Now’s the time of year when many of us like to practice gratitude and count our blessings. What’s at the top of most people’s lists? Friends, family and their health. So, this season-for-giving, why not put the emphasis on health and wellness? As you’re about to see, we have plenty of suggestions.
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Essential Oils & Diffusers
Essential oils can help relax the body, facilitate sleep, reduce headaches, and enhance massage therapy. Some of the most popular include lavender, peppermint, jasmine, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil. Many of the new diffusers are decorative enough to display so they are always on hand after a tough day. Please note: Essential oils may not be safe for homes with pets, please make sure to check with your vet.
Experiences
A gift certificate for a massage, facial, or spa day provides a restful respite from the daily grind. If your friend or loved one would consider acupuncture, they may appreciate the gift of a free session. You could also set them on a path to fitness by giving them a limited pass at a yoga or Pilates studio. Or invite them on a one-day river cruise, a trip to the museum, or a hike and a picnic, catered by you.
Fitness Trackers
What’s the best fitness tracker? That depends on who you ask and how much you want to spend. High end trackers can monitor blood oxygen levels and body temperature, record an electrocardiogram, and more. Designed to wear on your finger, the OURA ring tracks exercise, sleep patterns, and menstrual cycles, monitors heart rate and body temperature, and detects blood oxygen levels. All the information transfers to a user-friendly app.
Gardening accessories
Beyond being a fun and productive hobby, gardening is good exercise, burns calories, and helps reduce stress. A trip to your local nursery will give you lots of gift ideas for the gardener in your life, from gardening tools and gloves to exotic items like a whirligig or shitake mushroom log growing kit. Home cooks will appreciate an indoor herb garden for the kitchen. You can go for a simple home-made herb basket or spring for a compact, LED powered hydroponic system, such as the ones from AeroGarden. The unit turns on and off automatically, and notifies you when it’s time to add water, so they can channel their inner Martha Stewart without lifting a finger.
Healthy Foods
Take somebody “in” to dinner via a popular meal kit subscription like Hello Fresh or Daily Harvest. For vegans, Green Chef, Hungry Root, or Purple Carrot offer welcome variety. Prices vary widely based on frequency of delivery and the number of people each meal must serve. For a lower price idea, a cookbook with a healthy emphasis, such as Mediterranean, Vegetarian, or Vegan home chef’s library, is sure to be appreciated. You could also consider a subscription to a fruit of the month service such as The Fruit Company, or order an assortment of gourmet olive oils and condiments from McEvoy Ranch in Sonoma or a sampler kit of spices from the Spice House.
Hiking Gear
Hiking poles, back packs and other hiking gear make welcome gifts for hikers and campers. Hydration backpacks allow hikers to sip water without having to stop and remove their pack. Or, give a gift certificate to a sporting goods store and let the person choose their own present.
Massage Tools
Sitting behind a desk all day leads to all kinds of aches and pains. The adjustable Balance Stool by Gaiam offers all the back benefits of sitting on a balance ball – and it won’t roll away. Consider giving tools for massage or fascia relief. Smaller manual devices, such as body rollers or therapy balls, make good stocking stuffers. If you’re going to spring for a massager, customizability matters. Highter power, multiple speed settings and an assortment of attachments make for a more personalized experience. If you’re buying for a frequent traveler, size and portability are important considerations.
Mini Air Purifier
Have an allergy sufferer on your list? A mini air purifier takes up minimal space, helps clean dust, smoke and other particles from the air and promotes better ventilation.
Socks
If socks sound like a dull gift choice, it could just be that you’re not up to date on sock technology. Socks with a gel lining infused with moisturizing ingredients are designed to sooth cracked, painful heels and fight heel dryness. Just slip them on for 30 minutes or more and it’s a spa treatment for your feet. While they won’t help with cracked heels, compression socks offer foot and ankle support that benefit both hikers and people with circulation issues.
Skincare
For the skincare fanatic on your list, shop for natural, organic skin care products they can’t pick up at Sephora. Check out True Botanicals, Herbivore Botanicals, and other brands emphasizing organic, natural ingredients and no animal testing.
Sleep Aids
Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep. For the insomniac in your life, consider a white noise machine. It masks intrusive noises by producing constant calming sounds like recordings of gentle rain or crashing waves. Not everyone is soothed by the same sounds, so choose a machine offering ten or more options. Select something light, packable, and battery operated. If light is a problem for your insomniac, a sleep mask is a more budget-friendly gift.
Water
Water connoisseurs will get a kick out of a gift water sampler, in sparkling or still, from Beverage Universe, Another surprising gift for the well-hydrated is the Philips GoZero Smart Bottle. Its built-in, battery operated water purification device kills waterborne microbes using UV-C LED technology. The purifier is automatically activated every two hours.
Weights and Bands
Why hit the gym when you can lift at home while binge-watching your favorite TV show? Weights or resistance bands make great gifts. Kettle Gryp® adapters snap on to barbells to turn them into kettle bells, for a versatile strength workout.
Yoga Accessories
Yogis and yoginis can always use a new mat. Yoga blocks, belts, bolsters, or sand bags are welcome accessories for those who practice at home. A gift certificate to a yoga store is a good option for fashion-conscious yoginis.
This article appeared in the November 2024 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.
