Practical holiday gift ideas

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Here are some out of the box practical holiday gift ideas you won’t want to miss!

As the holidays are rapidly heading our way, so comes the hopes to find the best gifts for the special people in our lives.  It can be difficult to find great gift ideas that either don’t cost a fortune or that the gift receiver doesn’t already have. If you’ve been following me you know that I suggest experiences over things, but I know giving gifts is very special too. Here are a few of the practical holiday gift ideas we want to pass along.

1. Instant Pot
   The Instant Pot has been a lifesaver when it comes to making food fast! AND to make hardboiled eggs with the shell that practically fall off is a HUGE win in my book.
2. Instant Pot Slow Cooker Lid
   We are a huge chili family so to be able to brown the meat and cook the chili all in one pot makes this lid a must. It takes your Instant Pot and makes it a slow cooker!
3. Nest Thermostat
   We LOVE the Nest Thermostat! Yes it is an upfront investment, but the payoff is worth it. Not only will it only use your AC/ Furnace when it senses you, but the app allows you to make adjustments no matter where you are! This helps with cost savings so your HVAC isn’t running and no one is there. We’ve turned our HVAC on prior to coming home so the house is comfortable when we arrive. Or there have been times when I’m laying in bed and I can make the adjustments from there. You can also monitor your usage and you get reports on how you’re doing compared to other Nest users. The best part is that it is compatible to work with your Alexa and other smart devices in your home.
4. iRobot Roomba
   I do not personally have one, but I have heard nothing but great reviews. To be honest, I also put this here so when my husband reads this he’ll know that I was serious when I said I wouldn’t be mad if he got me an iRobot Roomba. Call it selfish, but I feel like it could save my sanity. (And yes I have heard the horror stories of “poopmagedon”, we have three dogs, and have already plotted out how to avoid it.)
5. Nest Hello
   Now you can see who comes to your door and even respond to whomever it is, even when you’re not at home. Works with other smart devices.  It doesn’t require you to have a security contract, but will allow you to monitor your home and protect against would be thieves.
6. Amazon Echo Plus (2nd Generation) and Phillips Hue Lightbulb
   I cannot tell you how much we LOVE our Alexa. The girls can call me from home if I run a quick errand, which is pretty awesome since we don’t have a land line and they don’t have cell phones. The speaker quality is so good which is perfect for playing music in the house. I linked the light bulb too because with voice command I can control the lights.  It also works with the Nest thermostat and Hello basically making it the hub for your smart home.

Sometimes name brand isn’t always the best brand.

Living near the coast we are outdoors more times out the year than we are inside. Whether we are the beach, the pool, or hanging out with our friends, we need reliable gear. There’s a name brand that is very popular, but costs a lot of money (There’s a (blank) in my spaghetti or just rhymes with spaghetti). This past year we discovered a brand that was just as good and cost a fraction of what the popular name brand did.  After a little research, we also discovered that the creator of Ozark Trail actually had very tight ties with the other brand, which explains why it was comparable.

1.Ozark Trail 30 Can Leak Tight Cooler
We have taken this cooler to the beach on some of the hottest days and still had ice hours later. The shoulder strap is comfortable and it can hold drinks and food easily.

2. Ozark Trail Performance Cooler
This particular cooler is popular with those who like to fish because of its durability. It’s also certified bear resistant which makes it perfect for camping and hunting.

3. Ozark Trail 40 oz Vacuum Sealed Tumbler
This is my every day drinking cup because of how well it keeps things cold for hours.  Even in my car on a super hot day I’ll still have plenty of ice.

4. Ozark Trail 12 Can Cooler
Perfect for shorter trips outside or even a picnic lunch. Often we like to go to the neighborhood pool after dinner and this is the perfect size to bring some snacks and drinks.

5. Rugged Rukus
This was one of our first purchases when we first moved to SC and has been great for playing music. It is solar powered, has great sound, and has the ability to charge your device with the USB port on the back.

I can’t wait to share more ideas to get you ready for the holiday season! I know that this isn’t really like me to share actual things, but I can’t help myself when they’re practical, I love those gifts just as much.

XOXO,
Brooke