Gift Guide #5: Your Beautiful Sister Who Literally Climbs Mountains and Cracks Up Before Telling a Joke.

Four days ago, I impulse-bought that Stila lipstick (in Beso, of course) and I LOVE it! I cannot say enough good things about it! The color is phenomenal, it feels like velvet going on, it stays on like a BOSS (even throughout snacking at work, only a little comes off during lunch), it isn’t overly drying, and I got multiple comments on it. I’ve worn it 2/3 days since I’ve gotten it and I haven’t felt this fancy in a while. Simple winter pick-me-up that lasts all day and wasn’t that expensive. Great recommendation!

I’m SO sad they hiked up the price of the acupuncture mat shortly after your post! I had 2 in my cart ☹️ But in other news, great suggestions – I enjoy these guides so much!

I crochet scrunchies using velvet yarn if anyone’s interested ;) I think a huge reason for their comeback is Lara Jean from ‘To all the boys…’ on Netflix.

Do you have a link to the New Balance rose gold sneakers pictured? So cute!

Not sure if I made this comment last year, but I have a semi-odd request that maybe others here have as well? I work for a wealthy family and everyone in the staff gives the bosses small gifts at Christmas. Try buying a “token” for people who have LITERALLY everything, and the things they don’t have, they don’t want or like. It’s impossible.

Any gift ideas you have for the impossible to shop for/very wealthy would be so appreciated!

Signed,
A happy but broke employee :)

Just wanted to comment that I love the format CoJ uses for these gift guides (i.e., an image followed immediately by its description and comments on why it’s great).

A lot of other blogs I read present gift guides with a really stylized collage of all the images, but I don’t know what any of it is or the prices until I scroll way down and by then the images are off screen! Just another of the million reasons why CoJ is the best <3

I love that scrunchies are back. It’s so funny that just a few years ago people would scream in horror if they saw them, but now they’re the coolest thing ever. They’re also great to have around, like you said, if you want to pull your hair back comfortably while you sleep. You can even wear them around your wrist!

I also want to shout out those “phone cord” spiral plastic hair ties. I’ve heard good things about them — how they don’t dent your hair, how comfortable they are, etc. They might be a fun option for people who remember scrunchies from their first go round in the 80s, and are panicking at the thought of them coming back.

The acupressure mat photo is by Grace Atwood from thestripe.com – you should give her credit! (She made those green and white checkered floors herself!) She’s a great blogger.

This is unrelated, and probably far from people’s minds at year end, but I was wondering if COJ could do a post sometime on office politics. Understanding workplace dynamics, navigating office politics gracefully etc. Would be so useful to get your perspective on these things!

Great list, helps me gather some good ideas for my sister. Btw Is Lexi still part of Cup of Jo?

I love this list! And I love that you included a lot of things that we can buy on Amazon around $20! I will also have to second your second game suggestion of Codenames! Me and a few of my friends have game nights every Friday and that is a quick favorite of ours! It’s also really good for big parties!

What?! No Joan Cusack t-shirt? I am so bummed. But great idea anyway!