Last night was the annual Christmas party and “My Favorite Things” gift exchange for the mom’s group that I’m a part of – Building Better Moms. I looked forward to this party for most of the year. Last year was my first one and I was fascinated by all of the different items the ladies brought in that they love. I even found a few new things to try!
If you’ve never been to a “My Favorite Things” party, this is how it goes – for the party, we each bring at an item or two that are our current “favorite things” to share with the group. For the one this year, it was blended with a white elephant gift exchange, so we each unwrapped a gift with the opportunity to steal if we wanted. Each time a gift was opened, the giver explained what the item was and why they loved that item.
So let me share some of the favorite things of the mamas in this group!
Makeup and Skin Care Items
When it comes to makeup and skin care items, Michelle seems to bring some of the best things. Last year, she shared these Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels that help reduce the circles under your eyes. This year she brought the lip exfoliator and body butter from Trader Joe’s and sherpa slipper socks. Michelle explained that you start with the scrub to buff away dry skin and then follow it up with the lip balm. Seems to me this would be perfect for when you’re ready for that moment under the mistletoe?
Speaking of lips, Heather’s gift was the tinted lip balm from Honestly Margo. I did a little looking into this brand because I had previously never heard of them and now I can’t wait to support them. They are a mother-daughter team working together to create natural beauty and bath products that are made here in America. As someone who doesn’t wear lipstick, the idea of a lip balm that is tinted sounds like something I could handle. Not to mention, glancing at their site, I’m really interested in these aromatherapy shower mists. As a busy mom with kids who are constantly pulling back my shower curtain while I’m trying to take the fastest shower possible, a shower mist seems like a nice way to try to get some relaxation, even though I can’t relax in a bubble bath.
However, if you can do a bubble bath, Heather also brought the Dr. Teal’s soaking salts and bubble bath. I know from using these pre-kids that these are awesome are creating bubbles, the scents are amazing, and the overall effect is effervescently relaxing. It’s hard to do better than this brand and you get a lot of bang for your buck with the size of the bottle.
When the items from Laurie were opened, there was a unanimous murmur of excitement. It seemed as though the Love, Beauty, and Planet products are everyone’s favorites. Laurie brought the Love, Beauty and Planet shampoo and conditioner in the lavender scent. Not a fan of lavender? They have several different scents in addition to the lavender – mimosa flower, rose oil, and ylang ylang – so you’re sure to find a favorite (although lavender seemed to be everyone’s favorite at the party).
I don’t use makeup very often, so having a makeup remover can become a challenge. Wipes dry out faster than I can use them and bottles of micellar water just sit on my counter. Whether it’s a reason such as that or just that you don’t want to spend large amounts of money on makeup removers, you should definitely check out the product brought by Veronica. The BFF Makeup Eraser is a little towel that, when combined with water, easily removes makeup without harsh chemicals. It even has a side to exfoliate. This is perfect for the individual who has sensitive skin. A big plus – it’s reusable! Use it several times and then pop it in the washing machine to be washed, then use again.
Jenna brought one of her favorite beauty sets – Burt’s Bees. Though the set she brought had lotion, hand cream, and chapstick, many, such as this one, include hand or foot creams, salves, and chapstick. Burt’s Bees chapstick is one of my favorite lip balms also. I really like the honey chapstick personally. It’s like the added honey adds some additional moisturizing power.
Liliana brought JR Watkins hand cream. She mentioned that what she loves about the hand cream is that it doesn’t leave a greasy feeling. They have several scents – lemon cream, aloe & green tea, coconut, grapefruit, lavender, pomegranate & acai, and coriander & cedar.
Jewelry
The first gift opened was from Monica. She brought this gorgeous inspirational bracelet from Rustic Cuff. They have a variety of styles, from metal to leather, beads to bracelets for men. My favorites are the ones with memorable sayings on them. These would make a wonderful gift for the women in your family.
Laurie also brought Universal EZbacks for earrings. These backings are made out of silicon and keep the earring post from poking you – especially helpful if you are on the phone often – and helps prevent earrings from sagging.
Home Goods, Books, and Games
Most mornings are hard to start without some kind of caffeine. I’ll admit that I would probably be perfectly happy if I could have some kind of direct line into my bloodstream of caffeine. Ericka’s gift was Caribou coffee and a cute Christmas mug. You can find and purchase a variety of Caribou coffee flavors on Amazon.
Page brought a beautiful set of cheese knives from World Market. She received the idea from the blog House of Hargrove. I went to check out the blog and LOVE the holiday gift guides that she made. They have some great ideas for the different people in your life. The cheese knives set was on the stocking stuffers list, but be sure to check out all the lists for some great ideas.
Every year, Bath and Body Works releases their winter scents in their soaps, bath items, and candles. Meghan brought a candle that is the vanilla bean Noel scent. I’m a sucker for anything vanilla bean because it’s an easy way to make your house smell like you’ve been baking recently without having to turn on the oven.
Amy brought a couple of her favorite essential oils – peppermint and lavender. Essential oils can do so many wonderful things when used correctly. Peppermint is great for helping remedy headaches and stomach aches and lavender can help with calming and cleansing. I’ve experienced migraines since I was very young and, many times, dabbing a bit of peppermint oil on my temples and insides of my wrists helped relieve the pain. These two oils are pretty good options if you are interested in starting dabbling in essential oils.
When I was in school, I used to take my notes in all different colors of markers and pens. Doing this helped me to remember the material when test time came. I could recall what I had written because I could remember the color I’d written in. Now I don’t have tests to take, persay, but I do have times when I need to remember the notes I’ve written or color-code bills I’m paying. Usually my husband buys me sets of sharpies that I use, but let’s be honest, Sharpies are just asking for trouble when you have toddlers. So this year I’m going to ask my husband for the set of gel pens that my friend Caitlin brought – the Paper Mate Inkjoy Gel Pens. Not only are they less likely to smear than my Sharpies or other pens, but I love the variety of colors the package comes with. Between Caitlin’s recommendation and the high rating they’ve received, I’m looking forward to trying them out in 2020.
I brought the party game Codenames. I was introduced to this game by my best friend and her family, and it’s become one of the favorites to be played whenever a large group of us are around. Teams work together to reveal agents by grouping words together in strategic ways. There is the original as well as several variations including duet, Disney, Harry Potter, after dark, and more.
Krystina brought a five-year One Line a Day Memory book. At a previous Building Better Moms meeting, our group had talked about keeping journals about our days and lives, ensuring that we are able to remember and be happy about the everyday. A daily journal can seem intimidating though. This book makes it seem manageable. The one line a day can be everything from a funny thing a kid said to a memorable moment. With this one being for five years, each year you’ll return back to the page for that day and see what one line you wrote the year before. What an easy and memorable way to keep account of your years.
Gift cards
When I was younger, I disliked gift cards. As an adult, however, gift cards are always welcome and appreciated. Our homes are often stuffed to the gills with toys, items, and clutter. Sometimes what we need are just gift cards for a meal at our favorite restaurants or shopping Target and Gap. These cards can provide an opportunity for a fun date night, a little spending money for ourselves as moms, or that little boost we need when our kids go through a growth spurt. Several of the ladies must have similar opinions as they brought gift cards for their favorite restaurants and stores.
So many of these gifts would make perfect hostess gifts or stocking stuffers this year! A big plus? The majority of these are available for quick shipping and delivery with Amazon Prime! Get your free trial today!
What are some of your favorite things? Any items you would recommend? What would you bring to a “My Favorite Things” party?