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Unique Gifts for 2022
I love gift giving. Can you tell? Every gift has a story with it — some are practical, some are impulsive, some are luxurious. These are some of my favorite gifts from the last few years that I have given or received. Enjoy!
And don’t forget to stop by my shop for your own copy of The Nice List, my Christmas planner, stickers, or my other books, too. They make wonderful gifts.
Emma Bridgewater Mugs
I have a confession: I am completely obsessed with Emma Bridgewater mugs. I am a consummate tea drinker, and having just the right mug for my cup of tea in the morning makes that spicy deliciousness all the better. Emma Bridgewater’s mugs fit my hand perfectly. They hold a generous cup of tea — I don’t run out too quickly. And their artwork — well, they are absolutely beautiful! So many of the designs celebrate gardening and the natural world — including birds, flowers, and puttering in the garden. But the series of dog breeds is fabulous as are the cityscapes.
An Emma Bridgewater mug is a bit of a splurge, but they are beautifully made and cleverly designed. Anyone would be delighted to recieve one!
PlusTek Photo Scanner & Slide Scanner
I reviewed the PlusTek Photo Scanner a few years ago, and then during the pandemic they were nearly impossible to find. But they are back in stores, and I highly recommend this as a gift for anyone who has piles of photographs which need to be digitized. The ePhoto z300 is soooo easy to use, and it scans photographs beautifully — and quickly. I spent one afternoon scanning and accomplished nearly all of the loose photos I had in my home — thousands of them — which are now digitally stored and labeled. It was so easy!
When PlusTek sent me their scanner, they also mentioned a slide scanner. Well, that’s available now, too. So if you or your parents have a lot of slides around which you’d like to scan, here’s an easy solution! I haven’t used it yet, but I’m excited to see it has come to market.
Recently I gave my mom the photo scanner, and I’m looking forward to spending time with her sorting through old photos and putting them on her computer together!
Coolaroo Dog Beds
Ole and Pippa love their Coolaroo bed!
We can’t forget our favorite furry friends at the holidays, and my little pack loves their new Coolaroo dog bed! I was a little unsure when it arrived — they get freaked out by new things. But they immediately settled in and snuggled down like they knew exactly what to do!
These elevated beds are easy to clean (just hose them off), collapsible, and come in a range of sizes. My two pooches are snuggled up on a medium-sized On the Go Bed — the foldable, portable version. It’s great for our house, because we can set it up when and where we need it, and then put it away when we don’t.
I suspect this will be particularly popular outside in the summer since it is elevated. Ole and Pippa tend to flop in the dirt when it is hot. A breezy perch in the shade will be their favorite, I am certain!
Aren’t they lucky that Santa will be dropping off a new bed!
Joe Wos’ A-maze-ing Books
One of our favorite discoveries during the pandemic is the author and illustrator Joe Wos. A syndicated cartoonist, Mr. Wos illustrates mazes and puzzles with an amazing cartoon style which kids absolutely love. But not only does he illustrate books, he also teaches fabulous online classes, too. He can keep a whole panel of kids mesmerized for two hours on Zoom — all busily drawing at his quick clip. It’s remarkable to watch! He also won two Emmys this year for his program Cartoon Academy which is available on PBS.
You can find Mr. Wos’ schedule of classes and events on his website. My son has taken them through the Charles M. Schulz Museum’s online classes. If there is a budding cartoonist in your life, I can’t recommend his books and classes enough!
A Sewing Machine
When I finished my master’s degree, my grandmother sent me a second-hand sewing machine as a gift. To a feminist this might seem a bit strange, but that sewing machine was incredibly useful. I have sewn almost every window treatment for every home I have lived in over the years. I altered clothes, learned to piece and quilt, and made pajamas and fixed tears — always thinking of my grandmother. She is a venerate seamstress, and while my skills can’t compare to hers, I’m happy to follow in her footsteps.
A few years ago it was time to upgrade my machine, and I got a Janome QOV which is fabulous! I absolutely love it.
Sewing is back in vogue — why it ever fell out of fashion I will never know. But if there is a young person in your life who is crafty, a sewing machine might be a great gift! They don’t have to know how to sew — there are wonderful classes online as well as at your local sewing machine stores. But having a sewing machine around can be a great entry into a new making genre. I’m not a tailor, and I don’t make clothes generally, but I do lots of decorative sewing and know that I can figure out how to make something when I want to — or need to.
And you never know what door a gift like this might open!
Penzey’s Spices
When we got married, my college advisor gave us a set of Penzey’s spices. I had no idea at that time how special they are. Now I do! Over the years our spice rack has become a Penzey’s rack. We love their Northwoods Seasoning on chicken, and their Chicago Steak Seasoning makes for a fabulous grilled steak. Frankly, I don’t think we have ever tried something from Penzey’s that we didn’t enjoy! They have some wonderful gift selections on their website, too.
Works of Art
I follow a lot of artists on Instagram, and I find so much inspiration in their unique and personal styles. Many of the artists I follow sell their art or licensed merchandise — some through Etsy, some on their own websites or on Instagram itself. Each year in the giving guide, I celebrate a few artists. Buying a piece of art from an artist makes a great gift in two ways: you give something beautiful and unique, and you are also supporting the work of an artist. Here are some of my favorites:
Paul Murray
Paul Murray is a fascinating mixed-media artist from the US. I included two of his pieces in my Hygge Child’s Bedroom because they are both cheerful and include animals. He does lino-cut prints as well as acrylic mixed media pieces on a range of subjects. And just because I included them in a child’s bedroom does not mean they are childish — far from it. Murray sells via Instagram and also has an Etsy shop.
Lexis Krieg: LexisWorks
Lexis is a Denver-based artist who specializes in watercolor. Her work is cheerful, colorful, and happy — just what we need now! And she is a fabulous teacher. I have taken several of her watercolor classes (all on Zoom), and I have loved every single one! Lexis sells prints, cards, and home accessories with her beautiful designs printed on them as well as her original artwork. And her classes would make a wonderful gift, too!
Solo Stove or Pizza Oven
Roasting a bratwurst over the Solo Stove. Easy and fun dinner!
We absolutely LOVE our Solo Stove! With our chilly winters, it is so nice to have a safe way to have a campfire outside off our back patio. It’s a wood-burning fire, but it is portable and fairly compact, too. We love roasting hotdogs or marshmallows on a chilly evening — such a fun way to make a quick dinner!
And now Solo Stove has a pizza oven, too! We have a pizza oven (not the Solo Stove one), and our pizzas are amazing! It’s really easy to make a restaurant-quality pizza. Highly recommended!
Spark Grill
This summer Spark sent us their amazing grill, and dinner hasn’t been the same since! The Spark is crisp and clean and very attractive, but it also has a wider temperature range and a more eco-friendly fuel source than any other grill. Not only can we grill chicken breasts or steaks, we can also bake pizzas and even, so I hear, breads and cakes! It’s amazingly versatile and beautifully-made.
If your family grills frequently, the Spark Grill is a great choice! Since we grill almost every day — especially in the summer — it has been a wonderful solution for us!
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For Christmas, Hanukkah, or any time, this list includes unique and awesome gifts for men, women, teachers, friends, teens, kids, moms, dads, grandparents, boyfriends, girlfriends, sisters, coworkers, couples, boys and girls. With cool suggestions at any budget as well as DIY gifts to make and simple, personalized gift suggestions, the Mid Modern Mama Giving Guide has gifts from cheap to lavish.