Top 10 Christmas Wishlist Items
Quicklinks
MacBook Air Laptop Silk Pillowcases Kimono Cover-Up Soma Cool Nights Sleep Chemise
Vionics Orthodic House Slippers Berry Breeze Packing Cubes FitBit Watch Athleta Pants
Sephora Buxom Lip Pluming Lip Gloss
My Top 10 Christmas Wishlist Items
My friends, family, husband and I haven’t exchanged gifts in years. We all feel that less is more and spending time with each other is the best gift we can give each other! My husband and I don’t even exchange gifts for birthdays, Christmas, none of it. Since the day we met we have had the same philosophy and have decided that taking trips, spending time with each other and traveling is our gift to each other. Perfect example, it was my birthday last week and how did we celebrate it? We went for a nice walk in the forest in a National Park and took a little food for us for a picnic after our hike. It was a beautiful morning and spending time with each other and in nature made both of us happy. My husband said he even felt like it was his birthday too as it felt so special.
So with all of that said, why do I have a Christmas list? Well, living in South Africa has its challenges in terms of purchasing items both in stores and online. That’s okay…it’s nothing new. I had those same challenges when I lived in Costa Rica. So now whenever I want to buy something that I can’t get where I live, I add it to my Wish List and buy it on my yearly trip to the US. So this isn’t your typical Christmas list but it is my wish list for the next time I visit my friends & family in California! I would have purchased all of these items in June this year but Covid hit and now I’ll have to wait until next year.
#1 Vionic Orthopedic House Slippers
Vionic Women’s Indulge Relax Slipper – Ladies Comfortable Cozy Adjustable House Slippers with Concealed Orthotic Arch Support. I love these slippers as they not only have the orthotic arch support but they are soft and are adjustable. I wear them almost every day, especially with the pandemic but I work from home so they get a lot of use. I had them in black which I finally had to toss after years and my leopard ones are almost there. I love these because you can wear them with socks or barefoot and as much as I love flip flops, it’s nice to not have something between your toes. So I’d get 2 pairs-you can find most of the sizes and styles on Amazon or go directly to their own website. Vionic’s on Amazon
Vionic’s Direct Website. All of their shoes are super comfortable, give you great support and you’d never know it by their styles which I love. Their website is great, they also have for men and they have an easy return policy. I always have several pairs of Vionics shoes waiting for me when I arrive in the US. I like to have time to exchange them while I’m visiting so that means the moment I land I need to decide what I like, what I’m keeping, and what I may need to get a different size in.
#2 Athleta Women’s Wear
I discovered Athleta many years ago and I’m in love with their pants which I buy from Athleta’s Website. I have many items from Athleta which are fantastic. My favorites are their pants with stretch, cute tops that have knot detail or rouching and their summer dresses. Their items are high quality and last for years. Many of the pants and tops from Athleta are my favorite travel wear items. My favorite items are the pants with stretch so I can fit the XL but they do have many items in the 1XL-3XL range as well. Because their line of clothing is really for an active lifestyle, their fabrics are breathable, many have stretch, and the high quality fabric lasts! Returns are SO EASY since they are a Gap, Inc company! Check out their pants here: Athleta Women’s Bottoms
#3 Sephora: Buxom Lip Plumping Lip Gloss
I love Sephora and their Mini Sizes as not only are they great for travel, but it lets me test products so if I want to buy the larger size, I can do so at a later stage. One thing that I am running out of is the Buxom Lip Plumping Lip Gloss. I actually had purchased a mini selection of several different colors and this is how I fell in love with this! It looks nice on everyone and makes your lips tingle a bit when you put it on. It is one beauty item that I always make sure to travel with!
#4 Berry Breeze Refrigerator Deodorizer
BerryBreeze Activated Oxygen Refrigerator Deodorizer. It sounds like it’s just for keeping your refrigerator smelling nicely but that is not its main function. This nifty little product actually makes your fruits and vegetables last in your fridge soooooo much longer than normal! We had one in Costa Rica that we used for about 8 years. It didn’t make the “cut” to move with us in our suitcases when we moved from Costa Rica to South Africa and we miss it so we want to get a new one.
#5 Silk Pillowcases
Both my husband and I are very interested in trying out the silk pillowcases. We both toss and turn quite a bit and my hair looks like I stuck a finger in an outlet every morning so we’re going to give them a try! I’m not sure which pillowcases we are going to buy yet but we’re thinking high thread count, covered zipper and wash & dry (I don’t want to have to hang dry…I toss everything in the dryer). My hair, which is now almost 100% gray is much finer and I want to do whatever I can to make sure it gets the care it needs. Silk Pillowcase Selection on Amazon.
#6 Soma Sleepwear
If you “run hot” or ever have hot flashes or night sweats, then you should definitely know about Soma! I found a store to go into in California so I could try on things and ever since I wear their soft chemise nightgowns to sleep in almost every night. They have soft, comfortable, high quality sleepwear for women through XXL. They also have bras (sizes A-I & 32-46), lingerie and even some clothing items so check them out. Their Cool Night Sleepshirts or Chemises are the best and they make a great gift for your friends too!
#7 MacBook Air Laptop
I’m not sure if this will be in the budget but this is a wish list right? My current MacBook Air is old and starting to get really slow even though I’ve done everything “right”…planned obsolescence! The new Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) – Silver (Latest Model) is what I have my eye on. My current one has lasted for about 8 years so it would be a good investment.
#8 Packing Cubes Set
I have had my eye on this 10 Piece Organization Set of Packing Cubes for a while now. I love that they come in different colors, different sizes, and have sturdy fabric & zippers so I can compress my clothing when needed. I have some packing cubes right now but I bought a cheap set…I should have known better! As soon as I get these new ones I’ll gift my other ones to somebody who wants them!
#9 Kimono Cover-Up/Open Top
I only have a couple of bathing suit cover-ups that I’ve used for years and they are about worn out. This beautiful white & blue one I’ve had my eye on for a while now. I like that you can wear it over denim shorts and a tank top and it gives you coverage and style! It’s a classic design and colors so it will last me for years to come. Kimono style open front top in a classic blue & white pattern on Amazon.
#10 FitBit Smartwatch
I’m considering one of the Fitbit Smartwatches. I like feeling fit, even though I’m not skinny, I want to make sure that I can walk up stairs or go for hikes without feeling like it’s really hard for me. I used to go to the gym 3-5 days a week before Covid hit so for the last 10 months I’ve done zero workouts which is not good for mental or physical health. Now do I want a watch that tells me “hey, get your butt up and move?!” I might….and I might not! LOL I think being more aware of my habits, how much I’m moving (or not moving since I work from home on the computer), etc will be helpful. Also I toss and turn quite a bit for sleep, I’m interested to see how many hours of sleep I’m actually getting. Sounds interesting….
WHAT’S ON YOUR LIST?
Please leave me comments on your favorite items! Maybe they’re not on your “wish list” but items you love!