Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide
The holiday season for me has always felt so precious and special. My parents separated when I was very young, so people always told me that I was "lucky" during the holidays because I got to celebrate each one with 2 separate families that loved me.
My sister and I would spend Christmas Eve at my Dad's house, watching home movies, baking cookies, and carrying out one random act of kindness. In the morning, we would wait patiently at the top of the split foyer for my Dad's video camera to start blinking and him to signal the "go". Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, we saw the most colorful, decorated gifts wrapped under the Christmas tree. We would find our stockings stuffed so fully that they could barely hang onto the mantel anymore, and each of our handwritten letters to Santa stained with cookie crumbs and spilled milk.
After tearing open gifts from my Dad's side of the family and taking one too many family photos, we would get dropped off at our Mom's house where we would start the exciting morning all over again from the top. We felt so blessed each and every year that we got two families that loved us and wanted to make Christmas morning as special as it could possibly be.
Then, 6 years ago, I met Sam and impossibly my heart grew more full. I got to add a 3rd family to the holiday mix and it became even more special to me. Every year, Sam and I feel so much love from our 3 families that we get to spend the holidays with (even if some of them are now halfway across the US).
Especially as I've gotten older, I've reminded myself to never take the holidays for granted. I know that people have different circumstances that make the holidays a very difficult season. A lot of people are away from their families or loved ones, or are going through something tough in their lives and need a little extra love and care. That's why giving back to others, especially during the holidays is always a priority for us. We love picking out special gifts and wrapping them up beautifully whether we are dropping them under the tree, into the mailbox, or on a strangers' doorstep.
*At the bottom of this post, you'll find a section dedicated to gifts that give back*
For Her
For Him
For Mom
For Dad
For BFF
For Pets
For Giving Back
Love your Melon - Love Your Melon is an apparel brand dedicated to giving a hat to every child battling cancer in America as well as supporting nonprofit organizations who lead the fight against pediatric cancer. 50% of profit given.
Half United - For every HALF UNITED product you purchase, YOU provide 7 meals for a child in need. Together with our giving partners, your purchases fund feeding programs in the USA, Fiji, Cambodia and Haiti, that to date, have provided over 600,000 meals for children in need.
Cuffed by Nano - At Cuffed, we are dedicated to making a difference in our world by donating a portion of each purchase to educating and feeding the needy. In partnership with hands together of the palm beaches, we donate 1 week's tuition + 1 meal to kids in need in Haiti.
TOMS - Through your purchases, TOMS helps provide shoes, sight, water, safe birth and bullying prevention services to people in need.
Warby Parker - For every pair of glasses purchased from Warby Parker, the company donates the equivalent of a pair of glasses to non-profits throughout the world, as well as the training for locals to give eye exams.
Better World Books - For every book purchased on their site, Better World Books donates one to Books for Africa or Feed the Children.
Skyline Socks - Skyline sells socks with the skylines of major American cities. For each pair purchased, a pair of socks will be donated to someone in that same city.
Project 7 - Project 7 sells gum, snacks, bottled water and clothing. For each product purchased they make a corresponding donations for things like fruit trees, meals, digging wells, and providing education.
Hand in Hand - For every bar or bottle of soap purchased, Hand in Hand donates a bar of soap and a month of clean water to a child in need.
Roma - For each pair of Roma boots you purchase, they will donate a pair filled with school supplies to a child in need.
I hope you all enjoyed our Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide! Let me know how you are celebrating and giving back this season; comment on my most recent Instagram photo!
xo Anna Elizabeth