When I was a kid, I loathed getting practical items as gifts. If there were socks under the tree, or underwear in my stocking, I just wasn't enthused. I wasn't even a super demanding kid - I'd have preferred no gift. These days I'd love if someone would buy me some quality wool socks or comfy underwear. I don't even want to admit how many of my Smartwool socks have holes on the bottom that my Mom has kindly darned. As an adult, I am never moved by holiday commercials with expensive diamond gifts because as much as I love jewelry, for that kind of outlay of cash, I'd prefer a dishwasher that actually washes dishes or a lawn mower that mows...
If you're shopping for anyone who is old enough to vote, and lives on their own, I have the best recommendation: give the gift of sleep!
We've all read the stats: we sleep about 1/3 of our lives - or we should, anyway, if we're doing our best to get an adequate number of zzzzzz's in a night. That's around 230,000 hours! Way too many people I know are logging those long hours on 30 year old mattresses and flat, sad pillows.
Even though I'm loving sleep on a new mattress, I've realized that my pancake pillow is ruining the full experience. Sometimes it's a hassle to pick out something new like that, though - I wish someone would do it for me (and wrap it with festive paper while they're at it). But Hubby and I decided to do the adult thing and choosing brand new pillows - so we can start 2018 refreshed and rested - is high on our list of things to do.
Wouldn't you want to gift someone with that amazing feeling?
Unless you've recently won the lottery, I doubt you can buy everyone you love a new mattress (although you can score a queen for under $600 at Sleep Country Canada - and they sell their own brand of handy-dandy mattress-in-a-box with free shipping), but you might want to consider starting your year off with a dreamy mattress that will help your mind and body rest. You can shop online by brand, by size, or construction - or you can try them out in store.
For a smaller budget, I love the idea of giving a throw (like this neutral gingham print). I have so many blankets in my house and I don't think I've ever complained that I have too many! It's nice to keep one tucked in the bedroom closet, draped on the bed, a few in the living room, and of course the bunkie has some too. I even keep one in my office in the winter, so I can bundle up on those blustery winter days when I'd rather stay in bed.
Another affordable gift that everyone can use is a new robe! The perfect gift for winter time, when dashing from the warmth of the bathroom to anywhere else feels miserable.
But I really advocate for new pillows! It's such a practical gift but you can really find one for every budget and even get a really indulgent one for that special someone. Plus, they wear out! They get filled with creepy dust mites, flatten from the weight of our massive noggins, start to get all bunchy - it's seriously something most people need but probably haven't replaced. And picture that massive box under the tree - points for size, right?
This PolarTropic pillow boasts two sides that help satisfy changing temperatures: a cooling ice silk yarn and memory foam for when you're warm, and on the other side a room temperature material for when you get chilled - it's the pillow designed for people always flipping it over to get that coolness.
Myself, I'm eyeing up the Polar Tropic one - so clever! I love that Sleep Country Canada organizes pillows by how you sleep so you can quickly find the right fit, but you can also shop by size. And you can rest easy, knowing you're giving a gift that keeps giving.
Time for a poll: would you choose a new mattress or a sparkling diamond necklace...?
This post was sponsored by Sleep Country Canada but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
