I always check out Oprah’s Favorite Things — recommendations for Christmas items to gift to others or yourself. This year, there are only 4 items in Oprah’s entire list that I already enjoy. They are: Peeper’s readers, Apple ear buds, the Apple Watch 11, and Laura Geller makeup.
This elaborate list isn’t for average retirees.
A whole lot of regular people like me will not pay $80 for a small candle that smells like a ripe tomato, or hand over $170 for a 2-slice toaster. I’m not gonna spend $700 on an electric pizza oven or $180 for pair of shoes where the tops are made of… and look like… socks. You won’t see me out and about in a $288 pair of cashmere jogging pants either.
Obviously, Oprah doesn’t know about Mountain Memories Christmas open house or she might’ve listed a few items from there.
Oprah is older than I am, and although she’s not a grandma, she thinks she knows the perfect gifts for old women. Ben & Colette will probably run right out and buy me a fruit-printed pickleball paddle for $100, when what I really want is the $350 red-light face mask. 🙄
I’m not an expert on what to buy people for Christmas… BUT…
I will say the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a great gift for those who love to read (someone on my list is getting one), and a year’s subscription to Amazon Unlimited is a great gift to pair with it. How’s that for a gift that keeps on giving?
Even though I’ve said it here before, it’s worth saying again. Handmade and homemade gifts are the bomb! Every single year my brother has a gift for me at Christmas. I can only name 2 gifts he’s presented to me over the 100 years we’ve celebrated Christmas together. Both were homemade cookies (first from his wife Sheri who passed away in 2005, and more recently made by his current wife, Tammy).
Don’t think gifts have to be incredibly expensive or on some trendy list to please those you care about.
And finally, I have my first Christmas decoration up, thanks to the MM Christmas Open House.
Now you know: The patron saint of Florida is St. Jude, the saint of lost causes.