Holiday Gift Guide, Cartoons & More
October 25, 2020
In This Issue:
Important Corgi News
Holiday Gift Guide!
Top Cartoons
Important Corgi News
I ran across this Tweet about Corgis that are mixed with another breed, and at first I was like, "Oh, that's funny!"
Then I started looking at the pictures she posted under that and I LOST. MY. MIND.
Here are just a few...
Dalmation:
Husky:
Beagle:
What is happening?? It's too much! The Corgi gene is so strong. The tweet was exactly right: Anything mixed with Corgi just looks like a Corgi in disguise. If you enjoyed the three pictures above, you must check out the entire thread.
2020 Gift Guide
I usually tell stories about my family or my life in this newsletter, but for this issue I'm focused on my gift guide. There's a lot here, so just scroll to what you like.
For 2020, I thought about gifts that would be enjoyable as we’re spending more time at home. Things that help us feel cozy, entertained, and well cared for.
Some of these are items I already own, and some are items on my wish list.
Hopefully this gives you some good ideas for people in your life. If you have any gift ideas or websites you particularly like, reply and let me know!
Now let's jump into my suggestions...
Books
1. Unnecessary Inventions Book: Explore 101 completely hilarious and unnecessary products. (There are other products for sale on the website as well.) $12.95
2. Thoughts of Dog: The first book from my favorite Instagram account. It’s described as “sweet and funny reflections on life from the pup-spective.” $14.99
3. Stranger Planet: The second book from the brilliant Nathan W. Pyle. Available at IndieBound and Amazon. $15.99
4. Ask Me What's for Dinner One More Time: Inappropriate Thoughts on Motherhood. Very funny, very relatable. Available at IndieBound and Amazon. $16
5. Creativity: John Cleese, the famous actor and comedian, shares his key ideas about creativity: "that it’s a learnable, improvable skill.” Available at IndieBound and Amazon. $14
6. Solutions and Other Problems: The second (and long awaited!) book from cartoonist Allie Brosh. Allie wrote my very favorite book ever, Hyperbole and a Half. Available at IndieBound and Amazon. $30
7. Brian Gordon's Fowl Language. I love Brian’s cartoons, and this trilogy would make a great gift for any parent of younger kids. $31.34 for all three.
8. Humans: A book based on the wildly popular photography and storytelling blog. Each page is a photo of a person and a short anecdote from their life. One review said: “Profound interviews and signature stunning photography.” Available on IndieBound and Amazon. Varies, but around $35.
Home & Personal
1. Barefoot Dreams Throw Blanket: I wouldn’t normally spend this much on a blanket, but I got one as a gift last year and I love it. Yes, it’s a splurge. But I use it every day. It’s the perfect combination of soft, warm and light. A good gift if you're looking for something special. $125
2. Bombas: The best socks. I get sad when they’re in the laundry, and so happy when they’re out again. Prices vary.
3. Copper and Honey Candles: I love these candles, especially the Grapefruit & Mint and The Coastal Candle. $24
4. Skylar Sampler Perfume: This is on my wish-list this year. I just thought it would be fun to try different scents. Not everyone likes perfume, but for someone who does, this could be fun! $29
5. Yellow Owl Workshop: My friend told me about this jewelry site, and it’s so unique! The color-wheel ring is on my list this year. Most items are in the $20 - $30 range.
6. Moxie Lash Magnetic Lashes: These are so fun. I put them on for special occasions. Easy to use and glamorous. They come in different lengths, and you can re-use them up to 30 times. $25
Fun Stuff
1. The Answer Button: Perfect for anyone who has to make a bunch of decisions. If you don’t feel like deciding, hit the button! $11.95
2. Instant Audience: We have a couple sound-effect toys, and they’re fun. Note that if a small kid gets a hold of this, they will press the same button over and over and over… $9.95
3. Dog Bingo Game: A game featuring pictures of dogs? Yes, please! This is high on my “wish list.” $29.95
4. Dress-up Pickle: Silly fun. We all need more silly fun. $7.95
5. Racing Babies: Once you finish the holiday meal, maybe it’s time to race some babies! $14.95
6. Racing Rubber Chickens: Or race some chickens! Or race the babies against the chickens! $11.95
Random Stuff
1. Blue Light Blocking Glasses: My kids have these, and they say it makes it way easier to stare at the screen when they’re doing online school. Maybe a good stocking stuffer. $17.98 for three.
2. Riedel The Wine Glass Company: My friend introduced me to this, and it’s the BEST towel for cleaning wine glasses. It would be a great gift to pair with a bottle of wine. $10.97
3. Pop Chart: This is a really cool site that makes infographic posters. Here’s a look at the topics they cover. Prices vary.
4. Stickers on Etsy: I’m planning to by this “Mountain” car decal for my husband. Etsy has a bunch of stickers and car decals about various topics. Think about what your recipient likes, then search Etsy to see if you can find a sticker or car decal they would love. (Etsy also has a million other great products.)
5. Selfie Light Ring: Available from Amazon and other retailers. If you know someone who spends a lot of time in video meetings, ring lights are a great, easy way to avoid the “bad lighting” look. I bought one that clips on to the top of my laptop, and I really like it. Prices vary.
6. Peanuts Masks. My favorite mask. (They also have a bunch of other fun masks.) $14.99
EVEN MORE IDEAS:
A pad of blank paper and a new set of pens is appreciated by nearly everyone!
Shopping for a teen or young adult? Check out Urban Outfitters (under the Lifestyle section).
There are so many great things on Emily McDowell's website.
The website Fred has a lot of funny, unique things.
Subscription Gifts
1. SaloonBox: A monthly subscription of craft cocktails designed for two. You get the cocktail recipes, ingredients and instructions. Prices vary.
2. Gift Card for Masterclass: There are so many great classes on this website. $180 all-access pass or $90 per class.
3. Audible: For anyone who might like to listen to audiobooks. Plans vary.
4. NYT Cooking: A subscription to the New York Times Cooking Website that houses recipes, videos and more. The recipient can access it from a phone or tablet, making it easy to use while cooking. $40 per year. Learn more here.
5. Subscription to Sketchbook Skool. I haven’t tried this site, but it was suggested by Christine Koh, who I trust. It looks like a cool site to learn how to draw! Prices vary.
6. Skillshare Limited Membership: Skillshare has so many great classes. My daughter recently learned about hand-lettering, and I learned about Procreate, the program I use to draw on the iPad.
7. Ipsy Makeup: My daughter got this as a gift one year and really enjoyed it. It’s a monthly delivery of various makeup products. Fun and exciting! $12/month
MORE: And if you want to explore other good subscription boxes, check out this site: https://www.mysubscriptionaddiction.com/best-subscription-boxes
Gifts Involving My Cartoons
Threadless Shop
I have some "book lover" items up on my Threadless Shop here, and I'll be adding a few more proudcts the next two weeks!
SheSurvival Box
This year I partnered with a company called MyJane, which helps women make informed choices about hemp CBD products. My longtime friend works at the company, and when she asked me if I’d like to add some of my cartoon humor to their SheSurvival Box, I enthusiastically agreed! I love MyJane’s focus on wellness, and I feel like humor fits into their mission. The box costs $59.
You can learn more at the MyJane website -- just click on Shop --> MyJane Box Collection --> SheSurvival Box. I created a cartoon that's enclosed in the box, as well as five "de-stress" cards that have encouraging messages and cartoon art. They're one-sided cards, so the idea is that you would prop them up somewhere (like on a desk) where you could see them during the day.
The box has several items designed to help people relax and pamper themselves. (As noted, some of the products are CBD-based.) As the company says, it's "the perfect antidote to 2020."
Homemade Gifts
Plant craft: If you’re feeling crafty, here’s an idea (above). Claire’s friend made this for her, and she loved it. You take a plant (real or fake), then you "plant" some printouts around it -- things you know the recipient will love. In this case, Claire's friend chose some favorite memes. She printed them out, taped them to toothpicks and stuck them in the rocks. The final product is not large -- it's only like three inches tall. It's really cute, and it makes us all laugh.
Treats: You can also make my friend Krista’s legendarily great holiday candy. All the neighbors look forward to this every year. Here's the recipe.
Write a note: Finally, one of my very favorite gifts is a heartfelt note. Do not overlook this. It’s free, but more valuable than anything in this gift guide.
If you want some cartoon art around the note, you can download this Hedger Humor image.
Note for Family and Friends
In the U.S. we have Thanksgiving coming up next month, and many families can't really gather the way they would due to COVID. So here's a page you can print and use to send a note to family or friends.
Of course, it doesn't have to be related to Thanksgiving. Send it to anyone, at anytime!
Download it here.
Most Popular Cartoons
You can find my cartoons on Instagram, Facebook, and on my website. So follow along!
The following two cartoons were the most popular in the past month. First, a cartoon about cooking inspired by one of my favorite people to follow online: Courtney from A Life From Scratch (on Instagram here).
Courtney is the one in the top panels, and that's me in the bottom panels.
If you subscribe to my Patreon account, I did a "behind the scenes" video about this cartoon. (Every month I send a "behind the scenes" video to everyone who subscribes for $1.00 per month or more.)
The other well-recieved cartoon was this one, about aging.
I mean at some point does age even matter?? I say no.
In the next issue: Stay tuned, because next month I'll include some gift tags that you can download. I'll also give you a printout of blank coupons that you can use if you want to give anyone a coupon for the holidays. You could write, "I'll take the trash out." Or "I'll make you a great breakfast." You know, nice things like that.
OK, I'll see you next month for more fun!
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