Holiday Gift Ideas, Three Fun Things, Cartoons
October 30, 2022
In This Issue:
Three Fun Things
Greeting Cards
Holiday Gift Guide
Top Cartoons
Three Fun Things
Here are some things I enjoyed this month—and maybe you will too!
#1: Tweets from Susie Dent
Over on Twitter, Susie Dent regularly posts definitions of old-fashioned words. I usually get a chuckle from them and/or think, "I need to work that word into my daily life."
For example, one of the words she shared is "blutterbunged," which means "dumbfounded, confounded, and open-mouthed in amazement." I would love to say this word to Claire.
Another word is "overmused," which means "wearied by too much thinking." So if you like this sort of thing, check her out!
#2: India Rose Crawford on Instatgram
She knits these little characters that are outrageously cute, and then takes pictures and videos of them. I mean, LOOK at this little guy!!
3. Mari Andrew's Newsletter
Mari Andrew (pictured below) is a really interesting writer and artist. I've mentioned her here before, actually. She has a newsletter that I've been enjoying. It gets into a lot of different life issues, and I appreciate the way she thinks. You can learn more here.
This Just In!
I added holiday cards to my online store! There are 12 different ideas to choose from, and my hope is that you'll have fun sending them to friends or family members. (The Thanksgiving one is a bit offbeat, but maybe you know people who would appreciate it!)
They come in packs of 3, 5, and 10. Here's a look at four of them, and you'll find all of them here.
Holiday Gift Guide
OK, it's time to talk gift ideas! Let's start with books.
Books
"I'm So Happy You're Here: A Little Book About Why You're Great," by Liz Climo ($16.99)
This book, by one of my favorite cartoonists, is a pep talk to remind us that we’re doing our best. A reviewer calls it “perfect for adults and kids.” It would be a fun gift for family members and good friends.
"Picturebook Makers," by Sam McCullen ($29.00)
I love picture books, so this book caught my eye. Twelve of the world's best contemporary picturebook makers share their experiences, sketches, and insights into their creative process. Great for anyone who's into art and creativity.
"Antarctica – A Photographic Expedition," by Tarik Trad
My immensely talented friend Tarik created this book, and it has a limited print run of 250 books. All proceeds go directly to community food banks. The book is filled with stories and nearly 100 original photos. Learn more here.
"4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals," by Oliver Burkeman ($16.99)
I mentioned this book in my January newsletter. It’s a different take on time management, and I really enjoyed it. Reviewers call it "compassionate, funny and wise." And they say, "His writing will challenge you to rethink many of your beliefs about getting things done—and you'll be wiser because of it."
Holiday Decorations
All of these decorations can be found at World Market. (They have a ton of other fun gifts, decorations, food, and ornaments too.) The items you see above are:
Laser Cut Wood Mid Century House (it lights up)
$24.99
Laser Cut Wood Mid Century Motel (it lights up)
$24.99
Pink Felted Wool Holiday Flamingos (set of 2)
$19.89
Laser Cut Wood Cozy Cottage (it lights up)
$24.99
Faux Fur And Wool Hedgehog Ornament
$9.44
Gifts from Uncommon Goods
The company Uncommon Goods has some really neat gifts. Check out the site! Here are a few of the items you'll find:
Hack Your Nervous System: Anti-Anxiety Deck
A deck of cards filled with mindful practices and tools to cope with whatever life throws your way.
$25
National Parks Vintage Puzzle (1,000 pieces)
Seems like a really cool puzzle. Love the colors.
$22.00
Minute Mimosa Sugar Cube Trio
Fun, flavor-infused cubes that you drop into champagne. They fizz and add flavor and it's all very exciting.
$30
Peanut Butter Sampler
Peanut butter with chocolate chips, pretzels, toffee, popcorn, white chocolate, and more. Mmmm!
$40
Mars Zen Garden
This includes a mini astronaut figurine and a mini Martian rover, which you KNOW I love! I'm a sucker for anything miniature.
$40
Gifts Ideas from "A Life From Scratch"
These ideas are from Courtney Holsworth, who runs an Instagram account called "A Life From Scratch." She always has good ideas about gifts, cooking, parenting, etc. This month she's been posting ideas for holiday gifts, and here are four I especially like.
Woah Dough
$4.99
This "dough" has an airy, soft, smooth, and elastic texture. You can mold it, cut it, stretch it, etc. Marketed for kids, but honestly would be fun for any age.
Safe + Fair: Granola, Popcorn, Chips and More
My family really enjoys these snacks, and they make a great gift for teachers, hosts or hostesses, etc. You can put a fun basket together. As the website says, these products have crave-worthy flavors and clean ingredients. Website here.
Bombas Gripper Slipper
$48
These are half slipper, half sock—and they get rave reviews. Good for anyone on your list, from grandparents to little kids, and everyone in between. And, by the way, Bombas also makes the most comfortable socks! People freak out about how comfortable they are.
Garlic Expressions
Around $7
You'll find this in the produce section of your grocery store. Or check the Garlic Expressions website for locations. I love this product because you can use it as a dressing or a marinade. It's light and delicious. I know it seems weird to give someone dressing as a gift, but they'll be so happy to be introduced to this. Maybe it could be part of a gift basket with other kitchen- or food-related items.
Cartoon-Related Ideas
One of my favorite cartoons is "Poorly Drawn Lines," and there are some fun prints, shirts and more in the online store.
Another great cartoon-related store is the one run by Nathan Pyle, who creates "Strange Planet." Check it out here!
Offbeat Gifts
The Unnecessary Inventions website has some fun things, including a new game, a book, and some really odd inventions.
Wrestler action figure: I think I mentioned this last year, but I'm going to mention it again! Buy someone a wrestler action figure (in the toy section of Target, Walmart and other stores). The gift recipient can pose the wrestler so it's lunging, doing the splits, laying on its side with its head in hand, etc. It's meant to give your gift recipient a laugh during the day, whenever they see this little character. And I think we can all agree, it's something people would never buy for themselves.
Giant Googly Eyes: These are fun and turn any inanimate object into something with personality. You can find them at Amazon, Michael's and sometimes Target.
Fun Band-Aids: Every time your gift recipient gets mildly injured, they will think of you! You can find funny and truly strange band-aids at Archie McPhee. Or go for stylish, marino wool bandaids at WoolAid. People will ask your gift recipient, "Where did you get that band-aid??" (WoolAid is based in New Zealand and ships from there, but their products may be available in U.S. this November.)
Other Resources for Gift Ideas
Ok, now I'm just going to run through some random resources, and maybe some of these will be helpful to you.
* The folks at Grown & Flown always have great gift ideas for teens and young adults. Check out their site, and here is their list of stocking stuffers.
* The United States Post Office is a surprisingly good source for neat gifts. Go to their website and click on "Shop," then "Gifts."
* Anything from Barefoot Dreams is going to please your gift recipient. Pricey, but worth it.
* Shutterfly has some funny gifts and cards created by The Onion (the satirical website). Check them out here.
* Museum stores are a great source of interesting gifts. If there's a museum you like, see if it has an online store.
* I talk about how to give someone a "Favorite Things" basket. I also give you a printable piece of art that you can use as a gift.
* I included art that you can use to make Pop Sockets (those plastic circles you attach to the back of your phone). It might be fun to get someone a Pop Socket!
* And speaking of my past newsletters, I've been doing a Gift Guide for several years. All my newsletters are archived here, so feel free to look back at the Gift Guides from previous years!
* Of course, you'll find Hedger Humor merch at my online store. Things for book-lovers, pet-lovers, dads, coffe-lovers, and more!
YOUR Ideas!
Do you have a "go-to" gift that you love to give? Or an all-time favorite gift you've received? Reply and let me know! I'll include those ideas in next month's newsletter.
In Case You Missed It...
I'm still posting Bowl Game cartoons every Friday. This month, one of the posts led to a full-blown story! It's all about the kicking toasts, which are some of my favorite Bowl Game characters. I'm having a lot of fun with it—and it seems like people are enjoying it!
Here are the links to the Bowl Game posts:
Enthusiastic jellyfish reciting Shakespeare
Proud champagne putting on a costume
Plain toaster having a sneezing fit ("A Toast Story," Chapter 1)
"A Toast Story," Chapter 2
"A Toast Story," Chapter 3
A couple gets more than they bargained for when they plug in a new toaster.
Top Cartoons
And finally, let's take a look at the most popular cartoons since the last newsletter.
First, a reminder that we're in "The Zone."
Next, a look at how I explained dinner to Claire a couple weeks ago.
And, last but not least, a touching family moment with my daughter. Love these special conversations with her.
OK, that's it for this time. Let's all gather here next month—and remember to send me any favorite holiday gifts, if you have them. I'll share those ideas with everyone in the next issue, so stay tuned!
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Past issues of my newsletter are archived here.