The Season of Giving
Snow is falling outside our window and the kids are already debating the best spot for our Christmas tree. We still have a week or two before we need to hike up the hill in search of that perfect tree, but it is about time for us to make a few gift decisions. Living in the country requires a little earlier planning than we used to practice. A last minute run to the shops downtown simply is not an option. Even Amazon Prime’s illustrious 2-day shipping is more like “probably-someday-next-week shipping.” So, we’ve already brainstormed a few gift options, and thought we would share some of our favorite ideas with you.
As an aside, before diving into the list, we’ve got to share a little about how we share gifts in our family. Over time it seems we’ve developed our own norms around gift-giving. We learned early in our relationship that a gift given simply for the sake of giving a gift does little to spark joy. Likewise, moments of confusion or animosity spurred by a less-than-expected degree of enthusiasm from a gift recipient can cause more turmoil than unity. This said, the giving of gifts is an incredible way of expressing love and appreciation.
The Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons are first and foremost about experiencing gratefulness for the blessings of family, friendship, community, and a loving God. But through that gratefulness comes a sense of joy, and gifts are one way to share this joy with others. Unfortunately, greed and selfishness often sneak in to subvert the joy. That’s where some of our quirky norms come in. First, gifts don’t always need to be a surprise. It can be exhausting to come up with the perfect gift to surprise a family member with. So, instead, why not just shop together or ask the other person to pick out what he/she would like. This is true for kids too. Sometimes the joy of finding just the right gift together is more than if the gift was a surprise. Second, gifts don’t need to be a thing. Experiences can be a far more meaningful and memorable gift than another toy, especially for kids. Whether it’s a big sporting event or simply watching a movie together, experiences are never discounted as gifts. Finally, who cares when gifts are opened. Sure, it’s nice to get pictures of gifts under a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, or to make sure everyone has a few gifts to open together as a family. But who cares if a kid wants to open a present each day for the entire week leading up to Christmas? Unbending rules around gift giving and opening is an easy way to turn it from a time of sharing joy to one of managing meltdowns.
Gift Guide 2019
Please note that many of the links in this guide are affiliate links. This means that if you purchase through these links, the price will be the same for you (and in some cases you’ll even get better deals!) and we’ll receive a small commission that helps support our blog and our family. Many thanks!
Kiddos
There are so many options to choose from, but we’ve found over the years that many of the cheap plastic toys break or potentially contain harmful chemicals, so as much as possible we aim for toys made of natural materials that encourage play. We want the kids to develop great imaginations, learn useful skills and enjoy playing, so we narrowed this list down to our very favorite items that we either own (or have on our list for this year).
Kids Cook Real Food – These great online video courses teach kids all the skills they need to gain confidence in the kitchen. We try to do at least one lesson each week and give our kids lots of opportunities to practice their skills throughout the week. I’m so impressed by all they can already do in the kitchen at such young ages!
Opiniel Kids Kitchen Knives – When it comes to involving our kids in chores or daily activities, we make it a point to teach them skills with real tools. A plastic shovel doesn’t do a whole lot when I’m teaching a kiddo how to transplant a tree. Likewise, toy kitchen supplies don’t empower kids to actually take part in meal prep. It’s a little unnerving at times, but we’ve found giving the kids access to real tools and instructing them in appropriate use (Kids Cook Real Food helps a lot!) is actually more safe than letting them develop bad habits with artificial tools. That’s why we especially appreciate products that serve a real purpose while including unique features to make them more safe for little hands. Leave it to our favorite knife company “Opinel” to come up with just that solution with kitchen knives designed just for kids.
Beeswax Crayons – We cannot claim to be the most artistic family around, but we do our best to encourage creativity and artistic expression with the kids. While water colors and chalk make the occasional appearance, the crayon is the kids’ most common medium. Whether drawing highly detailed sports fields, colorful princesses or simply scribbles, colorful and sturdy crayons must always be in stock. Without a doubt, the beeswax crayons from OOLY are the best we‘ve tried. Our kids are not gentle, yet the whole set has somehow survived an entire year with only two broken. Not only that, but the tips have remained pretty sharp. Cannot recommend these crayons enough!
Rocking Horse – If you still have toddlers running around, a rocking horse is such a great addition to the play space. They don’t make the spring horses like the one from the 80’s we’ve passed down to our kids, but it doesn’t matter. The important thing about a rocking horse is the imagination it spurs in a child. Our girls not only go on adventures roping calves or searching for princesses, but also take the time to brush the horse and clean out her hooves. It’s a great way for kids to learn the value of caring for animals at a young age.
Kids Chore Boots – Regardless of whether or not you live in a farm setting, a good chore boot for your kids is a great investment. What do we mean by “chore boot?” Well, it may vary a little depending on your climate, but the essential elements are a pair of boots that slide on easily, are fully waterproof and tough enough to endure mud, muck, rock, and anything else nature may throw at them. The style isn’t actually all that big of a deal. We’ve been really happy with the chore and cowboy boots we get from Roper, so that’s what the link is for. But, the important part is how you use the boots. This should be a pair of boots your kids can feel free to get dirty in. We try not to make a big deal out of what the kids get on their boots. So what if they want to step in a fresh cow pie to see what it feels like. Freedom enables learning, and a good pair of chore boots provides a kid a lot of freedom. Just don’t let them past the front door. 😉
Weighted Blanket – We’ve heard a lot about the benefits of weighted blankets for years and our oldest used one at nap time when he was at an early learning center, but we finally purchased this blanket and duvet cover set last week for our two oldest kiddos. Weighted blankets help promote better sleep by using deep touch pressure to recalibrate your autonomic nervous system. Over the past few months our kids have been begging to have one of us sleep next to them, so we’re hoping these weighted blankets will help the kids feel like they’re getting a hug all night long! Emily did a ton of research on brands, and ultimately we decided on the one in the link above because it’s made of 100% cotton and 100% glass beads for the weight and offer many smaller sizes suitable for children.
The Boxcar Children Bookshelf – Growing up Emily loved reading the Boxcar Children series, so when our oldest started enjoying them too, she was overjoyed. We bought this great book set with the first 12 books and he’s almost through them already!
Special Event – Our oldest is a huge sports fan. So, tickets to a sporting event rank higher than pretty much anything that comes in a box. Professional and college games used to be a more frequent occurrence when we lived in the city, but we’ve found it doesn’t need to be anything that grandiose. A special trip to town with mom or dad for a junior hockey game or a high school basketball game brings just as much joy. The same is true for movies, plays, parades, concerts or even something as simple as a break for hot cocoa between errands. The important part is making the time special and joyful for the kids.
For the Chef and Foodie
We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, it’s one of the central reasons we decided to farm. We love growing great food, but we love it even more when we can pull it together into a great meal! As with most things in life, we’ve learned quality products in the kitchen make cooking much easier and pleasant. These are a few of our essentials and wish-list items.
Thrive Market Membership – Thrive is a great way to get organic and non-GMO food delivered directly to your door, for less. Essentially a Costco meets Whole Foods meets Amazon model. Pretty fantastic for us – especially seeing that we live almost 3 hours away from the closest natural food store. But we would have used it in the city too!
Le Creuset Dutch Oven – Le Creuset is the gold standard in cast iron cookware. A few years back we converted to an induction cooktop, which resulted in a subsequent transition to exclusively using cast iron. We’ve acquired a small collection of Le Creuset items, of which the Dutch Oven is our absolute favorite. It’s especially useful for baking sourdough bread, as described by Chad Robertson in his must-read book Tartine Bread.
Hammer Stahl Knife set – Quality kitchen knives are absolutely essential for anyone who takes cooking seriously. You can get a little crazy spending money on knives if you’re not careful. We’ve tried a few of the top names, but were fortunate to receive a set by Hammer Stahl a few years ago, and we’ve been very happy with it. They’re made of German steel, which we’ve generally found to be more durable than Japanese steel (that said, our Shun chef’s knife is still probably our absolute favorite). Hammer Stahl knives are high-quality at a down-to-earth price, and that‘s why we‘re recommending them here. Regardless of what brand you go with, the trick is to get the right knives. While a large block set is nice, the price gets steep quickly. Instead of counting the number of knives you get, simply aim for functionality. These five knives are most useful: Large 8″-10″ Chef‘s Knife, Medium (6″-8″) Santoku Knife, Large (8″-10″) Carving Knife, Large Bread Knife (Serrated), and Small Paring Knife. If the person you’re shopping for already has their “favorite knives” then consider purchasing a small travel set they can take on the road.
Mockmill 100 – Baking sourdough bread using Einkorn flour is a new ritual in our house, and we’ve come to value the ability to only grind as much flour as we need. We can buy wheat berries much more economically this way and know that the flour doesn’t get any fresher than this! We’ve used the Mockmill 100 for over a year now and have been very pleased with its quality and durability as well as its small size so we can easily pull it out of the cupboard when we need it.
Homemade goodies – We make a point of planning ahead in the summer months when produce is abundant and needs preserving! Over the years we have made jams, salsas, hot sauces, BBQ sauces, limoncello, and many others. Our plum trees were prolific this year, so there’s a good chance jam will be in the mix…and we don’t even need to ask a genie for it ;-)!
For the Farmer (or Gardener)
The transition from gardening as a hobby to farming as a profession has changed our perspective on a few things. Many of the tools gardening supplies we once considered nice gift ideas are now standard items we make bulk orders for. Most of our farming supplies come from Johnny Seeds and we definitely recommend checking them out if you want a specific tool or seeds for the gardener in your life. But, because these items are now standard in our life, many of our gift ideas boil down to accessories…which are still important!
Hori hori knife – Hands down the most used tool in the garden. It has a straight and a serrated edge, so it’s perfect for digging up weeds, planting bulbs, separating perennials, cutting through roots…pretty much anything. When it comes to short-handled tools, this is the only tool you need. Seriously! Everyone who has a garden should have one of these tools.
Leather gloves – Gloves are one of those “essential items” on the farm. As time’s gone by we find ourselves wearing them less than we used to. Perhaps because our hands have toughened up, or maybe we just gave up on keeping them clean. Still, gloves are an every day piece of our attire. There are all kinds of options out there when it comes to gloves, but we usually find ourselves coming back to the classic leather glove (lined in the winter). There’s a wide range of options when it comes to the type of leather used in gloves. Most are made of cowhide, but buffalo hide is a trendy option as well. Deer, sheep and goat hides make a much softer and more comfortable glove. But, in our experience they are more expensive and less durable. Hand shapes and sizes vary quite a bit, so it’s definitely worth it to try on multiple options or sizes to ensure you have the best fit. Not only will this improve comfort and dexterity it will also extend the life of the gloves. The quickest way to wear a hole through gloves is to wear a pair that doesn’t fit.
Custom hat – This is admittedly one of the items on our own lists this year. Everyone is different when it comes to hats. But, when you work outdoors all day, everyday, your hat offers much needed protection from whatever the weather entails. There’s also an element of style and comfort that comes with a hat. Comfort becomes all the more important when wearing a hat as often as we do. Through our business suit days in the city, we grew to appreciate the value of custom-fitting, and we’re excited to have found an option for custom hats made right here in Utah. Burns Cowboy Shop makes stylish hats that blow away any hat purchased at a general store when it comes to fit, comfort, and durability. Search around to see if there is someone near you making custom hats, and support local businesses!
Carhartt Pants – When it comes to apparel, we wear (and really like) several brands. But, when it comes specifically to pants there is one brand that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Carhartt pants are the most comfortable and durable we’ve tried. Farm and ranch life is hard on clothes. We blew through several of the jackets, shirts and pants we brought with us from the city, and gradually realized we needed to change our shopping preferences. Suddenly we were searching through online catalogues for Murdochs and Duluth Trading Company instead of REI. Carhartt has become our gold-standard for pants, and the competition is not even close. Best of all, we haven’t had to sacrifice style in our transition to Carhartt. Just last week we were in Park City and Emily was complimented for a pair of pants she’s had over a year. Ranch tough with Park City chic, try to find that somewhere else.
Wild Rag Scarf – Silk neckerchief scarves, or “wild rags” are a trademark of the west. As with most of our attire these days, our scarves first and foremost serve a functional purpose. The blustery fall days we’ve experienced in recent weeks are a reminder of the biting winter winds coming in the next few months. While it may not seem like much, a silk scarf around your neck goes a long way in keeping the wind from cooling your core. It’s also helpful for keeping dust out of your shirt and sun off your neck during the warm season. There’s a lot of style that comes with a wild rag as well, as highlighted by the numerous opinions on how they should be tied, but the key is keeping warm so you can stay out until the job is done. Even our youngest is learning to appreciate that lesson.
DeWalt Mechanic Tool Kit – We love gifts that serve a practical purpose, and tool kits do just that. There are countless options available and sometimes it’s tough to know what is best. Our recommendation…keep it simple! Anyone who owns a vehicle can benefit from an all-purpose emergency/tool kit. Some people are picky about the power tools they use, so why not save some money and invest in quality hand tools instead? Even if someone already has a set of wrenches, it rarely hurts to have extras (as long as they are high quality). As we’re learning, it’s nice to have tools in each truck and tractor along with some grab-and-go kits.
Gift Subscription Services
Audible – Earlier this year Emily’s parents gifted her a subscription to Audible and she has officially been hooked. We all love listening to audiobooks in the car, out in the field or even gathered around in the living room. While we still love the act of sitting down to read a physical book, the ease and practicality of listening to a book while performing another task (dishes, laundry, planting), helps us to continually soak up new knowledge or get lost in an old classic.
Spotify – We originally purchased a Spotify subscription for Emily to use while teaching her REFIT fitness classes, but we’ve all grown to love it for different reasons. Steve has his podcasts, Emily has her workout playlists and our kids each have a playlist of “their” music. It’s an eclectic mix. We’ve found it convenient to have many songs already downloaded so we don’t have to worry about the internet connection (or lack thereof) without purchasing all the songs individually.
Unbox Love – This is essentially a date night in a box. You can sign up for just one box, 3 months, 6 months or ongoing. Several years ago we purchased these for all the couples in our family for Christmas and had fun seeing pictures and hearing stories from the fun dates! We also love giving this as a wedding gift to help the new couple continue to make fun memories together as they prioritize dating after they’re married!
There are probably more items we could add to this list, but these are the current favorites that are top of mind! If you’re interested to see what was on the list last year, check out the Holiday Gift Guide for 2018. While a few items were important enough to make both lists, you’ll find plenty of inspiration if you’re still short on ideas. What’s on your Christmas list this year? Are you making gifts? Coming up with creative ways to give experiences? We hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Thank you so much for these ideas! Just ordered the weighted blanket for Avery. Ever since his diagnosis I’ve wondered how he would react to a weighted blanket. Like your kids, he really likes company in bed…I hope this will change things. :-o! Got a great deal on the pastel green one! Happy holidays to the Forbes Family! Marjorie
I hope he likes it. Our kids have really taken to them and generally seem to be going to bed easier at night and staying in bed longer! We’ll take that as a win. 🙂