It has been a year of cool finds around here which leads to a great list of holiday gift ideas! Whether you are buying for a cook, a runner or a traveler, I have a few ideas that will simplify your holiday shopping.
It’s the holiday season and what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t share a few holiday gift ideas. Fortunately, compiling a list has been easy. I’ve come across so many things this year that fit every hat I manage to wear on a regular basis. If you happen to have a traveler, cookbook lover, runner or food blogger on your list, look no further. I have no doubt they will love these gifts as much as I do.
It’s no secret that I love cookbooks, but I also happen to love goats. You may not think that the two go together, but I managed to find a way to pair them. These are my two favorite cookbooks for the year. They are perfect for loading up the world’s coolest tote bag that my husband bought me for my birthday this year.
Asian Pickles by Karen Solomon
The Banh Mi Handbook by Andrea Nguyen
Totes Ma Goats Market Tote Bag from West Elm
It took me a while to switch from my CamelBak water backpack to a waist belt. My torso is too short for the 4-bottle packs and my arms bump it as I run. I finally found what I needed in this Nathan water belt. It fits snuggly, doesn’t bounce and the two bottles are on the back so they stay out of the way. I can also keep my iPhone 4s in the zipper pocket and it doesn’t bounce, but I’m sure when I finally upgrade my phone I’ll lose this feature because the phone will be to big for it.
I love these chia bars and they work for me as both a pre and post run snack. If you need a little something extra to throw in the gift bag or stocking, these are a great choice. I’ve only tried the coconut, but they have a lot of other interesting flavors.
Nathan Mercury 2 Hydration Belt
I bought my mom one of these eBag backpacks as a gift and then I had to have one for myself. It makes a super simple bag to carry in place of a purse when you are out sightseeing. It’s loaded with zip pockets and it will hold my smaller travel camera with other essentials like a sunglasses case and any travel maps (yes, I do still use paper travel maps when we are abroad).
I received The Farm to Table French Phrasebook to review recently and it is so creative! It would make a great little gift for someone who loves food and hopes to travel to France. It is full of all the language tips you need to navigate through a French market. There are also a few fun recipes. I would love to see this type of book in other languages. It’s a great, no screen time required, study guide for travel.
These shoes are a last minute addition to the list as I just bought a pair two weeks ago. They are so comfy and perfect for air travel. They slip off easy for the security line. That is, if you don’t have TSA pre-check, and if you don’t, buy that for yourself for Christmas! I haven’t had to run in them yet, but I think I could rush to a gate just fine. They are also comfortable for a long flight.
The Farm to Table French Phrase Book by Victoria Mas
Women’s Merona Mallory Driver Moc at Target
Food Styling had been on my list for a while, but after Diane Cu highly recommended it as a must-have resource during the food photography workshop I attended, I knew I had to get it. So my brothers pitched in and got it for me for my birthday. I’ve only cracked the surface on it, but it contains so much helpful information.
I never thought I’d want power tools as a gift, but after diving into making my own photo boards this year, I welcomed this gift from my husband. This small sander makes it easy to sand down boards before painting and to distress surfaces.
Food Styling: The Art of Preparing Food for the Camera by Delores Custer
Black + Decker 1/4-sheet Sander with Filtered Dust Collection at Home Depot
Discloser: The two cookbooks and the phrasebook in this post were provided for review purposes. The rest of the products mentioned in this post were purchased myself or given to me as gifts from friends and family.
