Who Needs Santa? 12 Days of the Very Best Holiday Trinkets Money Can Buy🎁

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Alison Freer

10 min readDec 1, 2017

Day Twelve: This Ultimate Hostess Gift is Christmas in a Jar 🎄

If you want to inject a bit of holiday spirit into your house with very little hassle, all you have to do is light this Frasier Fir candle from Thymes. It is the best holiday candle ever created, period—potent enough to instantly scent any room with the smell of Siberian pine needles mixed with cedarwood. Ever since I made the move to an artificial tree (since real trees don’t come with pink branches and needles), I’ve missed the fresh smell of one—and the Frasier Fir candle is the perfect replacement. It smells just like going to the mountains, and even dudes who hate candles will love it. I’m partial to the silver one, as it glows beautifully though the branch pattern on the jar, but it also comes in sleek glass version, room spray, hand wash, and house cleaner. What’s the ultimate hostess gift? Christmas in a jar!

— Thymes Frasier Fir Candle, $15–29 at Thymes.com & Amazon.com

Thanks to everyone who followed along for all 12 days of my #WhoNeedsSanta? gift guide! You’re the very best.

Day Eleven: Get Your Glitter on Without Hurting the Ocean ✨

As if this year needed any more bad news, it would appear that glitter is awful for the environment (the ocean in particular). Turns out that glitter is just another form of microplastic, and is allegedly just as bad as those horrible plastic microbeads that have been showing in in fish from here to eternity! I can’t live without a little shine now and then, so I searched for a biodegradable option and came up with Lush’s Shimmy Shimmy bar, made of organic cocoa butter and shea butter—while the shine comes from synthetic mica and mineral glitter, which are plastic-free and safe for the environment. You warm it up with your hands (it only takes a second) and then smear it anywhere you see fit. It gets glittery shimmer everywhere, smells yummy like white chocolate, and moisturizes anywhere you put it, too. It’s great on your arms, shoulders, and legs, but can work for your face too—just put it on your fingers first for more control over where it goes. You’ll shine bright like a diamond without every harming one single fishie. (PS: Spring for a little tin to store it in too, unless you want your makeup bag to be a permanent disco ball.)

––Lush Shimmy Shimmy bar, $8.95 at Lush.com

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 12!

Day Ten: Put Your Hair up with a SCRUNCHIE!! 👩🏼

You may not like it one bit, but the fact remains that scrunchies are hella back. Even hipster brand Mansur Gavriel is getting in on the action, advertising them for THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS (they are of vintage Italian fabric though, dontcha know?) There’s no reason to spend more than 74 cents each on a scrunchie, so just scoop up this set of 15 velvet ones for a measly $11.50. If you transfer them into a cute, reusable container (like a mason jar) you’ve got a useful gift that any long-haired recipient will either love or hate—but will definitely wind up using, even if it’s just to keep their hair tied up at night while they sleep.

— 15 Velvet Scrunchies, $11.50 at Amazon.com

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 11!

Day Nine: Every Cheerleader’s Favorite Accessory is Perfect for Your Ears 👂

Once the 90s came roaring back in the form of chokers, you knew pom-poms couldn’t be far behind. I love them done up as earrings, because every statement earring is way too heavy for my earlobes—but even triple pom-poms are light as air. I’ve worn this pair from Bauble Bar for Bloomingdales with everything from gym clothes to a bridesmaid dress, as they add instant zazz and zuzz to literally anything. I never find myself taking them off mid-day to talk on the phone or because my ears are throbbing. In short: They are totally keeping it 💯.

—Mykonos Drop Earrings, $34.00 at Bloomingdales.com

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 10!

Day Eight: Tired of Your Ugly Christmas Sweater? Try a Fancy-Lady Christmas Skirt Instead 🎄

I love theme dressing more than anything, but sometimes you need a kitschy holiday outfit that is a little more grown up than an ugly X-mas sweater or novelty T-shirt—so I’ll be rocking this forgiving A-line skirt decorated with Christmas trees and a snowy winter village to open presents this year. It comes in sizes from XS-3X, is only $19.99, and has a bit of stretch to it so you can eat what you want and still look polished. I paired mine with this fancy-lady blouse, but it would be just as cute with a red T-shirt or tank top if you live somewhere warm and still want to be festive. It sits a bit high on the waist, so if you like your skirts to hang a bit lower, order one size up. I am always a medium in everything but took a large in this—and it fits just perfectly. If it had pockets, I’d marry it.

— Christmas Tree Skirt, $19.99 at Amazon.com

(PS: If the skirt link above doesn’t have your size, try this one.)

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 9!

Day Seven: Everyone Needs a Pair of Murderously Sharp Scissors ✂️

Everyone reading this should definitely own a pair of murderously sharp scissors, suitable for cutting the scratchy tag out of a shirt or giving your split ends a quick trim. This 4” pair by Ginger has severely pointed tips that allow you to cut everything with intense precision. They are sharp enough to stab a Barbie doll’s eye out with one blow, and you’ll never accidentally put a hole in something because you were using a big, dull, clunky pair of scissors. I put these in my mom’s stocking five Christmases ago, and she told me last night that she has used them every single day since. It’s a super useful gift for anyone — but specifically great for your mom or BFF.

— Gingher Embroidery Scissors, $18.87 at Amazon.com

4" Embroidery Scissors, $18.87 at Amazon.com

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 8!

Day Six: A Teddy Bear Coat is the Cure for Existential Winter Dread 🐻

I think we can all agree that this alleged ‘gift guide’ has completely devolved into ‘cute crap Alison has bought in the last year’ territory, so why not drop the pretense altogether and alert you to a smoking deal on what should be a staple of your wardrobe: An outrageous teddy-bear coat done up in faux leopard. This one from Target (of all places) is warm, silky, luxurious, comes in sizes up to 2X, and costs only $39.99! You have to wear a coat in winter to stay alive anyway, so it may as well bring you joy.

— Faux Leopard Fur Coat, $39.99 at Target.com

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 7!

Day Five: Stop Holding Your Phone the Old-Fashioned Way📱

The only reason I am at all cool is because I work with half a dozen teenagers who are constantly hipping me to the latest Internet slang and gadgets. That’s how I found out about the Popsocket, a clever little collapsible grip that sticks to the back of your phone so you can get a handle on it, making it easier to hold one-handed while typing—and lets you get your phone even farther away for perfect selfies or group pics. I’ve stopped dropping my phone as much now that I have it to hold onto, and it’s kind of like an adult fidget spinner — I’m constantly popping it up and down all day long while thinking about work problems. It comes in ENDLESS patterns, colors, and styles: donuts, aliens, hibiscus flowers, even a Cheeto cat. You can remove and re-stick it 500+ times, it’s some sort of zany adhesive from the future. The Popsocket also acts as a kickstand to prop your phone up to watch stuff, and since it perfectly balances the weight of your phone across your fingers, I find I have way less hand cramping from holding my hand clawed around my phone while greedily scrolling through your photos photos of hella cute dogs, babies, and shoes. It’s the best $10 stocking stuffer out there.📱

— Popsockets, $9.99-$14.99 at Amazon.com

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 6!

Day Four: Give Yourself Instant Holiday Cheer with this Magical Glowing Orb 🔮

The easiest way to make any depressing space warm and magical at the holidays is to string up some twinkle lights. But if you want to take your decorating up a notch this season, get yourself one of these mystical glowing orbs, meant to impart a warm, glowing vibe into any tiny corner of your home. I hung mine from the ceiling with these clever little clips that remove easily without leaving any residue, and it was so easy, I’m thinking of getting this mini-rose gold one to hang above my bed. (I wanted a bedroom Christmas tree but was rudely DENIED by the dude!) The orb also comes in gold, green, red, magenta, and purple—and it’s guaranteed to make your holidays a little brighter—and a lot more magical. 🔮

—Holiday Orb, from $21-$44 at Amazon.com

(PS: If the original multi-color link sells out, try this one instead. And if you don’t have a plug handy, try this battery-powered version!)

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 5!

Day Three: Squeeze Every Penny out of Your Fancy Beauty Products with this Clever Tube Wringer 💄

I had almost completely given up on buying any beauty product that came in a tube because it was so hard to get the last little bit out. Unless I cut the tube open and scraped it out with my fingers (which is gross and inconvenient), I was leaving money sitting in that tube! Then I saw a makeup artist at the mall beauty counter using this old-fashioned metal tube wringer — and scrambled to order one of my own. It’s the lowest-tech gadget there is, but after only owning it for only 48 hours, I used it on toothpaste, hand lotion, face wash, tomato paste, and ointment tubes to buy myself three more uses and counting out of each. It wrings any tube (metal or plastic) completely empty of every last molecule. At only $9.99, it’s the perfect stocking stuffer or gift for a beauty-junkie pal. 💄

— Tube Wringer, $9.99 at Amazon.com

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 4!

Day Two: Everything Bad is Good Through Rose-Colored Glasses 👓

This one’s a ‘Treat Yo Self’, because I am here to tell you that life is indeed WAY BETTER through rose-colored glasses. I hate having to constantly change from eyeglasses to sunglasses when I’m out running errands, but pink lenses are dark enough to shade from the sun — yet light enough to keep on inside, so you never have to bother switching! This pair is from Zenni Optical, and you can get them in either plain or prescription lenses. Add an 80% pink tint and you’re good to go. Best of all, you need zero additional accessories when wearing these. 👓

— Pink Browline Glasses, $23.95 at Zenni Optical.

Pink Browline Glasses, $23.95 @ Zenni Optical.

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 3!

Day One: This Tiny Wallet Fits in the Palm of Your Hand (But Still Holds Everything You Need) 👛

My self-absorbed New Year’s Resolution last year was not to do anything that would help my fellow man — instead, I vowed to only carry purses big enough to fit my essentials: iPhone, lip balm, keys, and wallet. It was an attempt to spare my shoulders the pain of lugging too much stuff around, but finding a wallet small enough to fit in a tiny purse that still had space for everything I need was a challenge. After buying a bunch of wallets that sucked, I finally found this tiny one from Fossil that is literally perfect.

It fits in the palm of your hand but expands to hold as much or as little as you need. Mine is currently housing seven credit cards, a decent wad of singles, and a handful of change for parking meters — and there’s still room to spare! This little lifesaver comes in seven colors and is on sale for only $21 today at Macys with the code FRIENDS. It makes a great gift for you, your best pal, your mom, or just anyone who is definitely carrying around way too much junk. 👛

— Mini Wallet, $21.00 with code ‘FRIENDS’ at Macy’s.

Mini wallet, $21.00 with code ‘FRIENDS’ @ Macy’s.

Check back tomorrow for #WhoNeedsSanta? Day 2!

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