Procrastinator's Holiday Gift Guide / My Golden Mean

Procrastinator's Holiday Gift Guide

Monday, December 10, 2018

I love to procrastinate - especially around the holidays. No matter how early I start Christmas shopping there is always at least 1 gift I am looking for days before Christmas. If you are guilty of last minute shopping - this holiday gift guide is for you. I have carefully put together a wide ranging list of items that meet two important criteria - they are all (as of the date of the this post) available on Amazon with Prime shipping and are rated at least 4/5 stars by customers. AND many of the items on the list (noted throughout) are things that I currently own, use often & love!

If you are a member of Amazon Prime, this means that all of these items will ship to you free within 2 business days! If you do NOT have Prime, Amazon is still offering free shipping on Prime items during the holidays. When you check out you can either select free two-day shipping with a trial of Amazon Prime or free shipping (takes 5-8 business days). Keep in mind that if you sign up for the free Prime trial, you will be automatically enrolled in a paid membership at the end of the trial period. To end your membership before you are charged, you can head here.

Without further ado, I give you the procrastinator's holiday gift guide! Items are organized by theme (e.g. tech) - all of which have a budget ($10 - $25 range), moderate ($40 - $100 range) and splurge ($100 & up) option. At the bottom there is also a BONUS stocking stuffers guide with 10 items under $10!

Bits & Bobs

The catch-all category of trinkets & gadgets

Aluminum Wallet ($21)

This slim & sleek wallet is unisex and comes in multiple colors. I love that it is RFID blocking to protect against credit card theft and is lightweight. This is a perfect gift for anyone on your list!

Portable Charger ($40) **Owned & loved**

This portable charger will refuel your phone up to SEVEN times! And I love that it has two USB ports so you & a pal can recharge at the same time.

AeroGarden Ultra w/ Seed Pod ($234)

Perfect for a splurge gift, this indoor LED garden will provide fresh herbs all year round. This kit comes with seeds for Genovese Basil, Thai Basil, Thyme, Mint, Curly Parsley, Chives and Dill. I love that it is interactive and reminds you when to water and add nutrients - it's foolproof!

Hostess With the Mostess

Gifts for anyone who like to throw a shindig, including those who are hosting you this holiday season.

Menus: A Book for Your Meals and Memories ($15)

One of Oprah's Favorite Things for 2018, this book is filled with beautiful blank pages where those who love to entertain can document what they served and to whom they served it. I think this is such a fun way to remember the gatherings we work so hard to pull off (this one is on my personal wish list...cough cough).

Long Rectangular Serving Board ($60)

Is there anything better than walking into a party and seeing a giant platter of meats & cheeses? No, there isn't. Which is why everyone needs one of these extra large serving boards. I love the shape of this one and the hanging strap.

Aluminum Antler Pyrex Casserole Dish Holder ($138)

A casserole dish holder at this price point is definitely a splurge but imagine how spectacular this would look at on a holiday buffet! Plus the inner dish is Pyrex and can be removed and treated like any other Pyrex (bake at temperatures up to 550 and throw in the dishwasher to clean). Rustic + elegant + functional = a win in my book.

Tech For All

I am relatively technologically challenged for someone of my generation (thankfully my husband picks up my slack in this area). These techy gifts truly can be used by almost anyone...as long as they have a phone, ears and a door.

Wireless Charger ($17)

Compatible with most devices and available in both black and white, this wireless charger is faster than most while still looking sleek.

Bose Soundlink Micro Bluetooth Speaker ($79)

This highly rated speaker is portable, waterproof and available in black, blue and orange. The battery lasts for up to 6 hours and comes with a strap for maximum portability.

August Smart Lock ($125) **Owned & loved**

We have this hooked up to our back door and absolutely love it! The Smart Lock pops right over the existing deadbolt and provides access via an app on your phone. We have ours synced to the GPS on our phones so that when we pull into the garage the door automatically unlocks (and re-locks a chosen amount of time after you enter). This makes life so much easier when we come home and have no empty hands to unlock the door. PLUS you can send a key to friends and family to let them in whenever you need.

Cooking Up A Storm

Fun treats and gadgets for the cook on your list.

Silicone Baking Mat ($13)

This baking mat has loads of benefits - it prevents your pastries from sticking to it (no need to flour the surface over and over when rolling out cookie dough!), has guidelines for how far a pie crust should be rolled out and can withstand a massive range of temperatures (-40°F to 480°F!). Perfect for the baker in your life.

Sous Vide Cooker ($90)

Cooking Sous vide fascinates me. You simply attach the cooker to the side of a pot filled with water, place whatever you plan to cook into the water in a sealed bag or jar and set the time and temperature. Food will be cooked to the perfect temperature every time while retaining more of its nutrients. This is a must have for the serious home cook.

XL Air Fryer Oven ($210)

The air fryer / toaster oven combo that I own is not available on Prime but this one looks awesome. I LOVE my air fryer and think everyone should have one. The other day I seasoned some bone-in chicken thighs with S&P and Old Bay, sprayed with a little olive oil and put in the air fryer for about 20 minutes. The result was unbelievably juicy, flavorful chicken cooked in SO little time and with crispy skin! This particular air fryer has allll the bells and whistles including a food dehydration function (jerky!), rotisserie for a whole chicken and a deep frying option for those cheat meals.

Cocktail Hour

These gifts are great for anyone who likes themselves a cocktail (at 5 o'clock or ANY time).

Ice Ball Mold ($21)

These little ice molds come in red and blue and produce perfectly sized ice for a cocktail. The shape and size of the ice prevents dilution and the molds easily stack to save space in your freezer. This would be so nice to gift with a pair of whiskey glasses or your favorite bottle of booze.

Portable Beer Dispenser ($50) **Owned and loved (by my dad)**

I bought this for my dad for father's day and he loves it! This dispenser allows you to easily turn a canned beer into a draft in no time - with foam! Plus it's super portable and easy to store.

Wine Fridge ($190) **Owned & loved**

We received this wine fridge as a wedding gift and love it! It is so nice to pop a new bottle right into the fridge and not have to worry about chilling it when drinking time comes around. Plus there is space to stand bottles upright that are open - so they do not take up room in the regular fridge. I also love the sleek design, temperature control options and light.

Wanderlust

For the savvy traveler.

Inflatable Neck Pillow ($22) **Owned & loved**

I hook this pillow onto my carry on every time I fly. It is so easy to get in & out of the packsack and I love that you can inflate to exactly the right size (quietly!). Comes in blue, pink, grey and purple.

Fujifilm Instax ($57 for camera, $94 with value film pack)

This fun instant camera comes in several colors and is perfect to travel with. Just pop in the film, snap (maybe using the selfie mirror!) and print!

Lightweight Carry On Suitcase ($185)

This suitcase only weights 7 lbs, has 4 multi-directional rollers and even comes with a removable laundry bag. Everything about this carry on screams convenience and durability. This is perfect for the frequent traveler that you want to treat!

My Golden Mean

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