Warm fuzzies comin’ in hot

Turn holiday shopping into a chance to do good

Hi friends! Yes, it is Sunday and no, I didn't lose track of the days. Believe it or not, the holidays are almost here. Since shopping can get out of hand at the drop of a cashmere knit winter hat, we wanted to make the season of giving as painless as possible by gifting you this Wellness Wire Holiday Gift Guide. Every other Sunday from now until Dec. 18, you'll get a roundup of our favorite finds, editor-approved and -vetted gifts, and a collection of holiday stories to get you in the festive spirit. Not only are we throwing gift ideas your way, but we're also giving stuff away! Like, nice stuff! All you have to do is answer our poll at the end of the email to be entered into the drawing. Today's giveaway item is a plush velvet weighted blanket (trust us, she's a beaut!). So grab a plate of babka, sugar cookies, sweet potato pie — or whatever holiday treat puts a smile on your face — and let's dig in. Products and brands we're highlighting today: • Bookshop.org • The Citizenry • Daughters Market • Band.do Feeling Feelings Card Deck • Found My Animal Dog Leash • Williams Sonoma Rainbow Stripe Towels • Bombas Merino Wool Socks • Everlane 100% My Body T-Shirt • Follow Your Legend Gorilla Hat • America the Beautiful Pass • Ticketmaster • Sur La Table Stay sharp, Ginger Wojcik Newsletter Editor, Healthline

Written by Ginger Wojcik November 6, 2022 • 6 min read

what's got us buzzing Turned off by holiday consumerism? Use your dollars to do some good I'm the first to admit that the whole holiday shopping thing can sometimes feel, well, icky. But it can also be difficult to dodge (no one likes it when you show up empty-handed to grandma's, believe me). If you're like me, you might find it helps to approach your shopping list as a way to spread the wealth, so to speak. Maybe this means buying handmade goods from small businesses or supporting brands owned by historically disenfranchised folks. Or maybe it means buying products that donate a portion of their profits. In any case, here are some ideas for doing good with your holiday dollars. Bookshop.org Perusing the narrow aisles of a local bookstore is one of my all-time favorite ways to spend an afternoon, so I was thrilled to learn about Bookshop.org, a website that connects shoppers with independent bookstores. Their store locator makes it easy to find the websites of bookstores around the country. According to their site, they've raised close to $3 million for local bookshops. The Citizenry This next brand is my current inspiration for getting a raise this year. The Citizenry sells handmade, free-trade home goods from around the world, and I'm almost crying at how gorgeous their inventory is (like this handwoven basket). Their products aren't cheap, which makes sense considering they pay their partners twice the free trade wage requirement and use sustainable, nontoxic, and cruelty-free materials. Daughters Market Next up is Daughters Market, an online retailer featuring a range of goods — from skin care to jewelry to home decor — crafted by small, women-owned businesses. According to their site, "When you shop at Daughters Market, you support women in obtaining a larger share of U.S. collective profits." My favorite score from Daughters Market is this pair of Grecia earrings from Of Clay Jewelry. tl;dr: Use your shopping powers for good by supporting small businesses. Three of our favorite noncorporate places to shop this year include Bookshop.org, The Citizenry, and Daughters Market.

great finds The gifts on our list this year

Ban.do Feeling Feelings Card Deck This is a deck of 50 beautifully illustrated cards designed to help you improve your emotional wellness. Half of your purchase goes to The Loveland Foundation, a mental health and wellness org for Black women and girls. SHOP NOW     Follow Your Legend Gorilla Hat A person can never own too many hats. This baseball cap is 100% cotton and adorned with a cute little gorilla. Half of the profits go toward helping the conservation of gorillas, which are one of the most endangered species on Earth. SHOP NOW     Williams Sonoma Rainbow Stripe Towels Giving a high quality, functional gift will never go out of style. These towels are just that. They donate 50% of your purchase to The Trevor Project, a leading crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth. SHOP NOW

Holiday Stories You Need What we're reading next A guide to shopping small this season. Need help sifting through all the online artisan shops? Our editors found 10 high quality, handmade products you'll feel great about gifting. For your friend who loves all things beauty. By buying from the Black-owned beauty brands on this list, you can help spread the wealth, and raise up people who stand to benefit the most. Lux products for a cause, anyone? Gin for elephant conservation, a cashmere beanie for breast cancer research, shea butter for women's empowerment — donating to these causes will be more than worth your while.

The gift that never loses its luster We tend to think in terms of material items when it comes to gifting, but treating someone to an experience can be just as special (maybe even more so). Plus, things get lost, damaged, or just lose their appeal. But a good memory can be a source of pleasure and joy for years, if not decades to come. One of my favorite examples of this is the America the Beautiful Pass, which covers the national park fees for two people (as long as they're in the same car) for an entire year. Another creative way to gift someone an experience is to buy them a concert ticket. You can use Ticketmaster to look for a show in their area. Or maybe you know someone who's interested in upping their kitchen game. A cooking class from top-rated Sur La Table may be a delightful, unexpected way to honor that side of them. For more ideas like these, check out our stuff-free gift guide here.

great finds The gifts on our list this year

Bombas Merino Wool Socks It's a little known fact that if you gift someone a pair of Merino wool socks, they will always have your back. Plus, for every pair of Bombas purchased, the company gives a pair away to a person in need. SHOP NOW     Found My Animal Dog Leash The gorgeous leashes from this small, women-owned business are hand dyed in New York. They donate part of the proceeds to supporting animal welfare and helping rescue pets find their forever homes. SHOP NOW     Everlane 100% My Body T-Shirt Everlane's made a name by making quality clothing with sustainable practices and staying transparent about their processes. The company donates 100% of their profits from their 100% My Body T-shirt to the ACLU. SHOP NOW

Unwrapped Editors share the most memorable gifts they've ever received My mom passed away when I was in high school. She was the epitome of Christmas spirit, which only made the holidays feel even more lonely and empty without her. So when my husband and I first started dating, I'll confess, I had high expectations for his gift. When he handed me a wrapped folder, my heart sank. (Small, flimsy paper does not set the stage well.) While I prepared to fake my enthusiasm and gratitude, I realized his gift actually knocked it out of the park. He had purchased me a star and named it after my mom (it was a double whammy because her name is my middle name). A star billions of lightyears away was the perfect representation of her — impossible to reach, but always there filling the sky with her radiant light. — Ashley Sepanski, Senior Newsletter Editor We want to know: What's the best gift you've ever given or received? (No need to write a beautiful sonnet, any answer will do! Just make sure to respond to this question at wellnesswire@healthline.com so that you get entered into our giveaway for this luxurious Bearaby Velvet Napper, valued at $269.)

Thanks for reading! If you're already groaning about your holiday to-do list, check out our tips for cutting down on December stress. We'll be back tomorrow with our normal Monday newsletter.

Until next time, Take care of yourself, and we'll see you again soon!     This edition was powered by rain, finally   View in browser Did a friend send you this email? Subscribe here. To see all newsletters, click here. Privacy    |    Unsubscribe © 2022 Healthline Media 1423 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707