I remember mentioning to my husband back in May, when New York was in full swing COVID lockdown, that there was a good chance that we’d be celebrating his 50th birthday in June still in lockdown. We did. At the time, I couldn’t fathom the idea that the same would be true for my birthday, which is January 5th. But here we are, on the precipice of another lockdown all but guaranteeing there will be no celebration for my 47th. Who could have predicted this, that the whole entire year would be a wash? It was one thing to trudge through the summer months, but the holiday season?

While it’s been a weird year that has been hard to get used to, the unsettling part of this is it’s starting to feel strangely normal. Am I the only one who watches a movie or tv show and now thinks it’s strange to see people touching or being outdoors without masks on or keeping a distance? It’s starting to feel commonplace to communicate at a distance. I have plans to get together with friends this weekend and we are planning in our friends’ backyard in a heated tent just to be safe. If this year has proven anything it’s a human being’s incredible ability to adapt.

So here we are. The holidays are here and everything the holidays stand for runs counter to the times we are living in. There will be no large celebrations, no travel, and no large family reunions. Even excessive holiday gifting feels strange. With a large portion of the population out of work or experiencing economic downturns, being materialistic feels out of place in terms of what is happening in the world, and makes the thought of curating a list of these types of gift ideas a bit tone-deaf on my part

Gift Ideas that will Relax, Rejuvenate and Protect

Three words came to mind, relax, rejuvenate, and protect. This is the list I wanted to focus on for gift ideas because this is what I think we all need. We’re stressed, we’re exhausted and we need to ensure our health and safety. And we can do these things with style. Here are my selections for gift ideas that will either relax you, rejuvenate you, or offer you protection.

Perhaps this year is the message we all needed to hear. This year, let’s focus on kindness, appreciation and for the small things. What if this is the year we fold ourselves back into ourselves and the things and people we value vs. years past when we fought lines for the right gifts, unsustainable consumerism and petty concerns. However you plan on celebrating this year, I hope you appreciate the natural gifts you were given and can give to others, love, friendship, good will and health.

This won’t be my last holiday post of the season, so keep me informed by the type of content that will be most beneficial for you in the comments below.