I have a true love-hate relationship with Gift Guides. On one hand, I love perusing the gift guides of humans I admire – I learn about new brands, new ideas, so much more this way! But around the holidays, there’s this overwhelm thing that happens and this year felt like that 200-fold. Multiple emails a day getting dropped to my inbox, reminding me “not to miss out!” “Last chance to save!” and as a result, I slammed my computer shut and spent the weekend in the kitchen, with my family instead.
Over the past weeks, I’ve been working on putting together a gift guide for this community and everytime I got started, I got stopped. “Looking for things” I could recommend to you to consume felt really icky. And really out of line with the way that I live my life, and the way that Ayurveda + I recommend that you live yours, and fill your realm with objects, inputs and more.
Instead, I’ve put together a list of the things that I actually have purchased or given as gifts in these weeks as the holiday approaches. Each of the items in this guide comes from small businesses. Some are luxurious, others mundane, and still others that are things I’ve been looking forward to investing in to elevate the way I move, eat, play, work or simply exist in my life. Or, they’re things that I hope help my people to do the same.
I hope you find some gems here, and if you need more ideas and you want them to come from me, the “In My Orbit” lists from previous months are a great place to dive in!
If you’ve been following along for a little while now, you know that “all purpose flour” is pretty much dead to me. I LOVE buying flour from our local Dry Storage Mill, and I use it in all that I bake and make! This year, they’re offering a quartet of heirloom-grain, locally sourced flours, perfect for making cookies, and the kit has recipes for each of the flours so you can explore and learn it (and fall in love with baking cookies, the heirloom way.)
I adore the algae oil from Algae Cooking Club for all high-heat cooking because it doesn’t denature, and doesn’t drop toxins into my meals as a result. And NOW, they’ve got a beautiful Roasted Garlic Oil that is a dream come true. The flavor is divine, and I’ve been roasting and sautéing with it as well as giving it as gifts. The bottle is beautiful and it comes with a little pour spout, which makes the whole thing feel so special.
When I bought my first pair of “non-throw-away” sunglasses a decade ago, I was worried that I would lose them. Turns out, that having nice things inspire you to take good care of them. I still have that pair of sunglasses, and several others as well and they’re in impeccable condition! But their cases have died a brutal death – being shoved in suitcases, car doors and more. I love everything that Lindquist Object makes, and I love this little sunglasses case for sunglasses, or blue-light glasses. I never lose them because they’re never far away, and the case is a gorgeous accessory on it’s own.
I don’t want to wear anything if it’s not cozy. Spring, summer, fall, and especially in the winter – if it’s not cozy and soft, I’ll pass. As a result, my wardrobe is pretty small because truly soft clothing can be hard to come by. But it works out ok because I have a tiny closet anyway. : ) About 13 years ago, my dear friend Christie of Cedar + Hyde introduced me to an incredible designer named Lauren Manoogian. I splurged on one of her sweaters, I wore it EVERYWHERE. And I was hooked. Since, each winter (and sometimes in the spring) I give myself the gift of a new sweater from Lauren. The pieces are investments, but their lifetime investments; when I was pregnant with Leo through the winter, I didn’t buy maternity clothes because I had a sweet stack of timeless Lauren sweaters to pull from. This Coto Cardigan was my gift to myself this year…I’m wearing it as I type this!
We are so grateful to live in a part of the country where I’m able to source local, seasonal produce all year round. Through the summer months, the bounty is plentiful with markets each weekend and many CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) options available across our small county. As winter arrives, the bounty logically wanes but Winter CSA shares are still available from our local farmer’s market, and each year about this time I make the investment in local produce that will carry us through the coldest months of the year. The link above will take you to the share that I purchased for us this year through the Boulder County Farmer’s Market. To find a share where you live, I recommend searching for “winter CSA” in your area, or speak directly to your farmers about how you can support their production through the winter and reap the benefits.
Recipe Club Subscriptions are something that everyone in my family is used to receiving around the holidays, and the announcement that their subscription has been renewed is met with glee…which makes me beam. This reasonable, valuable gift is easy to give and lovely to receive!
This winter, I’m making an investment in reinvigorating my yoga practice in my home studio. I’ve been wanting a practice rug for some time – to cozy up the space, to use as a bolster, blanket and more. This beautiful option from Rituil is handwoven, consciously sourced and made of Portuguese cotton so it’s easy to care for and clean.
As a yoga instructor myself, with over 900+ hours of RYT credits…I’m quite discerning about the teachers I practice with. Tiffany Cruikshank is a practitioner whom I’ve been learning from since my practice really started budding, over 20 years ago. While she no longer teaches in the sweet studios of Portland (where I first found her classes) she shares valuable, powerful, yoga practices on her platform Yoga Medicine and I LOVE having a membership! There are classes of many styles, with many teachers, and of different durations which means I can always find a practice that suits the time I have, right in my home studio. My favorite classes are with Tiffany, of course, as she brings the wisdom of Chinese Medicine to the movement. I renewed my annual subscription this week, as a New Year gift to myself.
Being that I don’t go to a studio to practice, having blocks at home to support yin-style sessions, or simply to facilitate my movements is so crucial. I love that these sustainably sourced cork blocks are so beautiful AND so functional.
As many of you, I’m always trying to find ways to get off of my devices, and this beautiful hourglass timer set has really helped with that! I use the 30 minute timer to remind me to stand up and take “movement snack breaks” on days when I’m in front of a computer, and use the 5 minute timer as a meditation tool between clients or in my morning practice. They’re elegant gifts to give yourself, or another mindful human in your life. I’m proud to have an affiliate partnership with Intelligent Change. You this link and the code LENTINE10 at checkout for 10% off your first order!
Bringing the spirit back into small spaces in our home has been a focus of mine this fall, and the new handmade Ritual Candles from Anima Mundi are a beautiful way to do just that. There are five candle rituals to choose from – prosperity, intuition, creativity, protection and self-love. I currently have the Protection candles burning in my office, to clear energy and fortify the spirit. I’m proud to have an affiliate relationship with Anima Mundi. Use this link for and the code LENTINE15 for 15% off your order.
The most common DM I get over social media isn’t about my food or services, but about my skin care routine. They want to know what products I use and swear by and always, my answer is the same; I rest well, eat locally, seasonally and in line with my digestive fire, and I use Vintner’s Daughter Serum and Essence religiously, morning and night. Their small, purposeful skin care line is nothing short of luxurious, and deliberately paired down: your skin won’t need another foundational product, ever. The line is also the only skincare product that I’ve ever encountered that’s truly and deeply Ayurvedic, something that the founder April and I stumbled upon in a conversation last year and both laughed at. Having grown up in the wine making industry, and understanding the power of the skin’s microbiome she can’t imagine skin care any other way. And neither can I. This travel set is the perfect size to try on these beautiful products and see if you like them before investing. Every time a new bottle arrives, it feels like I’m opening the most precious gift – which, of course, I am!
I bought a series of these little handmade, one-of-a-kind spoons several years ago as gifts, but when they arrived they were so cute I kept them for myself and now they’re my favorite spoons to plunk into a bowl of hummus, or nuts, or handmade chocolates to serve when we have guests. SO, this year I bought a few more to actually give as gifts. They’re so special, and the perfect gift to accompany….
…this generous mug. East Fork has grown a great deal over the past years, but they’re still a small, people focused company that makes beautiful pottery and I love having their pieces in our home. This kulhad is generously sized and the perfect way to serve tea, chai, or hot chocolate.