2014 holiday gift guide // for the little ones

Freshly Picked Moccasins // $60
My gift guide for little ones will always include Freshly picked moccs because I simply love them. Raffa has worn them since he was tiny and still wears them to this day. Our current favorite color is Fleet Week - a very dark navy.

Jellycat® Fuddlewuddle Beige Bunny // $22
Raffa loves his bunny. I love Raffa's bunny. It is so sweet and soft.

The Big Box of Colorful Blocks // $169
These are some of the most gorgeous blocks I have ever seen. If you are going to have blocks strewn all across your floor, they might as well be pretty.

books // various prices
Raffa loves reading books and I am always adding to his library. These are my picks for some of the books Raffa and my nephew, Asher, will be getting from Santa this year: Planes Go, Telephone, Polar Bear Night, Pantone Colors, Flashlight, and Charlie Harper's ABCs.

outfit, featuring AIMbaby leggings // various prices
An outfit for your little one featuring some of my favorite brands! My current favorite legging design from AIMbaby (my sister's company), the tiger leggings! Outfit also includes: Beau Hudson beanie, WILD HEARTS "tigers say rawr" tee, and Chuck Taylor® All Star® 'CT AS Street' Leather Slip-On Sneaker. 

2014 holiday gift guide // for your sister and/or best friend

Chelsey Dyer 2015 Gemstone Wall Calendar // $27
This gorgeous calendar features a line illustration of the geometric structure of that month's birthstone on heavy cover stock in the stone's corresponding shade.

Maison Michele Kate Hat // $480
This hat is so chic. The color is perfect for fall and winter, and can be dressed up or down. I am also loving this similar hat (at a lower price point).

Madewell Linen Telegraph Tee in Stripe // $33.50
I love this top; I wore it in our family photos. My sister loves it too. Your sister or best friend will, too. And, it is on sale right now.

Oliver Peoples Marmont Sunglasses // $380
I love the modern, glamorous, wayfarer style of these sunglasses. I want them for myself, ergo I would get them for my sister. Can't go wrong with these Ray Ban wayfarers either (and they are much less expensive).

Lululemon Run With Me Ear Warmer // $26
The perfect stocking stuffer! This is the ear warmer I have for running, and I love it. It would also be great for anytime ears need warming, though, as it is not overly sporty.

2014 holiday gift guide // for your mom

Mom is a special lady; she deserves a special gift. Whatever her preferences and interests are, here are some ideas that any mom (including mine) would love to receive.

House that Lars Built 2015 Language of Flowers wall calendar // $28.75 + shipping
This calendar is absolutely beautiful. It would be perfect framed so that mom can hang it and enjoy it all year long. The print quality (it is a giclee print) is phenomenal; it actually looks like an original piece of art and will be hung as such.

Jarin K Double Sided Earrings // $150
These pearl earrings are gorgeous, but what makes them unique is that larger pearl that sits behind the earlobe and is visible.

Maison du Soir Greta pajama top and Madrid legging in Black Stripe // $75 and $70
I love these pajamas ... my mom, sister, and I got the red stripe for our Christmas pajamas this year. They are incredibly soft and the fit is so cute and flattering. Definitely worth the splurge; they are all I want to lounge and sleep in!

Mouth Peanut Butter and Jelly Taster // $60
Chances are she made you a PB&J hundreds of time, now it's your turn to return the favor with this PB&J taster that takes the PB and the J to a whole new foodie level.

fashionABLE Mehari blanket // $78
This blanket is hand made in Ethiopia. It is gorgeous as a throw on the sofa or as a picnic blanket at the park. As an added bonus, each purchase of a fashionABLE product creates sustainable business in Africa; they are committed to long-term solutions to fighting poverty, and their main focus is creating opportunities for vulnerable women. That means that your purchase creates jobs, so that the women are not dependent upon charity, but instead are a vital part of a developing economy. fashionABLE works with women to help them start small business cooperatives, and they partner with and require manufacturers to also employ women with fair wages and fair hiring practices. 

2014 holiday gift guide // for the men in your life

Some useful, stylish, masculine, and timeless gifts for the men in your life whether that be dad, significant other, brother, or best friend.

Salt Surf Reverse Tee in Black  // $32
This tee has a great fit and is perfectly soft. I love the simple cut-out, typographic design.

Postalco Notebook in Navy // various, $14-$26
A classic notebook for jotting down manly lists and such.

Bialetti 6800 Moka Express 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker // $23.72
We have been considering getting one of these espresso makers; I hear they make amazing espresso.

Wallace & Barnes Cotton Flannel Shirt in Buffalo Check // $114
Buffalo check is the official plaid of winter 2014, and it's about time because what a quintessential masculine pattern.

funny mug // $10.95
Nothing beats a simple, useful, funny gift. This one is perfect for a stocking stuffer.

SOREL® 1964 Premium T Boots in Black // $140
For when he shovels now, walks to get you coffee, plays in the snow with your little ones, and/or goes sledding. All that good stuff that takes place in the snow but requires nice and warm footwear.

2014 holiday gift guide

In my family, we have do not do a big exchanging of gifts except in the case of little ones. The little ones get gifts from family and Santa, but the rest of us just contribute a few items to each person's stocking. Going light on the Christmas gifts really simplifies things and allows me to focus on aspects of the holidays that are a bigger priority for me: spending quality time with people I love, enjoying downtime at home with the beautiful decorations, and focusing with a thankful heart the blessings in my life.

I am not big on gift giving as an obligatory, reactionary, or reflexive institution. I do enjoy giving well-thought out gifts that genuinely reflect the gifter and giftee. So it is in that spirit that I put together the gift guide on my blog each year.

Over the course of this week I will share a gift guide each day as follows:

tomorrow [tuesday] // december 2, 2014 // for the men in your life :: the husband, significant other, best friend, brother, etc. gift guide

wednesday // december 3, 2014 // for your mom :: she's so special, she deserves her own guide

thursday // december 4, 2014 // for your sister and/or best friend :: sometimes these are one in the same and either way this lovely lady in your life deserves something special

friday // december 5, 2014 // for the little ones :: the baby and small children gift guide

I am really excited about the gift guide, as I worked hard to curate gifts that are unique and lovely. All items in the gift guide are ones that I would love to give or receive. Prices vary from inexpensive and stocking stuffers to larger investment pieces. I would love to know if you find anything in the gift guide that you can't live without for yourself or someone else, so let me know in the comments if that is the case!

For fun, take a look at past gift guides: 2011 // 2012 // 2013 (forgive any formatting issues that did not transfer from previous blog design)

image above courtesy of Rebekah Conklin