always one of my targeted ads when I’m scrolling on Instagram. The pan is a swiss army knife of kitchen needs, and it can replace eight (!) pieces of cookware. You can use it as a skillet, saucepan, steamer, and saute pan, plus it has a spatula and spoon rest built into the design. The pan is deep enough to fry some foods but shallow enough to make roasting and cooking easy. It’s also non-stick, which we love for kitchen items that get heavy use. We even tested out the pan and gave it a big thumbs up.
Get the Always Pan from Our Place for $145
3. An app to keep your health goals accountable
Noom is a new-age weight-loss program based on scientific data and psychology. The program gives users access to an extensive library of videos, articles quizzes, access to health experts on-demand, an eating plan designed for users’ personal habits and needs, and a detailed logging system to keep track of progress and goals. We dove into how Noom works, but if you have any health resolutions this year, Noom is a great way to stay on track.
4. A yummy, cozy robe
We tested out the beloved Parachute Classic Robe at the start of quarantine. We loved the simplicity of the design and the utter plushness of the fabric. Parachute also has a (slightly more) lightweight option, the Cloud Cotton Robe and the Waffle Robe, which is high up on my own wishlist. I’ve been seeing the mustardy-amber colored robe online everywhere, but given the choice, I’d go with the mulberry to avoid obvious wine stains!
- Get the Classic Bathrobe from Parachute for $99
- Get the Cloud Cotton Robe from Parachute for $99
- Get the Waffle Robe from Parachute for $119
5. A new water bottle
The best gift I received over the holidays was a Hydro Flask. I’m constantly drinking water in an effort to stay hydrated (as we all should), so I have a water bottle on hand at practically all times. I’m also a big proponent of sustainability, so having one made from high-quality materials that's also durable is important. Hydro Flask water bottles are incredibly popular; this particular one has over 24,000 reviews! You can customize the bottle to suit your color scheme and buy additional mouthpieces if you prefer a straw or clip-top. As a sustainability bonus, the bottle is made from recycled materials and has a lifetime guarantee, making the initial investment worth it long-term. We even gave it our editor’s choice selection when tested.
Get the Hydro Flask Water Bottle from Amazon for $34.95
6. A lounge-friendly outfit
Continuing with the theme of sustainability, Girlfriend Collective is near the top of my list of favorite clothing brands. Their clothing is soft, stretchy but opaque, comfortable, and made from recycled water bottles with environmentally conscious practices at the forefront of production. Their inclusivity across all demographics—race, age, body shape and size—is a breath of fresh air too. I recommend the Classic Joggers and the Dylan Bra, but the multitude of style and colors makes it easy to mix-and-match your dream lounge-fit.
Get the Dylan Bra from Girlfriend Collective for $38
7. The versatile Peloton App
Thanks to quarantine, it sure seems like Peloton is a household name. I recently bought an off-brand bike and signed up for the Peloton App and I’ve been blown away by the class options. While there are thousands of cycling classes archived in addition to several live classes each day, the app features other workout styles like yoga, strength workouts, indoor and outdoor running, pilates, meditation, and various bootcamp style workouts. The app is cheaper than a streaming service subscription, so you can’t use the pricetag as an excuse to stay on the couch. The app tracks your progress and allows you to join challenges that are motivating and help pass the days.
Get the Peloton App for $12.99/month
8. Chelsea boots
I tested the new Fields Chelsea Waterproof Boots from Chaco earlier this year, and I’m still wearing them every time I step out of my house. Like all Chaco styles, the boots are extremely comfortable, and the footbed is really supportive for a Chelsea boot. The shoes are sleek and have a slight rounded toe that doesn’t squish my toes like similar styles have in the past. The material is soft and obviously high-quality, repelling water and snowy slush alike. Though they’re a bit pricy, these boots are well worth it.
Get the Fields Chelsea Waterproof Boot from Chaco for $170
9. A new yoga mat
If you’re anything like me, your yoga mat gets daily use and the grippy texture faded long ago. It’s probably time for a new mat, and my go-to choice is the reversible 5mm mat from Lululemon. My Lulu mat has lasted me over four years, and aside from the surface becoming slippery, it’s lived up to its reputation. There are a handful of color pairings you can choose from, or head to your local Lululemon store for even more options.
Get the Reversible Mat 5mm from Lululemon for $68
10. An indie-book subscription
Subscriptions make great gifts, especially to yourself, because you forget about them and then get a lovely surprise gift each month. If you love reading, this one is for you! Two Dollar Radio is an indie press located in Columbus, OH. I used to work there, manning the espresso machine while making a long “To Be Read” list in my head as I helped customers find good reads. Eric and Brett do an incredible job of curating the shop with funky, stunning, hip, non-mainstream books, which is to say that I’d trust them entirely with selecting books each month. Their Unicorn Subscription is customizable: you can choose a genre (fiction, poetry, young adult, nonfiction, vegan-conscious, etc) and then select the subscription length. This is great for bookclub-lovers and will help you read more too!
Get the Unicorn Book Subscription from Two Dollar Radio Headquarters from $54
11. Herbal skincare
Transitioning my skincare routine to natural and herbal brands has been a game-changer this year. My skin is visibly healthier, brighter, and now I have the tools to keep it this way through the darker and windier months. I wouldn’t be as prepared without Wild Origins, a small skincare line I discovered locally. The Herbal Body Butter is the smoothest, most luxurious body butter I’ve ever used. I also love the mud masks, which are a perfect size for traveling. Friends of mine say the Dream and Awakening oils are well worth the money too! Wild Origins reopens for the new year after the first week of January, so you can browse all the herbal qualities in the meantime.
12. Fresh coffee beans
The coffee you received over the holidays is going to run out and you’ll need to restock. We recommend purchasing beans from Counter Culture Coffee, our favorite coffee subscription service. We loved how you could customize the beans according to your tastes and receive them each month with minimal packaging. You can snag a few bags of Counter Culture beans from Amazon, but for the full experience, sign up for the subscription on the site directly.
- Get Counter Culture Coffee Beans from Amazon for $17
- Sign up for a Counter Culture Coffee Subsciption
13. Bright foliage
Having plants in my home brings me joy every day. I love seeing new leaves on my pothos vine and adore how a snake plant brightens up awkward floor space. Having plants around helps the air quality, improves your mood, and helps a house or apartment feel that much more like home. The Sill is an online plant shop that ships plants (and pots) right to your door. If you’re a beginner, try a philodendron. And if you have a more experienced green thumb, try a maranta.
14. New bedding
There are few things better than sliding into a freshly made bed with clean sheets, and the only thing better is that same feeling with new bedding. Our favorite bed sheets come from Brooklinen, and while they aren't cheap, they're well worth the splurge. Our tester thought they were deliciously soft and comfortable, holding a steady temperature throughout the night without causing her to sweat or freeze.
Get the Brooklinen Luxe Core Sheet Set from Brooklinen for $139
15. A new razor
Upgrading to a stainless steel razor made a lasting impact on my bathroom routine. Firstly, I’ve always preferred switching out razors often, which became expensive and wasteful. The Leaf Shave razor has solved all my problems. There is a slight learning curve with such a close shave, but as long as you have a think shaving cream, you’ll be set. The pivoting head makes tough places like ankles and knees easy to get to, and I imagine it’s just as smooth for shaving one’s facial hair. Though changing blades sounds intimidating, it’s quite easy and you can do it as frequently as you please. Since the razor will last you forever, you’ll end up saving money in the long run, and blades end up being less than a dollar each!
Get the Stainless Steel Razor from Package Free for $84
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.