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Updated: Dec 17, 2018 74 Comments · by

Gift Idea: Plush Throw

Coffee Break

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This $30 throw has a TON of rave reviews at Nordstrom — people seem to really, really love it. I like all the colors it comes in, and the snuggly, super-soft, machine washable fabric seems great. I like this as a hostess gift, maybe with a bottle of wine — who doesn't need another snuggly throw? It was $39 but is now marked to $29 (and Nordstrom is still promising free delivery by Dec. 24!). This one and this one are both under $50 with a ton of great reviews as well. 

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Comments

  1. Anon

    Thanks to the commenter who recommended the Stanley flat socket wrench. I wasn’t the commenter you were responding to but I bought it for my husband for Xmas. I note that it is a lot more heavy duty than most of his tools, which he generally tries to buy as cheaply as possible.

    Do you have any other recommendations for nice versions of every day tools?

    My husband isn’t a work around the house guy, more of a fix up old cars guy.

    • BB

      Depending on how “nice” you want to get, Snap-on makes professional grade tools, and I think they are particularly good at car tools. Very pricey though.

      • Anonymous

        Fwiw I have a “car guy”’husband and he always tends to get tools through places like auto zone because they are very specialized. Snap on is great for the basics but most “hobby mechanics” use the tool rental.

        • GearGirl

          Actually, Snap On is highly thought of by professional mechanics — and they are actually VERY specialized. I know this how? I’m a professional mechanic’s daughter and spent my life growing up around cars and in my dad’s garage. He SWORE by Snap On, and actually just sold over $20,000 in tools because he’s now retired and no longer working on cars.

          Auto Zone is fine for the shade tree mechanic, but keep in mind, everyone has been using those tools… And that means it’s been messed with, dropped, jacked around with, and basically treated with less respect than a $20 h00ker.

    • CBG

      I know nothing about tools, but my husband’s business partner sends me links to Lowe’s whenever he sees something DH would like/needs at a good price. A big hit was a Dewalt 2-tool 18 volt combo kit with soft case. It seems to meet most of his needs around the house and was more powerful than the cheapo drill he bought in college. I checked my old emails and I got it for $129 in 2015.

    • Anonymous

      I am married to a tool snob. Most things my DH needs to pick out himself, but here are some good Ideas for things that my extremely persnickety DH loves and can be bought by a “lay” person:
      $$$- An air compressor & accessories (goodnfor stuff around the house like powering a nail gun but also really good for impact drivers and other working on car tools). Don’t go cheap and get the “pancake,” get at least the next size up (about the size of a really big oxygen tank).
      $- A magnetic pan for nuts/bolts. Will attach to the underside of a car.
      $- mechaniX gloves. Can never have too many
      $-$$$- clamps, any size, if he does woodworking. “You can never have too many clamps” is my husband’s motto and it’s always proven true. He has probably 50+ and has used them all at once at times.
      $- headlamp
      $- magnetic light (great for under cars)
      $$- welding magnets (if he welds)
      $$- (frankly $$$$ for what they are but only $40). “Vampliers”- they are basically 2 way pliers so you don’t strip bolts. Amazing and all the men in my family were geeking out over them last year.
      $$- a creeper (if he doesn’t have one)

  2. Anon

    Tell me about your experiences treating dysthymia. I’ve only recently discovered that it might actually not be a normal part of adult life to constantly feel miserable and hate yourself. I’ve always thought that the reason why the last “good” year I had was 2010 (when I was 22) was because of life circumstances, but maybe that’s not the only reason why. I’m pretty high achieving and definitely function at an acceptable standard, so I never thought depression could be the reason for feeling like this.

    • Anonymous

      Anything specific you want to know? I just got a therapist and an Rx for anti-depressants and now I’m not depressed. It wasn’t very complicated for me although I know sometimes getting the right Rx and dose is a challenge.

    • Anon

      My depression is chemical and lifelong. My brain is just wired to be gloomy. As a kid, I was angry, pessimistic, and irritable (how depression manifests in children) and a sarcastic sullenness grew until I hit my mid-30s when a series of awful events got me to a place where I was having suicidal thoughts and couldn’t cope with daily living (and scared to death by what I was feeling/thinking).

      Talk therapy – other than at the time of the awful events to help process them – doesn’t help me because I know my life is pretty dang wonderful. Since it’s all chemical for me, Zoloft is where it’s at. And during the winter, a sun lamp is a must. During the winter, I also really have to cut back on drinking because it can be a very strong depressant for me when there’s no sun around.

      • Anonymous

        (Not OP) Did medication cause weight gain? I was on Lexapro, which somewhat helped but not a lot, and I gained 10 lbs in a year. So now I actually feel worse about myself.

        What you said about wired to be gloomy definitely hit home. I was the same way as a kid and feel like I’m irritable, stressed, angry, easily overwhelmed and I don’t think my life circumstances warrant feeling this way.

        • Anon Lawyer

          My psychiatrist said Lexapro is weight-neutral (which obviously doesn’t mean some people don’t ahve weird reactions to it). I didn’t gain any weight on it.

          • Anonymous

            I’m not sure what she meant by that. I don’t think it’s a weird reaction to have difficulty with weight management from an SSRI; it’s from the effect they have on insulin and blood sugar.

  3. Anonymous

    I am hosting Christmas this year and need a good vegetable side dish. What are some of your favorites? We are having ham, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, so something less starchy I guess?

    • Anon

      Sorry, not much help – our sides are all starches – broccoli-rice casserole, mac and cheese, and dressing.

    • C

      String beans cooked with bacon and brown sugar!
      If that’s too bacon-y to go with the ham, then roasted broccoli with lemon and parmesan.

    • Abby

      I’ve made a spring mix salad with candied walnuts and a maple syrup based dressing, you can look up similar “winter” salads. Roasted brussel sprouts with bacon bits mixed in between, you can season with balsamic or have a garlic aioli dip for them. Not as healthy, but green bean casserole “muffins” with cresent rolls as the muffin part are easy and delicious!

      • Anon

        Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon were gobbled up before the Mac n cheese was at a buffet style party we attended this weekend. To run out of veggies before Mac n cheese really says something, so I vote for that one.

    • Small Firm IP Litigator

      Roasted brussel sprouts/roasted broccoli/roasted asparagus with pine nuts, scallions, and lemon zest. I pre-steam those lightly before roasting. A green salad (arugula?). Sauteed green beans with cashews and chili flakes.

    • Anon

      We often do a salad of greens with clementine or pomegranate. Seasonal fruit is nice and light.

    • Anon Lawyer

      I do Brussels sprouts with white beans and pecorino. It’s pretty easy – you saute the brussels sprouts, cook them in chicken or vegetable broth till they’re tender, stir in the beans and a bit of butter., then add the cheese at the end.

      • Ellen

        How does the HIVE get away eating so many brussel sprout’s? Grandma Leyeh makes them but I always wind up having to excuse myself from the table b/c I get SO much gas from them. Dad says I could power a sailboat with all of the gas I have, and I told him it was all b/c of Grandma Leyeh’s brussel sprout’s! I wish I could eat them but it is not good for me to be passing wind at the table. FOOEY!

    • NOLA

      Roast brussels sprouts with olive oil and sea salt. Add some balsamic vinegar for the last 10 minutes of roasting. They are crispy and nutty! And I don’t even like brussels sprouts.

      I’ve also served corn pudding or zucchini casserole for Christmas. I’m thinking about trying to make this wreath thing with bononcini and cherry tomatoes and basil this year. Not sure if it’ll happen.

    • JHC

      Still kind of starchy, but we do corn pudding. We’ve also done wedge salads, which is weird but good.

    • Anon

      Last week I dressed a cabbage slaw with the ginger carrot dressing from a detox salad someone recommended on here last week. It was amazingly delicious (thank you, poster!!) and looked very festive. I threw in some raw kale for contrast with the cabbage. Definitely will be making this for Xmas.

  4. Flaky winter face

    Please share your best products for defeating (or at least coping with) winter facial skin. Mine is suddenly peeling and flaking all over. I know I’m supposed to use a gentle exfoliant and a moisturizer, but clearly my usual Paula’s Choice BHA toner and moisturizer/SPF is not working. I’m prone to clogged pores, so scared of many of the “richer” moisturizers.

    • Monday

      Have you tried a face oil? Or is that even more intimidating? I’m prone to dry skin but have a sample of Kiehl’s midnight recovery oil that seems to be working well for winter.

      • Anon

        I am a big fan of Kiehls midnight recovery oil. I am not regular user ( just lazy to have a night time routine). However, every time I use it, some one will comment how fresh I look. I can see it myself too. I bought a bigger size bottle during black friday sale.

    • Equestrian Attorney

      I recommended this on another thread, with the caveat that it’s pretty pricy – Lierac Hydragenist saved my face last year in a combination of cold Canadian winter and suffer dry office air. It’s super light – feels like a gel – and really moisturizing. It also smells amazing.
      Argan oil is also a good option – I have combination skin and no breakout to report.

    • Anon

      I think you need to first hydrate your skin before locking the moisture in. For me, I use hyaluronic acid (HADALABO Gokujun Hyaluronic Lotion, which has more of a toner consistency, available on Amazon) to provide the hydration, and then your regular moisturizer or cream.

    • Anon

      +1 to adding a moisturizing serum before moisturizer. I use The Ordinary hyaluronic acid. My Cerave face wash also has hyaluronic in it, it’s very gentle.

    • Anon

      Don’t wash with anything harsh. Try pond’s cold cream (the green one, meant for washing). Also try Sunday Riley ufo oil around your nose/dry area/clogged area. It’s a dry oil and it won’t clog pores because it has salicylic acid in it. Just use it under your light moisturizer

    • Anonymous

      1) I use oil/oil-based cleansers at night. I really like Marie Veronique’s EO free cleanser, and Tata Harper’s purifying cleanser. I have larger pores which get clogged all the time, but I feel like these keep my pores pretty clear. During the day I use something less heavy.
      2) Vitamin C serum
      3) I use a moisturizing serum/oil (Marie Veronique’s Barrier Lipid Complex, or at night I’ll use Kora Organics face oil)
      4) A third layer, Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. It’s rich, so I only use a tiny amount right in the spots where I’m driest.
      5) sunscreen during the day.

      It sounds like a lot, but my whole routine takes only a few minutes, if that. I also don’t look shiny or oily during the day (at least, I don’t think).

    • Emma

      Jojoba oil got me though 2 courses of accutane and a Boston winter- it’s amazing and never clogged my acne prone skin. I use it on my scalp and hair too, and a great quality one is available for <$10 at Trader Joe’s.

    • NE

      I like Josie Maran’s Milk, which is argan oil but in a formulation that absorbs more quickly than the regular oil.

  5. Favorite bachelorette party games

    I’m throwing a bachelorette party for about a dozen people the night before my friend’s wedding in a few weeks. Accordingly, it’ll be pretty chill (some booze, but not everyone drinks).

    Do you have any favorite bachelorette party games/activities?

    Also, it’s a lesbian wedding. Would buttons for attendees that say “Team Bride” be awesome? Or Terrible? (We’re going to a bar before going to a chiller place).

    • Anon

      One game that’s always a hit is the underwear game. Everyone gifts a pair of undies to the bride and then the bride has to guess who brought what pair. It can get really funny as each pair of underwear represents someone’s personality – like one time my friend who is very sarcastic/funny bought a horrible used pair at Goodwill as a joke.

    • Vicky Austin

      Why not just ask the bride you’re throwing the party for about the buttons? (I’m assuming the brides are having separate parties.)

      • Favorite bachelorette party games

        Yes, separate parties. I’m planning on asking the bride, but wanted to run it by internet friends first in case my judgment on the buttons is really off.

    • Anon

      I love the game where someone contacts the future spouse beforehand and asks some (benign) questions about the relationship (i.e. What is your favorite meal that Bride cooks? What is your favorite thing about Bride? What item of clothing of Bride’s would you throw out? etc.) and then at the party Bride is asked what they think future spouse’s answers were. I enjoyed doing this at mine, and my now-husband gave some very sweet and funny answers and it was overall a fun game.

      I actually think “Team Bride” gear would be hilarious and awesome in this case!

      • Scarlett

        I’m not a game person but I like this one a lot. I saw it done exceptionally well recently where instead of just getting answers, the bridesmaid recorded the fiancée’s answers & played them on Bluetooth. it was pretty awesome hearing it.

      • Anon

        Yeah this is the only good bridal shower game ( the underwear thing mentioned above sounds absolutely awful to me). I loved playing this at my shower and hearing DH’s answers and it’s been really entertaining at friends showers too.

    • Activities

      Not exactly games, but activities that were hilarious:

      – Each time Bride opens a gift, write down what she says. At the end, read ’em out as things she might say on the wedding night. In that context, exclamations like, “Ooo la la!” and “Ohhh SPICY!” and “Um, how does this even work!?!” are much funnier. This should be done covertly so Bride doesn’t know and censor herself.

      – Alternatively/in addition, give each gift a silly name and turn it into a menu for Spouse-to-Be to choose from on the honeymoon. All attendees contribute to the names and it’s a fun little additional gift for the Spouse.

      – I ask all attendees to bring a little scrapbook page of pics of themselves with the Bride. If they aren’t crafty types, they can just bring a couple of pictures to add to a page with some nice patterned paper. Since I am crafty, I pre-decorate a few pages related to the party and make sure to take pictures to fill those pages. If I’m really on my game, I print those pictures at a 1-hour photo and add them to the scrapbook so it’s a totally finished book of memories with party attendees plus the party.

      – For parties where most participants know each other, I ask each attendee to write a little memory to go with their gift to be read aloud. Bride reads the memory and guesses who the gift is from. Bride and attendee have a nice little moment together, and in most cases, the rest of the group gets a good laugh. Usually at least one or two other attendees are in on the memory, so it’s a fun way to relive the good times of the friendship.

  6. gift idea for cranky old man?

    I need a gift for my mother’s boyfriend, whom I do not know well and do not especially like. He enjoys Apple products and tech more generally but tends to buy things as soon as he wants them. He doesn’t seem to have hobbies or interests beyond buying tech and spending hours online. He’s in poor health so most “experience” gifts are out, as are food/drinks gifts. He also practices the extremely fragile style of masculinity and is unlikely to enjoy anything grooming related. He’s in his 70s. Help?

    • Anon

      I bought my mom’s then boyfriend an acrylic cardigan sweater from sears and he was unfortunately delighted and wore it all the time. I thought I was sending a message. Guess not.

    • Emma

      My husband is a techy (his gift this year is an Apple Watch) and has several times said “you can never have too many external harddrives”. Maybe a terrabite one. My dad is also a dorky engineer and hits have been: personalized keychain usb holder from Etsy, a headlamp (like he’s working in a mine when he’s really either looking for something in a garage or reading at night), a universal hex tool, a pen with a measuring thingy on the side, a digital tire guage, winter gloves that let you text, wireless headphones. You also can’t go wrong with some chocolate or champagne imho.

    • Owl Lover

      Maybe some extra cords. You can never have too many cords. Charging cables, lightning cables, some kind of fancy power strip that you can plug usbs into. Maybe some extra headphone to lightening jack cables.

    • Juliska

      If he’s into tech he might like something to keep his extra cables and chargers organized. I’m considering a Grid-It! for my sister’s boyfriend, because my husband has two and really likes them. The Container Store has them, but I think travel stores do too.

  7. Stop with the Gifts

    Any tips on how to get my parents to stop buying oodles of presents for my husband and me? I imagine they buy us a dozen gifts each. 95% of what they buy is completely useless for us. One example is a jewelry organizer for “travel” that my mom got me. I wear very little jewelry, and the organizer is larger than half of my suitcase anyways. Or gift cards to stores that don’t carry clothes in my size. Or wool socks for my husband who is allergic to wool. Or a stocking filled with toiletries we don’t use. Or a T-shirt that will fit neither of us from somewhere they went. Or things we just won’t use a like fanny pack, a wax melter, etc. We often end up donating a lot of the stuff we get, or it sits around and we look at it and feel bad. To make it worse, my parents have very little money, so the gifts are of low quality and I know it is a financial stretch for them to give us even those gifts (my father has actually asked me for money around the holidays to be able to afford family gifts, and I am sure some of that went to buy our presents).

    I have tried to do small spending limits, and it doesn’t really work. Or I create a suggested gift list, but they don’t go off of it. Or we agreed to do “consummables only,” and they break the agreement. The same thing already happened this year – they shipped us a huge box filled with stuff we won’t use (along with a couple cute ornaments), and I think the shipping cost more than what was in the box.

    • Anonymous

      Do you see them on Christmas? Could you float the idea of secret Santa vs full gift exchange?

      • Stop with the Gifts

        Depends on the year, but regardless of when we see them (in the fall, at Thanksgiving, or after the New Year), they do the gifts regardless. They also won’t ship them, I think because they want to watch us open them, so they also incur high shipping costs even though shipping from Amazon or whatever would be low or free. We have opened Christmas gifts in the summer when we couldn’t make it there in the winter! There is the separate issue that we just send them one (nice) item as a gift so it arrives around Christmas, so we have to sit there and open presents, even though we have nothing to give them in that moment. It is really awkward.

        I have tried Secret Santa with a very small limit, but they just do the same old thing. I huge issue is that they are constantly on the lookout for gifts at low prices, so they will do Christmas/birthday shopping all year long. Same issue at birthdays, anniversary, etc. So if we say no gifts for X, they complain they already bought stuff. So I want to have a conversation about 2019 NOW to preempt it. But I don’t get how that goes without offending them. It is more important to me that we see each other and spend time together when we see each other, but they are more focused on gifts and planning activities, which we also don’t enjoy, but we go along with.

    • Emma

      If you guys plan on having kids this just gets so much worse. There’s literally no stopping my parents- I just say thank you and then return/regift/donate guilt free.

      • Owl Lover

        I totally can commiserate with you. My mom is the same way. I wrote out a whole paragraph and it made me seem so ungrateful. I hate this, but, thats the way it is. The needless gift buying has wrecked my relationship with my mother, and any attempts to stop it have led to her just being upset and me being upset, and a whole bunch of stuff in her basement that she asks me what to do with and I am just… no. I can’t deal with it. YOU bought me this stuff, I don’t have room for it in my house (literally).

    • Anon

      It might be a way for them to feel acknowledged or have a presence in your life? Not saying that they don’t, but maybe they need that feeling for whatever reason. Definitely continue to emphasise how important quality time is with them vs just things, and follow through with that consistently over time. It might be their way of trying to be more connected with you, especially if they live a distance away. Sometimes it takes a long time for the message to get through though, particularly with family! Depends on the family, but I think usually it will eventually, as long as it comes from a place of love. Hope that wasn’t too presumptuous, just based on my personal experience!

  8. Single Forever?

    I’m in my late 20s and have had a grand total of 2 boyfriends in my life and none in my post-college life. I’ve gone out with a ton of guys on great dates, but nobody wants to go out twice or even have anything casual. I’m getting really defeated and am SO frustrated. I literally don’t understand why I’m having such a hard time with this: I have a decent job, I’m smart, I’m not unattractive…why doesn’t anyone see that and want to be with me?!

    (I realize this is very pity-party and whiny of me…but I just got things broken off AGAIN after a great first date over the weekend). UGH.

    • Ellen

      older then you. Keep your chin up and do not think it is you. To many guys will NOT want a second date if there is no clear signal from you that you will have s-x with them. Do not give into that b/c all you will get is some sweaty guy huffeing and puffeing on top of you, then leaving the mess for you to clean up after he leaves. Unless you do something completely different and special for him, the act of having s-x alone is not going to bring him back for more b/c there are so many women that do not mind having some schlub huffeing and puffeing on top of them, even for only 2 minutes. But that is not me and that is not you. Wait for a decent guy who respects you for what is between your EARS, not your leg’s, Dad says, and he is right. I know b/c he played to big man about town overseas as he had s-x with so many women b/f he married mom. Grandma Trudy did NOT want mom to have s-x until he was certified as disease free from the VA physicians in Brooklyn. I know I must have alot of 1/2 brothers and sisters behind the iron curtan b/c of all of the s-x that dad did over there in the 1970s. FOOEY!

    • Anon

      Hugs. It doesn’t really matter whether you’ve had 1 boyfriend or 100, everyone who’s single and looking for a relationship is in the same boat you are. It helps me to remember that it just takes one person, and everyone is the wrong person until the right one comes along.

    • Emma

      I only had 2 real relationships before my husband of 10 yrs, I’m my hubbys only ever gf (a trend in his fam- we jk they all immediately mate for life lol). When I did online dating before we met, I made it a game to see what I needed to get to a 2nd date, then 3rd date- maybe something you are unintentionally doing is scarring people off, and as long as it’s not a deal breaker item for you, it might be less stressful to take it as a game and try out different tactics to see what works? I found this made me more confident outside of online dating- which is eventually how I met my husband.

  9. Anon

    I have a relative who’s lonely and a bitlost in life. She’s quirky and socially awkward to the point of being unable to make friends or get a job that’s appropriate for her intellect. She’s a decade younger than me (early 20s) and we’re not close. Still, I care about her and was thinking of sending her a little care package for Christmas. Does anyone have suggestions for things I could send? She’s smart, doesn’t drink, and isn’t especially girly but beyond that I don’t know much about her or her hobbies. I live far away, so no option to hangout, otherwise I’d definitely do that since I think she has few to no friends.

    • Anonymous

      Not sure on your budget but…A box of fruit? A Sephora gift card? A spa day? A spa-day-in-a-box? Books you’ve liked with a note (and a gift receipt)? Decor (like a wreath)?

    • C

      Not sure if you’re still reading, but I had to answer because I’ve been in your relative’s shoes. Is a subscription box in your budget? I know when I was lost and lonely having something to look forward to in the mail each month would have made a HUGE difference. Consistency goes a long way, as does having little spots of joy throughout the year.
      Cratejoy has a ton of options in different price ranges. You could do a spa box or snack box or book of the month kind of thing without knowing exactly what she’s into.

  10. Speaking of online dating... Catfish confirmed :(

    Thanks to all of you who chimed in on the situation with my mom over the weekend. We got the confirmation today that the guy asked for money. Apparently, they were going to meet at a restaurant today, and at some point before that meeting, he asked her for money to help him settle in. She’s sad, disappointed, and terribly embarrassed, but no physical or financial harm came to her because of this man’s jerk move. We’re glad we warned her to be safe and told her not to meet him and reminded her not to give him money. Anyways, we knew it would end badly, but glad that minimal damage was done.

    Here’s to being extra vigilant and reminding those less savvy of the perils of online dating to take it slow, meet in person ASAP, and NEVER give money to anyone from the internet without verifying them/their story.

    • Anon

      Thanks for sharing the update. It’s too bad for your mom, but I’m glad you guys figured out what was going on before any real harm was done.

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