2026 Life of Yes℠ Gift Guide
Every Fall I share what I love or aspire to love in case any of them sound delicious for yourself or people in your life this holiday season and beyond in an annual gift guide.
Anything you’re squeeeee’ing? A product or business you want to spotlight? Drop it in the comments. And YES!, even if it’s your thing. Especially if it’s your thing. Self-promotion is welcome and encouraged.
Context, Disclaimers, & Reminders
Skip to the Guide if you know all this cause hi, you’ve been Guide’ing for years
Most of my recommendations aren’t your traditional gift ideas.
I find efficiency, organization, comfort, ease, death preparation, and cleaning sexy; I’d much rather a Container Store or Lowe’s gift card than diamonds.
I don’t care about fashion, makeup, skincare, labels, “have to make reservations six months in advance” restaurants, jewelry (my Overstock.com wedding ring cost $19) or many other things seemingly everyone else cares about.
Gifts for others are the best! So are gifts for self! We often neglect self; you’re a better parent, spouse, friend, coworker, sibling, boss+ when you take care of self.
I’m very frugal but I have fancy taste when it comes to some things, mostly travel related (hotels, first class, airport lounges). My budget often doesn’t allow for fancy so finding budget-friendly ways to indulge is also a love e.g. travel hacking. You can see travel hacks we’ve done—e.g. flying first class to Chicago to Tokyo for $250 each—and how we’ve done them—e.g. credit card recommendations—on the blog; use the “travel” filter.
Gift Someone With the Fanciest Version of What They Already Use — this is a very Life of Yes℠ mentality (I’ve gotten and so appreciated premium versions of music streaming services, Canva, etc.).
Here’s a video of one of the best gifts I’ve ever given (and received!). Loved how many people “stole” the idea.
Links may be referral links. If an Amazon link, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
An encouragement to buy anything you can buy elsewhere elsewhere if it’ll help a small business. Use my links as recommendation/research links and see if your local Mom & Pop has what I recommend. If you do buy on Amazon though, encouragement to go through small business affiliate links so at least you’re kinda shopping small.
Buying someone a service — haircut, manicure, house cleaning — is deliciously win-win-win especially if you know the service provider (my Service Provider Referral List is here); you win, the gift recipient wins, and the service provider wins.
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Store items: Adulting Kit, tanks, onesies, notecards, posters, cleaning e-book+
- Become a paying newsletter subscriber
- Gift a home cleaning
- Gift your family Mac & Cheese Family Reunion Facilitation
- Bring us in to your event or workplace
- A class, program, or event! Blueprint Board Workshop, Idea Potluck, and Lifestyle Audit are one off offerings people have gifted in the past, and improv, Fear Experiment, and storytelling are series offerings that’ve been gifted.
You can find previous year gift guides on my blog (filter by “gifts”).
Annual reminder of the best Thanksgiving turkey recipe (time sensitive!).
At any time of year if you’re jonesing for my recommendations, I have a bunch of lists I keep updated in the Mac & Cheese Amazon Store.
2026 Life of Yes℠ Gift Guide
If you see an *, it means you’re supporting a Cheese-It! Win win win.
Experiences
For any of the experiences below that are in select cities, if piqued but you/your gift-tee lives elsewhere, encouraged to see if a similar goodness exists in the desired area. You can give it a Google or see if I have any listed on the “Getting out there tab” on my Life of Yes℠ Resources table on my Lists page. These are meant to be sources of inspiration as well as actual gifts.
Solo outing! Date outing! Friends outing! Family outing! Work outing! Visitor in town outing! Self outing!
Nerd Nite [Global]
We went to Winston’s last month, good times! It’s at Kaleideum here.
“We all know learning is more fun when you’re drinking with friends. Thus, Nerd Nite is a monthly event held in 100+ cities across the globe during which folks give 20-minute fun-yet-informative presentations across all disciplines – while the audience drinks along! There are often bands, trivia, speed-friending, and other shenanigans as well. Imagine learning about math feuds, the emu war of Australia, the genealogy of Godzilla, or zombie insects, while having a few.”
Oh heyyyy, that’s me and my creation!
* JK Woodworked Creations [Winston]
Painting pop-ups! Fun, hands-on, no artist experience necessary way to explore our city and small businesses. Bonus: you can nominate someone for free class admission, which is a lovely way to include folks who may have difficulty paying. While you’re looking at classes, check out Chantae’s upcoming vendor markets as well which are wonderful places to guy gifts.
Note for everyone everywhere — Chantae is who’s behind Cash Mobs here in Winston, where we surprise 2-3 small businesses with a mob of people who spend $5-$20 at said businesses. If you love this idea, you should steal it and do it where you live! Another fun way to support, explore, and connect. Here’s the most recent Cash Mob I went to, a part of my “Saya rides the bus!” series, which has become a random hit locally. (Public transit is soooo different here, y’all! Not just riding it but how it’s viewed, how you’re viewed, (wave of hand)…)
Ikebana Workshops [DC]
Link is to a peer’s article which provides wonderful context on these offerings, as well as a link to the actual workshops.
An excerpt —
“Most corporate workshops are designed to get people talking. Narcisa Despoiu’s are designed to make them quiet. Through Narcisa Art Studio, she teaches ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arrangement, across shared living spaces, private gatherings, and work environments. Her services include public workshops, private small-group experiences, programs for residential communities, and custom ikebana installations for brand and corporate spaces. The product is not flower arranging, exactly. What Narcisa is really selling is a structured slowdown — a quiet, physical experience designed to foster connection, creativity, and calm.”
Chicago Magic Lounge [Chicago]
“Chicago Magic Lounge is a signature speakeasy-style magic theater and performance bar in Andersonville, featuring close-up and stage magic from a rotating lineup of professional magicians from Chicago and around the world. Hidden behind a secret entrance, it offers an intimate night out with live performances, craft cocktails, and shareable small plates.”
Earlybirds Club [Global]
I included this in last year’s guide but feel compelled to include it again as they continue to spread and as the desire for these types of gatherings grows (*cough* no men *cough*). Fun Fact: Chicagoans and Fear Experiment’ers, Chicago’s is often held at the Park West!
“Because everyone deserves a space where you can come as you are and feel completely safe to just … let go. No pressure. No pretense. It’s a joyful, movement-filled experience that feels nostalgic and welcoming—all wrapped up in a night that ends early enough for you to wash your face and get a full eight hours. Expect wall-to-wall bangers from the ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s—think pop, hip-hop, R&B, new wave, house, and Latin. But it’s more than just a dance party. Earlybirds Club is designed as a safe space for women, trans, and non-binary folks to be their truest, fullest, weirdest selves. It’s movement. It’s music. It’s your kind of night out.”
Items
We visited, it was breathtaking!
“Recreate an iconic Spanish landmark as you build the impressively massive Sagrada Família cathedral replica model, the largest LEGO® building set to date! As you build, follow in order the real-life progression of its construction, marking the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí’s passing.”
Black-woman owned business! Hoodies, stickers, totes… “Statement apparel for anti-racist, democracy-loving people.” I neeeeeeed that Obama tote. It’s on my “Treat yourself” list.
If cords are the bane of your existence like they are mine, you’ll love this! Bonus: being able to keep items flush against the wall.
You can get Winston-Salem ones or non-geographic ones. The car magnets are very popular here! We’ve got one.
I first met Kendra when she came to Idea Potluck. A few months later, I was wandering an art expo and was drawn to an illustration. As I made my way over, I heard, “Wait, are you macaroni?!” It was Kendra!
“I was raised by some amazing, strong, and independent women who embrace their femininity through jewelry, fashion, and art. My designs are a gift and a tribute to the women in my life and I vow to use my talents wisely and gratefully. I am doing work that lights me up and makes me come alive. Every design and piece of artwork is created to ignites something within you, like confidence and excitement. My hope is that when you are wearing my jewelry or buying my illustrations, you come alive and you are inspired to be the most authentic, unapologetic, version of yourself.”
Vegan jerky of all flavors! I bought Best Friend a ten-pack bundle and he loooooved it. I of course partook in the tastings and I looooooved it as well. This is the type of item that’s a bit pricier than you want it to be, especially if you buy it on the regular, so it makes a wonderful, guilt free gift.
These are all over our area. Brings a smile to my face every time I see one. Cause, truth.
“We are on a mission to bring kindness to the forefront of our homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Each sign is a reminder that kindness connects us and makes the world a better place.”
Paper goodness is another thing I feel guilty buying for myself—stationary, greeting cards, notebooks, stickers. I shouldn’t but I do.
“Wildflower Illustration Co. is a small stationery shop & studio run by Rebecca and Karl, a husband and wife team based in Cheltenham. We started Wildflower Illustration Co. in 2015 because we believe in the power of a handwritten note to brighten someone’s day or capture a shared memory. In an increasingly digital world, we hope our cards and stationery will spread a little joy on doormats around the world… We still print and package nearly all of our stationery on site, in a studio at the back of the shop. In 2025, as a response to the fact that we heard over and over again how much people were missing letter-writing, we started The Sunday Letter Project. It started as a simple invitation to anyone to write one letter every Sunday as a way to keep the art alive. But it has now grown into a worldwide project with ‘Letter Keepers’: independent shops acting as places where pen-pal ‘introductory letters’ can be browsed and worldwide connections can flourish… completely offline.”
“Enjoy personalized pillow comfort to help you achieve deep, relaxing sleep. Fluff, scrunch, and shape your pillow – or even remove some of the pressure-relieving foam – to experience the perfect level of all-night support.”
Literature Every Day Interactive QR Mug
Scroll this site! So many fun things and ideas.
“Devoted bibliophiles can indulge in some classic—and quick—reads with their morning cup of joe. Hidden in this ceramic mug’s wraparound bookshelf artwork is a QR code that delivers daily samplings of the world’s most renowned works of literature. Scan the code to unlock a new quote every day, from writers like Jane Austen, W.E.B DuBois, Charles Dickens, and many more.”
I was sooooo against an air fryer. I love a clean counter and hate tons of kitchen gadgets. But Best Friend won me over with an air fryer. It truly does make life easier, especially for a “cook” like me. And then he was right again when he suggested we get a Crispi. Cute, fast, easy to clean, easy to store, easy to use. Definitely cuter than most air fryers and that’s what’s important!
Loves —
- Range of colors
- Small footprint
- Non toxic
- Microwave, Freezer & Dishwasher Safe
- Easy to clean
Hot Tip: Costco often has good sales on these.
Organic Cotton Percale Printed Sheet Set
Sooooo soft! Soooooo cute! Check out all the patterns.
Great housewarming/welcome to adulthood gift.
“The Battery Daddy is a compact & portable way to organize, store and protect a boatload of batteries! Clear ‘Easy View’ cover lets you see everything at a glance and prevent any unwanted contact.”
“Ultra wide jersey pants with a drapey, voluminous fit. With an elastic waistband, long drawcord, and side pockets.”
Kirkland Signature Plush Blanket
One of my favorite Costco purchases of the year! I feel so snuggly and cozy in bed with this as my top layer. The softness is delightful and it brings me joy every time I touch it.
It says “for kids” and lessening mess, but uh… whimsy for adults!
Build a lego set but the set is a favorite photo of yours?! Say less!
“Turn your photos into beautiful Brick Mosaics. Use the Brick Me Creator web-app to design your own personalized brick mosaic for free! Order your Brick Me kit complete with bricks, baseplates, and easy to follow instructions to build your Brick Art yourself. It’s like a paint-by-numbers puzzle!”
Infinity Pillow | Travel Neck Pillow
“Adjust the portable neck pillow and find your perfect sleep position anywhere, whether you’re in the window or middle seat, on your home sofa or the hotel bed, at the office or on your commute. Neck support, lumbar pillow, chin support, desk pillow, noise canceling pillow – you’ve got them all in this unique design.”
Purveyors of regional Italian and southern European foods, this is a fun site to poke around.
The salt specifically is “perfect for your pockets, purses, packs, picnic baskets, and more. Take America’s finest sea salt with you wherever you go – from the restaurant table, to the campsite, and everywhere in between. Jacobsen’s signature salt slide tins are also great party favors or stocking stuffers for the food lover in your life.”
Custom Favorite City Name Necklace
Forever a Chicago Girlie… But also need Chestnut Hill, Evanston, and West Salem ones.
We use these for storing bulky things like pillows and blankets. Can also be used for traveling.
“Debbie Carlos is a photographer, and ceramicist based in Michigan. Carlos’s images capture moments of quiet strangeness, patterns of light and shadow, minute-by-minute surprises, changes that don’t happen, something that’s askew, something exactly in place — across a range of natural and artificial phenomena.”
If you shed like I do, you need this. I have tried alllllll the contraptions and none of them come close to this one. It catches all the hair, doesn’t need to be emptied after every shower, is easy to clean, and isn’t attention-grabbing. The amount of hair I remove every week is both disgusting and satisfying.
“Uniquely designed to collect hair inside the drain rather than on top, keeping the shower area clean and preventing clogs before they start.”
I went to a workshop the other day and couldn’t believe there are people on this planet who don’t know washi tape. It’s great for scrapbooking, bullet journaling, gift wrapping, embellishing planners, collaging, greeting card customization… And there are sooooooo many designs, sizes, feels. Once you go down the washi rabbit hole, godspeed. We may not see you for 3-4 months. I consider washi tape an official Tiny Joy in my life.
Crafter’s Tape Permanent Glue Runner
I’ve become a gal who has an always packed, ready to go craft bag. And one of the most important items in it is my tape glue runner. I can’t stand traditional glue. Messy! Even glue sticks have worn out their welcome; I manage to get the stickiness all over my fingers, it’s clumpy, they dry out fast. Enter the runner, an answer to all my minimalist, simple, clean, easy prayers. I love using it for collaging and junk journaling. If you have a crafts-girlie in your life, get this for her!
Another change in our Chicago to Winston move is that I’m now an official garden girlie. What money used to go to rent/mortgage, now straight to Lowe’s and nurseries. Weeding is perhaps the worst thing ever so whatever I can get my hands on to make it easier, IN! This is one. It’s wonderful for getting in small, tight cracks. A video I made using it.
Speaking of weeds, while I try to be all things green, sometimes green doesn’t cut it and ya need to bring in the ick army. I love how easy this is to use and while others complain about how long it takes — a week to two weeks — the timeframe doesn’t bother me. The main feature is that it works! Too many products claim to XYZ and don’t deliver; this delivers.
I love these at our bathroom and kitchen sinks, to hold soap dispensers and keep water contained. I’ve seen people also use them as sushi trays and for make-up and jewelry. I like the simple, lightweight, easy to clean’ness.
This is another item that I shared in a previous year but with our move and love of keeping our new counters clutter free, with few things allowed visibility, I’ve fallen back in love so another shoutout for the esthetic and ease of this magnetic knife block.
I hate breaking down boxes. This makes that task easier.
Stores
* Social Enterprise Shop Guide
“Discover mission-driven businesses from across the country, where every item is handcrafted by talented individuals reentering the workforce after overcoming challenges like homelessness or incarceration. Shop now and help support an economy that works. For everyone.”
I’m not a fashion-girlie but I do like simple statement jewelry you can wear 24/7 without turning green and this fits the bill. Plus I’m a sucker for a woman “couldn’t find what I wanted so I created it” entrepreneur story.
A Cheese-It recommended their towels and robes with a nod to being the place to go for birthdays and housewarmings.
Said Cheese-It also swore by Vuori’s cozy athleisure. And since I’m in my cozy phase of life, IN!
I learned about Garvee at Comfy Club Getaway in Tennessee this past August, when Best Friend and I were eyeing the window AC unit in our room and peeked at the label to see where it was from. That led us down the Garvee rabbit hole and suddenly we were owners of four Garvee pieces of furniture, including above.
We were lured by the selection and the price. I’ll caution with a “If it’s too good to be true…” nod. The prices are priced on par with the quality of the items. I say this with all the IKEA love and the acknowledgment of many IKEA purchases over the years, including as recent as a few months ago — I didn’t think things could get less quality than IKEA quality. Enter Garvee.
Tangent: if you’re interested in what pieces we got, keep a lookout for my home renovation post, where I’ll share what we did and what we bought. If you’re not already in my world and want to stay here, here’s how you can do that.
Books
“As she approaches thirty-four—the same age her mother, Angela, was at her death—Tomlinson grapples with fear and ambition, identity and doubt, and all the ways her mind has changed since the day her mom died. In these sharply observed, uproariously funny, and moving original essays, Tomlinson leads readers through a tour of her brain and her shifting opinions about everything from love and relationships, mental health and therapy, religion and sex, food and body image, being the eldest daughter and the only woman in late-night TV, to ghosts, morning people, and more. With the same unflinching honesty that fuels her beloved stand-up specials, she captures the dizzying contradictions of adulthood in the modern world: wanting independence while craving reassurance, chasing self-improvement while resisting change, and finally learning that certainty can be overrated.”
* My Parents Are Dead: Now What?
One of the worst and most overwhelming experiences is losing a loved one. Losing Mom, the months of her dwindling and the immediate aftermath, and Best Friend’s accident really clued me into how even the most prepared can sink and drown when it comes to handling all the things. So anything that can make it easier on self and on others, yes please. And if someone can provide levity and humour and light when it comes to the un-fun, IN.
“A certified death doula provides an accessible and digestible guide to dealing with the legal, financial logistical hurdles of a parent’s death—without losing your sense of humor. Your parent died. Now what? Along with the grief comes an overwhelming list of decisions, paperwork, phone calls, legal questions, financial loose ends—and tasks no one ever taught you how to handle. But you don’t have to do it alone. After losing both parents, certified death doula Becky Robison devoted herself to making death and postdeath logistics easier on others. She draws on her own experience, plus interviews with experts ranging from monument makers to morticians, to break down the confusing logistics of death into manageable steps.”
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration
I would not have picked this up if it wasn’t a book club book. But so glad I did! I enjoy learning about history in ways that aren’t dry and that resonate with and move me. The size of the book was also daunting but I found myself loving that it lasted so long.
“In this beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson presents a definitive and dramatic account of one of the great untold stories of American history: the Great Migration of six million Black citizens who fled the South for the North and West in search of a better life, from World War I to 1970. Wilkerson tells this interwoven story through the lives of three unforgettable protagonists: Ida Mae Gladney, a sharecropper’s wife, who in 1937 fled Mississippi for Chicago; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem, and Robert Foster, a surgeon who left Louisiana in 1953 in hopes of making it in California. Wilkerson brilliantly captures their first treacherous cross-country journeys by car and train and their new lives in colonies in the New World. The Warmth of Other Suns is a bold, remarkable, and riveting work, a superb account of an “unrecognized immigration” within our own land. Through the breadth of its narrative, the beauty of the writing, the depth of its research, and the fullness of the people and lives portrayed herein, this book is a modern classic.”
Idris Elba (Crush and Color): Colorful with the Sexiest Man Ever
Also other stars like Harry Styles and The Rock. I fell in love with Idris in The Wire — could not believe this Baltimore drug dealer was British! — and have been googly eyes ever since. The likeness isn’t exact but the cheesiness and fun make up for it.
“With this new book, you’ll have the opportunity to color in dozens of line drawings of this British star in all kinds of poses and scenarios. Grab a set of colored pencils or markers and get to work, and when you’re done, it’s up to you whether to share them with your friends or appreciate them privately. A great gift for the Elba fan in your life.”
If you have gift suggestions of your own, drop ’em in the comments! Even if, especially if, YOU’RE the gift. Self-promotion is not a bad thing. If you’re not your biggest fan, who will be? Looking at you, women and POC.
If you buy anything, for self or others, lemme know!
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