My Favorite Things For Holiday Gift Giving 2019

Happy Holiday Season! I’m excited to share my 10 favorite things for holiday gift giving in 2019. Each year I like to share 10 products that are something I love or love to gift and several of them are companies who do good work for the local or world community. There are a few custom discounts for The Wandering Rumpus readers too. I hope these ideas inspire you to create a personal, wonder-filled holiday season.

1. Little Justice Leaders Subscription Box

Little Justice Leaders is a subscription box aimed at teaching kids about social justice issues. Each box provides resources (history, games, toys, books, etc.) that guide adults to have conversations with your child or students about these issues in an age-appropriate way. Their resources are created specifically for young children in grades K-5 by experts in education, but honestly, I love how these boxes start conversations for my older kids too. Plus, they plan on releasing boxes for middle and high school age kids soon. You can order one box for holidays, purchase a subscription or purchase a digital subscription.

Little Justice Leaders is offering 25% off your first box with the code WRUMPUS25. Happy Change-Making!

2. Happy Huts Custom TeePee

Happy Huts is a company based in Nashville with a mission of making sleepovers fun and stress-free. Here in Nashville, they provide TeePees, mattresses, set up & take down services, decor and more for unique & creative sleepover celebrations. And this year they are selling their handmade one-of-a-kind TeePees! Their TeePees are carefully made by Katherine and Abriana the co-founders of Happy Huts. They are easy to put together and can be stored away when not in use. I adore them because they inspire creativity, imagination, and curiosity. They allow kids to pretend they are on an epic adventure, fill their TeePee with pillows for a quiet reading nook…or camp out in the middle of the living room! Email HappyHutsNashville@gmail.com for more information!

3. ABLE Jewelry & Fashion

ABLE is an ethical fashion brand that employs and empowers women as a solution to end poverty. They invest in, train, and educate women so they can earn a living, break the cycle of poverty, and thrive. I was recently gifted the “Mama Said” necklace by a dear friend (and have coveted their bags and jewelry for years) which I adore and currently wear daily. Headquartered in Nashville but empowering women around the world, I love buying from companies that do good!

4. Social Print Studio Photo Gifts

Social Print Studio is a favorite company who turns your instagram pictures into amazing gifts and art. I recently provided a gift guide for families who love to travel on their site, but there are so many personal, affordable photography gifts you can choose from. A couple of other favorites are their posters and their large format prints. 

5. Linda Stowe Designs Earrings

I have a pair of leather leaf earrings from Linda Stowe Designs which I always get complimented on. They are pretty, classic, lightweight and fun! I’ve since bought two more pairs of her quirky, unique earrings that are great for travel too. Linda Stowe Designs includes jewelry, upcycled clothes, and original designs.

Linda has offered FREE shipping on all purchases to The Wandering Rumpus readers. Check out her stock at her Instagram (which will be updated soon) and email her at lindastowedesigns@gmail.com.

6. Pitter Patterned World Map Blanket

I met Jennifer, owner of Pitter Patterned at a conference last spring and fell in love with her mission and products. Jennifer is a mom of two who creates keepsake quilts, toys, books and more. She explains “Pitter Patterned was born in 2012 out of a desire to take my talents and share the creations that are so precious to my family with families all across the world.” Appropriately, my favorite product is the World Map Blanket which can be customized. Plus, all of the products found on Pitter Patterned are made from 100% certified organic cotton. And, their fabrics use water-based inks instead of harmful dyes or chemicals. 

7. Gifts for the Journey Candles (& Bath Products)

Gifts for the Journey is based in Milwaukee and is a sister organization with Nashville’s Thistle Farms. Both businesses provide a pathway to a sustainable healthy, safe and productive life for women engaging in prostitution due to trauma, human sex trafficking or drug addiction and one way they do this is through there incredible bath and body products. I adore their lavender candles and soap and my girls love their bath bombs.

8. BATCH Nashville Gift Boxes

Batch is a local Nashville company that curates locally made, artisanal goods, from Nashville and all across the South. They feature amazing, handcrafted items from local makers. I’ve started gifting their Nashville boxes to family, friends, clients, and co-workers and I adore the personal touch and the small businesses they support.

9. The Wander Club Tokens

The Wander Club makes engraved (and customizable) tokens for every country, US state, province or National Park and either a keychain (new vegan keychains) or a necklace to collect the tokens. This is a lovely gift (I got one for my mom) which you can add onto whenever the recipient travels to a new place! And my favorite part, for every token purchased, The Wander Club will donate a meal to a child in need with the help of their non-profit partner, Rice Bowls. What a beautiful way to document travels while also supporting a global mission! 

10. Books from Local Bookstores

One of my favorite things to gift (and receive) all year is books! This holiday season, I am committing to purchasing all of my books from local, independent bookstores or directly from the seller (instead of through Amazon.) Discovering and exploring independent bookstores around the world is one of my favorite things ever! I want to support these magical places and keep them in business. I’d love for you to join me in this commitment this holiday season. 

Some favorite independent bookstores in Nashville are The Book Shop, Parnassus Books and McKays Used Books. Some favorites in the Southeast can be found here – please share your favorite independent bookstore in the comments!

Here are some book recommendations we’ve loved this year or I will be gifting to friends and family:

Kids

• The Adventures of Lily Huckleberry in Japan,  Audrey Smit and Jackie Knapp
• Sophia Valdez Future Prez, Andrea Beaty
• Little People Big Dreams: Dolly Parton,  Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Daria Solak
• Everything & Everywhere, Marc Martin
• The Golden Glow, Benjamin Flouw

Chapter Books for Kids & Teens

• Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster,  Jonathan Auxier 
• Redwall,  Brian Jacques
• Echo, Pam Munoz Ryan
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Kelly Barnhill
• Gold, Geraldine Mills

Adult or Young Adult

• The Fountains of Silence, Ruta Sepetys
• Becoming, Michelle Obama
• Educated, Tara Westover
• Where’d You Go Bernadette, Maria Semple
• Unsheltered: A Novel, Barbara Kingsolver

Cookbooks, Design & Art Books

• Tartine, A Classic Revisited, Elisabeth M. Prueitt, Chad Robertson 
• Notre Dame de Paris: A Celebration of the Cathedral, Kathy Borrus
• Travel Home: Design with a Global Spirit, Caitlin Flemming
• Strong is the New Pretty: A Celebration of Girls Being Themselves, Kate T. Parker
• A Child’s Introduction to Art: The World’s Greatest Paintings and Sculptures, Heather Alexander

Check out my 2018 &  2017 Favorite Gifts too for endless, thoughtful gift giving ideas! What will you be gifting this year?

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