Mindful gifting

Written By Eva Rich

For connection & calm, inside and out

I love putting together gift guides 🥹 and I know everyone and their sister is making them, and there are wide swathes of the population that want absolutely nothing to do with them, but I can’t help myself.

Below: a collection of treasures to encourage connection & calm. Most links are not affiliate links; just things I want to share. Items I do make commission off of will be noted with a little * . Additionally, I included a bunch of items from our local refill shop (one of my many hats). Those will be marked with a > and can be purchased & shipped through me.

Wishing you and yours a merry season.


For deep breaths

  • Koshi Chimes
    An essential part of my yoga nidra soundscape, but I’ve converted two moms, too (who use them for transitions in their home). Handmade in the Pyrenean mountains.

  • Winter Solstice Tea & compostable tea bags
    My favorite seasonal tea from our local apothecary, with compostable tea bags to make your own. Perfect for cozying up by the fire, this aromatic blend invites you to slow down, embrace the stillness of winter, and savor the magic of the season. 

  • Beam Paints
    The most stunning watercolors, and 100% Anishnaabe Kwe owned. My favorite are the ones made with ethical mica (shimmer!) My daughter’s favorite is Dreamer’s Gold.

  • Yoga * - Give someone you love the gift of yoga! Local folks, I offer one class, three class, and five class gift cards. They can be purchased here. I also offer customized yoga nidra audio recordings, which honestly is a great gift for yourself too 😌. For those, please email.

For kids

For making/building/open ended

  • Make do - tools to take building with cardboard to the next level.

  • Magna Tiles - on every toy list always and forever because they are so versatile and continue to be one of the most played with toys in our home.

  • Indi Robot - the cutest little coding robot, for Pre-K and up.

  • Squishy circuits - electrical circuits with playdough!

  • Alphabots - transformer letters! Discovered these at our library and not long after we had a set for our playroom.

  • Potions - for special occasions. A little goes a long way.

  • Kite paper - for waldorf window stars & origami inspired seasonal decor

  • Nugget - a splurge, but worth every penny. Forts, obstacle courses, play tables, comfort & more. They have a chunk now, too.

Toddler approved

For adventures

In the kitchen

For cozy/quiet time

  • Winter Tales *

  • Two favorite Santa books. One. Two. *

  • Poetry * - a whimsical book of poetry. Cue: giggles, thoughtfulness & inspiration.

  • Stationary - for ye old letter writing

  • Sketch. Paint. Mold.

  • Yoto - sooo loved, by all our kids for early morning, quiet time, road trips, and everywhere in between. From Jake’s daily podcast to audio books, music, and more, there is something for everyone. In terms of cards, my older two love the Ladybird Series & Brain Bots. My youngest bops to this.

  • Gratitude Journal. Another option. For end of day reflections.

  • Cloudy Club boxes, limited edition! Designed and specially curated by my 8 year old. Each features original artwork, a spa headband, jelly lip gloss from Counter, and additional treats (hand heart chimes, stuffy friends, sweets, winter solstice tea…). There are only four left - the sweet box has sold. I’ve pictured the inside of the remaining boxes below. Email me if you’d like to gift a kiddo in your life by supporting a young entrepreneur :) Boxes are $40 + shipping.

Subscriptions

  • Simply piano - learn piano online, with a customized experience and real-time feedback. Our eldest in particular loves this app, and I’m amazed how much she’s learned. (A few in-person lessons confirmed this; we actually went back to the app for affordability 😝)

  • Circle Round Club - favorite family podcast. It’s free to listen to, but a club membership gives you ad free listening, bonus bedtime stories, activity emails, swag & more. We were gifted a year and now we’re spoiled.

Stocking Stuffers from our local Bridge Refill Market >

  • Sweet felt ornaments ($12)

  • Toothpaste tabs ($12)

  • Bow scrunchie ($12.99)

  • Pack of Reusable napkins ($14.99)

  • Holiday lip salve ($9.99) & hand balm ($12) & everlasting pencils ($4)

  • Plus (not pictured) chocolates, candies, dried fruits, and movie night popcorn :) If you’d like me to send you a customized bundle of love, reach out and I can get you pricing with tax & shipping.

For home

  • My go to candle and a seasonal one

  • Swedish Anglaspel

  • Dutch Oven

  • Insta pot - do not be daunted :)

  • Bento bread bag , and jar covers for sourdough (made by my friend Jo)

  • Athletic Brewing. My fav Non-Alcoholic brew (and the only brew I drink these days). My favorites are Tuckers, Pedal to Promise and Run Wild. They have seasonal ones, too.

  • Love from Bridge Refill > (Both of these bundles would make amazing host gifts! Or mix/match)

    • Humble Suds! An Evergreen Colorado company that makes some of my new favorite cleaning products. Featured here: their all purpose cleaner concentrate ($12.95) (one little refill fills two 16 oz bottles) and miracle cleaning bombs ($15 - for 12) for toilets, washer drums & more.

    • Bamboo pot scraper (fav kitchen tool) ($2.75)

    • Green Llama dishwasher tabs (plastic free!) ($4.75 for 10)

    • Stasher bags always and forever ($26.40)

    • Beeswax wrap starter set ($18)

    • Festive Swedish dish cloth ($6.50)

    • A pour spout for oils! (I just got one of these and it’s the little things, people) ($4)

      • If you’d like any of the above, please email me for tax & shipping info

For body

  • Basic skincare for tired humans * - Cleansing balm, countertime essence & dew skin tinted moisturizer

  • My favorite face oil

  • Day & night creams * give someone the sun and the moon :)

  • Truly a gift for every body *

  • My favorites from Bridge Refill > (email to order)

    • Poppy & Pout lip balm (Marshmallow is my current fav) ($9.95)

    • Speaking of - Fat Marshmallow whipped tallow. This stuff is amazing. Dry spots, eczema…smells like cake. ($12)

    • Little Seed Farm Deodorant (and bamboo spatula for application). I’ve been using this deo for the past year and love it. Comes in a few different scents; the holiday one makes me happy. :) ($13.99 + $4.99 for spatula)

    • Blood Orange Bourbon Tallow Bar Soap - smells soooo good and no synthetic fragrance. ($12)

    • Huppy Mouthwash tablets! No need to buy those giant plastic bottles - these are great. ($20)

Also just a quick plug for experiences > things wherever you are! And/or donating to a cause that is important to someone. Or sending $ for a travel and/or education fund. I think parents everywhere would agree - financial help with kid’s classes and experiences is HUGE. Offering to help with childcare, watching someone’s dog, a handwritten letter, cooking someone a meal, showing up (your presence!) is a gift. Thank you for reading. I hope this list inspires your gift giving, and brings moments of surprise, delight, and calm amidst the chaos. Sending love & warmth 🎄

Eva Rich