2023 Holiday Gift Guides!
Last year I curated 12 Days of Gift Guides much to the delight of family, friends and my lovely little social community! This year, after a lot of inquiries and requests to offer them again, I’m delighted to share a brand new list of swoon-worthy finds curated across a variety of categories for the 2023 Holiday Gift Guides. There are some changes afoot. The categories will shift slightly with some new ones and some returning ones and instead of revealing them over 12 days I’m doing it over three! (Who has the patience to wait 12 days?) :) I hope they prove helpful and inspiring to you as you piece together a list you love for those you love. The guides start to drop next week on November 15. (Yes, this is a little later than I wanted but Halloween lasted about 100 months over here and a girl’s gotta find her footing after the marathon of activities that take up the fall!)
This year I’m going to do my best to also indicate which links I’m sharing are affiliate links. That means I might make a small percentage if you buy them. You’ll probably also notice though that my lists won’t always have affiliate links because I’m not here to hock you a bunch of crap to make money. I really love these recommendations and think you should absolutely consider buying them whether or not it benefits me in the end. To that point, anywhere you can find ANYTHING on my gift guides locally, do that instead. If it’s a cookbook I’m sharing and your local independent bookseller carries it or can order it for you, do that! I am a staunch supporter of small business and I think there’s no more fitting gift to give this holiday season than to pour your hard-earned dollars right back into the bustling local economy where you live.
With all that said, until the big lists drop next week I do have a teaser list for this week. Below find my top picks for the 2023 Best Advent Calendars, a fun tradition I still love to do annually that’s worth ordering now so you’re ready to roll come December 1. Advent calendars also make, in my opinion, a perfect gift for someone who’s hard to shop for. It’s literally a gift that keeps on giving and with so much variety included in each set, it’s hard to not find at least ONE thing the recipient will love and remember.
More to come next week. Happy shopping in the meantime!
2023 BEST ADVENT CALENDARS
1) Bonne Maman Advent Calendar (It’s baaaaackkk!)
This calendar made last year’s list and I’m putting it right back on the list for 2023. The retail value puts each jar just under $2 and you can’t beat that deal. This is the perfect gift! It sells out annually and it is just such a joy to unwrap as a family (or in secret hiding from them… no judgment) every morning. My children grew to be real jam connoisseurs, debating the vessel to enjoy each taste - a plain spoon, a piece of challah bread, a wedge of baguette. You name it, we tried it. This year’s Bonne Maman advent calendar again features 23 unique holiday fruit spreads plus one honey jar! Two of my favorites from last year were the Mirabelle Plum - Linden Blossom Spread and the Pear Cacao Nibs, both unique combinations they don’t otherwise offer. Now if I could bottle up that Pear Cacao Nibs (best on brioche or a croissant, in my humble opinion). Not included: the carbs you’ll blindly enjoy daily. No regrets, friends! The holidays are meant for indulgence.
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I found this advent calendar earlier this fall doing actual research for this guide. A friend or two of mine actually also sent it to me and I was so excited to share it. Yet, when I am finally ready to spill the beans I discovered it’s already sold out. So why am I still sharing it? Because it’s 2023 and there are no rules on advent calendars. Ditch the calendar per se and get someone you love the cheese of the month club. 12 days vs. 12 months… you decide which one is more full of love! Murray’s is a New York institution. I used to go to their little cheese post in Grand Central and still remember the scent above the booth like a blissful dream. If you have a lactose lover in your life, this is the way to their heart.
3) McCrea’s Caramels Advent Calendar
This calendar features 12 different caramel flavors across 24 days with flavors like rosemary truffle sea salt and black lava sea salt. I don’t think I’ve ever met a salty + sweet combo I didn’t love and this will likely come top of the list. If you haven’t heard of McCrea’s before, they are company with roots in the Northeast from Massachussetts founded by a husband and wife team with a passion for science who were working together on the Arctic Tundra! They’re popular for their delicious products, incredible consistency and fresh commitment to flavor. They’ve been around a little more than a decade and use only the finest ingredients. Their products are gluten free and soy free if you’re also shopping for a loved one with some dietary considerations, this is a nice option.
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4) Lego Advent Calendars (For Kids)
You have my son Will to thank for what will likely be a gift guide FULL of lego ideas this year. 2023 was the year of the lego immersion in our household and my kids are getting versions of these calendars for Christmas. I already look forward to seeing them rip open every damn door on December 1 and then wake up to the disappointment of the surprise completed on December 2. (Where’s the lie, right?) But it’s the holidays so I’m going to be very cool and relaxed about it all when it happens. Not if, but when. There are actually four really solid Lego Advent Calendars this year I’m suggesting:
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5) Playmobil Aqua Bathtime Fun Advent Calendar (For Kids)
Sometimes it’s hard to pull the trigger on knowing when to toss those bath toys. The kids get sentimental but the mold is begging you to find a trash. Let this advent calendar swoop in and create space for a whole new roster of bath toys to enjoy leading up to the holiday.
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6) Holiday Puzzle Advent Calendar
This calendar features 24 mini puzzles when, once assembled, create a picture of Christmas through a window. I like this for the entire family to share because everyone could likely participate, there are 24 puzzles to go around, and the puzzles individually are small enough to not cause frustration. Plus, who doesn’t need a little puzzle zen to center themselves during the insanity that is the holiday season.
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7) Onyx Coffee Lab Advent Calendar
I bought this calendar last year for my husband and it was totally epic and awesome. The biggest critique I had with it was it’s size and scale. The generous portions offered two, 12-oz. cups of coffee PER DAY and the calendar itself was expertly constructed. This year’s “accordian style” calendar seems to pack the same quality ingredients with a more modest storage design so I’ll be sure to be a repeat customer.
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I usually get the Rosé All Day sugarfina candies in my holiday stocking and then I promptly scarf them all down between Christmas and New Year’s. It’d be nice to pace myself a little more this year and I love this fun candy shop calendar which packs a whopping 24 different candy flavors. No repeats! I’m most eager to sample the “ice cream cone” gummies and the “milk chocolate donuts” because they look suuuuuper cute!
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