Gifts cause me the most stress at Christmas. The idea of finding things to make so many different people happy taxes my already busy brain. This year, I’m trying a new strategy. I fully acknowledge, to myself and my family, that gifts cause me anxiety, and I’m just not going to give them too much significance. If I find a great gift for someone on my list, fantastic! If not, well that’s just how it’s going to be. Celebrating the birth of a savior should not make me panic.
If you, like me, struggle with the gift giving aspect of the holidays, here are five of my bookish and not so bookish favorite things from 2021 that might help you with your gift list!
Pony by RJ Palacio
Palacio wrote the lovely kidlit book Wonder, and this year she has published another gem. Here’s the blurb: Twelve-year-old Silas is awoken in the dead of night by three menacing horsemen who take his father away. Silas is left shaken, scared, and alone, except for the presence of his companion, Mittenwool . . . who happens to be a ghost. When a pony shows up at his door, Silas makes the courageous decision to leave his home and embark on a perilous journey to find his father. Along the way, he will face his fears to unlock the secrets of his past and explore the unfathomable mysteries of the world around him.
Pony is a fantastic quest story set in 1860 with suspense and supernatural elements. Silas is an unusual boy, and his story explores the delicate line between belief in the truth and acceptance of the unknown. It’s targeted at middle grade readers (8-12 years old), but I think anyone would enjoy this well written novel. I listened to the audiobook, which is done well, and I’m gifting several copies of this book.
Ten Thousand Tries by Amy Makechnie
Ten Thousand Tries by Amy Makechnie is another wonderful kidlit novel. The blurb: Twelve-year-old Golden Maroni is determined to channel his hero, soccer superstar Lionel Messi, and become captain of his soccer team and master of his eighth grade universe…especially since his home universe is spiraling out of orbit. Off the field, Golden’s dad, once a pro soccer player himself, is now battling ALS, a disease that attacks his muscles, leaving him less and less physically able to control his body every day. And while Mom says there’s no cure, Golden is convinced that his dad can beat this, just like any opponent, they just have to try. See my full review here.
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
If you are looking for something more on the adult side, I really enjoyed The Guncle by Steven Rowley. The blurb: From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer. The Guncle is a funny, thoughtful, and not too serious look at the grief process that includes a lot of ice cream. My full review is here.
Back and neck massager
Nope, this has nothing to do with words or books, but I LOVE my massager, the Resteck electric shiatsu back and neck massager. I can place it over any sore muscle, and the rotating knobs deliver much needed heat and relief to my trigger points and tight spots. This particular model comes with a travel bag and car charger! (After I demonstrated the glory of my massager at a book club meeting, several members purchased one.) Thank you Caroline for recommending this awesome tool!
Instant Pot
My mother in law gave me an Instant Pot for my birthday, and it is the best thing for a busy chef. You can use it as a slow cooker or a pressure cooker, and it’s a great way to cook up tasty one pot meals. When using the pressure cooker mode, the unit takes a while to build up pressure, so cooking time isn’t that much shorter than normal cooking. However cooking meat in the pressure cooker produces more tender and moist results compared to a crock pot. There is a safety valve on the top to let you know when all of the pressure is released, so I have never had any safety concerns. You can check out Instant Pot recipes I have tried on my Pinterest Instant Pot board.
Goodreads Choice Awards
The Goodreads Choice award winners are out for 2021, and this list is always a great place to find more book ideas. I was happy to see Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary on the list – my boys, who love sci fi, enjoyed this book.
How about you? What have been some of your favorite things in 2021 that you would recommend gifting to others? Leave your suggestions in the comments.
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
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