Favorite Things

I've been suffering from a wicked case of writers block. There's a post I've been trying to write for over a month now, but it's just not coming together. It's. So. Frustrating. I've tried just forcing it finished, but it falls so flat that I can't even pretend I tried to be artistic with it.

In the meantime, I read a post that was filled with the writers favorite things (a la Oprah), and others had linked up to it, and I got so excited reading them! I figured it would be fun to totally copy that idea, while trying to get rid of this brick wall I keep slamming myself into.

With Christmas looming, I thought maybe some people were stumped at gift ideas for friends or family. Below are ten of my current favorite things to help jumpstart your gift buying.

(And just because they're on this list doesn't mean I have them.)

(It just means it would be a favorite thing if I actually had it.)

(HINT and HINT.)

(Just kidding.)

(Maybe.)

Oh, and I tried to keep each of these to under $50.

'Cuz, you know. THE ECONOMY.

1. For The Coffee Lover. This is gorgeous, ingenious and guaranteed to be a hit with your favorite coffee snob. You can find it at Anthropologie. Cost: $42 for the maker and $8.50 for the filters.

2. For The Hostess. You have that friend, I know you do...who always has the fancy cheeses out when people come over. Cheeses with names you don't know how to pronounce properly, like "gruyere." This is the perfect gift for her, from Uncommon Goods. Cost: $42.

3. For The Mom. These stackable rings are fabulous. Personalize each of the three rings with an initial - say your husband's, son's and daughter's? Come in antiqued bronze or silver from Red Envelope. Cost: $49.95. 

4. For Him.  If your man travels even just a little bit (and going overnight to a championship football game counts), you can't go wrong with gifting him with this gorgeous, buffalo hide dopp kit from the Sundance Catalog. It's rugged, manly and kinda pretty, really. Bonus - when he's away, he'll always think of you every time he shaves and brushes his teeth. Cost: $48.

5. For The Young Adult. I die for these boots. Seriously. And every time I go to ModCloth to buy them, they are out of stock. (And yes, I'm quite aware I'm nowhere close to "young adult" any more, but I'm pretending.) These rock. And because they have yet to remove them from the site, I'm guessing they'll be back in stock soon. Cost: $59.99 and worth going over the $50 mark.

6. For The Tea Drinker. Or coffee drinker. Or juice drinker, too...let's not discriminate. These beautiful mugs from Anthropologie come personalized with an initial. Buy one for a friend or an entire set that spells out their name. Guaranteed to brighten even the grayest of mornings. Cost: $8 each.

7. For The Traveler. You'll experience a wee bit of pride each time you whip out your passport in this monogrammed, saddle leather holder from Pottery Barn. Get the matching luggage tag and people will wonder why you're flying coach. Cost: $29 for the holder, $8 for the luggage tag.

8. For The Rainy Days. I saw this umbrella about 15-20 years ago at some store in Seattle and never bought it. And I'm not kidding when I say it's haunted me since. I want it so badly. How could you not smile in the midst of the storm with this? (There's a sermon in there, people.) It can be yours now from Urban Outfitters. Cost: $38.

9. For The Hat Lover. I'm a lover of a good hat. And I wish I had the guts to try one of these Target hats in real life. I think they're awesome. The big issue, sadly, is that none of my clothes match these styles. But I adore them. Cost: $14.

10. For The Cougar. And I'm not talking older women chasing young men. I'm talking about those who live and breathe all things Washington State University. There's an anticipation in the air, my friends, over our newly-appointed head football coach, Mike Leach. And this is the perfect gift for a Cougar, male or female. And if it has to take over for your spouse's UGA flag, so be it. Cost: $27.95.

So there you have it! A complete gift-buying guide for all your loved ones. If you've got some great ideas you want to share, comment below and leave a link to the item. PLEASE.

Happy Christmas and merry shopping!