Useful Gift Ideas for Friends, Family, or Maybe Yourself :]

Cheers to 2020. Cheers to good views, to good people, to good food, to good sleep, to good health, to good times, & to good faith.

What are you cheers-ing to for the New Year? ⁣Consider snagging one of these special gifts for yourself, a friend, a coworker, or a loved one. 

About Carmen
I'm a kombucha-sipping, salt & vinegar chips-snacking traveler. The last TV 3 shows I watched were The Simpsons, The Good Place, & YOU. The last 3 places I visited were Querétaro, Mexico; Oceanside, California; & Barcelona, Spain. As a San Diego lifestyle blogger, influencer, social media professional (or whatever you want to call me), I've built a consistent readership & have the pleasure of working with different brands I respect. Follow me on Instagram.

* Disclaimer: This post contains PR gifts. This post contains affiliate links. Find out what exactly this means. Learn more about my disclosure.

UrBestSelf's The 6-Minute Diary & a Lisa Frank 5-color pen.

The 6-Minute Diary

Meet your new accountability partner, The 6-Minute Diary. This gratitude diary gives you time to yourself to write: 3-minutes in the morning & 3-minutes in the evening. Created by UrBestSelf, The 6-Minute Diary aims to help your mindfulness, happiness, & productivity with quotes, prompts, questions, & space to write out your thoughts each day. This is a fantastic gift for someone who likes books, journaling, or writing. Click here to buy The 6-Minute Diary on Amazon.

Books by Modern Female Authors

There are some remarkable women authors out there with unique stories & are-you-talking-directly-to-me? voices. Read anything by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, such as Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun,  or Americanah. If you know someone who loves a good chuckle, buy Sarah Cooper's satirical book How to Be Successful without Hurting Men's Feelings. Take a look at my list of suggestions for modern female authors!

The faux sheepskin rug looks chic in any photo & it's soft for practical use.

Faux Sheepskin Rug

I've had this chic faux sheepskin rug for a couple of years & it holds up to this day. It's incredibly soft & fluffy. I bought it to use for my flat lay blog photos but I bust it out just for ~*~aesthetic vibes~*~ sometimes. This is an excellent gift for someone who likes interior design or taking photos. This is a fantastic gift for a blogger, writer, photographer, or someone who wants a cute soft white rug. I mean, why not? Click here to buy the faux sheepskin rug on Amazon.

Relax with a magazine & the cooling Gold Charcoal HydroGel Eye Patches by Everydaze.

Gold Charcoal HydroGel Eye Patch

I ripped apart the brown shipping box of Everydaze products from ChicExecs. The black & gold box of the Gold Charcoal HydroGel Eye Patch called my name. "Caaarmen," it beckoned. "Open me."  I immediately applied the charcoal eyepatch. I'm a sucker for charcoal. It all started in 2017 when I tried charcoal ice cream for the first time. The patches cool & soothe your undereye area. Click here to buy the Gold Charcoal HydroGel Eye Patch on Amazon.

Acupressure Mat

The acupressure mat & pillow set are great to use after a workout, if you have a sore spot, or to release some tension. This is a fantastic gift for people who exercise frequently or suffer from back pain/issues. The bed of needles on the acupressure mat helps to release cramped muscles & relieve stress. Simply sit or lie down on the mat. Find out more information in my blog post about how to use an acupressure mat & pillow for stress, tension, & pain relief.

The Rooted Co. CBD Tincture

If you haven't hopped on the CBD train quite yet, CBD can potentially lower your anxiety,  inflammation, & stress. CBD might reduce pain, increase mental clarity, or promote a night of more restful sleep. The Rooted Co. CBD tincture is THC-free, so you won't get any mental fog or high. This product is water-soluble meaning you can pop some in your beverage & sip throughout the day rather than just have a dropper of it directly to your tongue. Find out more about The Rooted Co.'s CBD Tincture.

Bright Eyes Cream by Yangu Beauty

The Bright Eyes Cream leaves your delicate skin area feeling hydrated. Yangu Beauty sources its ingredients from Africa; its products are free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, & other popular skin irritants. The company is perfect for women of color or people with sensitive skin. You can find out more about Yangu beauty on their website or you can buy their products on Amazon.

Essential C’s Konjac Jelly peach collagen pouches by Everydaze - cute & delicious!

Essential C’s Konjac Jelly in Peach

Everydaze, a Korean brand, also has Essential C’s Konjac Jelly Peach pouches, which are absolutely delicious. I'd go so far as to say they're incredible. Made with konjac, simply slurp up the peachy textured jelly bits & melt into the scrumptiousness. Essential C’s Konjac Jelly Peach is meant to be a low-calorie snack with a good source of collagen & vitamin C. This is a fantastic gift for someone who likes health products, trying new foods, or experimenting with collagen products. This is an excellent gift for vegans since it's vegan-friendly! So yummy & adorable packaging. Click here to buy Essential C’s Konjac Jelly Peach on Amazon.

My box of Sitka Salmon Shares!

Sitka Salmon Shares

Sitka Salmon Shares' wild-caught seafood from Alaska is the perfect gift for foodies or for that person whom a gift card to a restaurant chain simply won't do. This is an excellent gift for someone who likes quality ingredients & the best things in life, some of the best frozen salmon you'll find. Sitka Salmon Shares focuses on sustainable harvesting methods to minimize negative ecological impact. It's conveniently delivered right to your door, so you don't have to shop around or drive to the store. Click here to buy salmon fish online with Sitka Salmon Shares.

An electric milk frother or a handheld drink frother is the perfect gift for a white elephant gift exchange.

Beverage Frother

Beverage frothers are incredibly useful. Froth your almond milk, coffee, hot chocolate, cappuccino, or collagen drink in no time & with little effort. There are different types of beverage & milk frothers out there, but mine is this trusty $7 frother. This is a fantastic gift for anyone who enjoys a morning coffee or fancy matcha; you'll use this every day!

What are you cheers-ing to for the New Year? Since I'm new to seafood, would you mind sharing what's the best frozen salmon you've tried? What's the best white elephant gift you ever received? 

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