2020 Holiday Gift Guide For Mindful Mamas

2020 holiday gift guide for the mindful mama

I curated a list of products that I would genuinely LOVE to receive myself. (And most of these I already own). Each item listed below was carefully and thoughtfully chosen. Being intentional and mindful with our gift-giving can be really easy! Try to pick a few things that are important to you when choosing gifts. Sustainability, non-toxic, cruelty-free, wellness or self-care related… these are some things I try to look for when choosing gifts for my friends and family. If you know a slow living/mindful/ homemaking mama, this list of gift ideas is for her! These gift ideas are not just for mothers though. I think these are great for sisters, friends, mothers, neighbors… or maybe you need to show this list to your husband!

During the craziness of the quarantine, a lot of us were forced to slow down and spend more time at home. As someone who thoroughly enjoys being cozy at home, I have observed the shift of this year for some. I once was a city gal filling up my schedule to the brim, hurrying from one activity to the next. I felt like we had to attend and do all the things or I felt like my day was wasted. If we weren’t out and about every day, I felt like I was not accomplishing anything. Fast forward to the present, and for the last two years I have enjoyed the slow lifestyle of Montana. I only schedule one or two engagements each week, allowing plenty of rest in between each. I have become more mindful of my purchases, the products I use, and how much we consume. This year has forced many of us to lean into the idea of a lifestyle going “back to the basics”. Through all the heart ache, struggles, and sadness of this year… I think this is one positive for some. We looked at our homes differently after awhile. It become my sanctuary. I also stopped looking at my job as a stay-at-home mother as less than any other job. Over this past year, I have become proud to call myself a homemaker/homeschooling mama and truly realized how important my work was within the walls of my own home.

I started to really embrace the hygge lifestyle. It’s something that I think exploded in popularity for a reason. Since life has slowed down, I really look forward to these little pleasures that may seem so silly to some. I have formed daily, weekly, and seasonal rituals that go further than self-care. When I took the time to slow down and breathe, I noticed how luxurious a soft throw blanket could be. How cozy and inviting candle light was. How taking the time to linger and sip on a hot cup of tea could change my mood! How vital forest bathing was to my mental health…

This curated list of gift ideas is full of amazing brands and some simple DIYs. I hope this guide gives you inspiration to be more intentional about your gift-giving this holiday season.

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DIY some beeswax food wraps

These beeswax food wraps are very easy to make and can be personalized by choosing a fabric that suits their style. This can replace plastic wrap and is perfect for wrapping sandwiches and cheeses for a picnic. You can follow my tutorial here.

the gift of wild medicine

Cascade Wildcraft is a small shop in the PNW that makes wild folk medicine and botanical skin care. Her wild medicine knowledge and passion for ethical foraging creates an intentional and mindful business that you can feel great about supporting. Her entire line of tinctures, oils, oxymels and syrups are so beautifully packaged, they are perfect for gift-giving. I recommend the Organic Wild Yarrow Body Oil which is great for sensitive skin and smells divine. The Organic Wild Blue Elderberry Elixir Syrup is also a wonderful gift idea. This syrup is perfect for a Winter gift as it may be used to help prevent and treat cold & flu systems. Every package includes a handwritten note, various dried herbs, and a coupon code for your next order. *Free shipping when you spend $35+ in her shop.

jars and canning supplies

Can you ever have too many jars? Glass jars are perfect for storing food, art supplies. handmade bath salts, canning food from your garden or farmers market… the list is endless! Consider gifting a fresh box of jars and lids to someone you think could use them. I love the wide mouth Ball canning jars and these jars with cork lids are great for candles, bath salts, craft supplies etc.

clean burning soy candle gift set

Is there anything more cozy and inviting than the soft glow of candle light? I met the owners of Old Pine Candle Co. back when I lived in Denver and have loved their brand ever since. This small family-first business makes handcrafted American soy candles with the most heavenly scents inspired by nature. I have loved every scent so far and couldn’t tell you which one was my favorite. Summit, Evergreen, and Sweater Weather are the candles I have and I just love them all. You can get their gift set here that comes with one 9-ounce Old Pine candle of your choice, a wick trimmer, wooden candle coaster, a matchbook, and a gift tag all wrapped up in simple Eco-friendly packaging. They can send these gift boxes right to the recipient with a personalized “to” and “from” on the tag. Not sure which scent to get? They have gift cards, too!

personalized silhouette art piece

How sweet are these customized silhouette portraits? I cherish mine and know any mama would love one made of their own children. You can also get a custom maternity or family silhouette made by Minnesota mother Caroline of Sweet Silhouette Co,

herbalist tools

If you know a mama who enjoys the study of herbs, blending her own teas and making tinctures… think about some beautiful and functional tools she may need. I use my mortar and pestle, which was gifted to me, all year round. Any herbalist would appreciate this! Also think about adding in a package of good cheesecloth (she will use them!), a kitchen scale if she needs one, and some cute labels.

mindful reads

These are two of my most favorite books this year! Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins is filled with the most gorgeous photography, you will want to keep thumbing through the pages, month after month. Breathe Mama Breathe is a great attainable way to spend 5 minutes to calm and bring mindfulness to your daily routine. I think these two make a great pair and would be a great gift.

natural fragrances

Even if your days look like staying home, or working on your homestead or just chasing toddlers around… there is something luxurious about spritzing on a good fragrance, even if it’s just for yourself. It’s something that some people just don’t buy for themselves, but would really love to receive. Fragrances are usually a very personal preference. I have been gifted some scents in the past that were just not for me. What I love about Skylar is that they have something called a Scent Experience. It includes a free sample palette with 6 mini-sized eau de toilette sprays, 3 scented peel-back cards (Salt Air, Sun Shower, & Vanilla Sky), and a gift card for $78 which never expires (the value of a full-size scent excluding sales tax). Find your favorite scent and use the gift card to redeem a full-size bottle. Vanilla Sky and Willow are a couple of my favorites, but I think they all smell amazing. All the wonderful scents without all the nasty stuff. Skylar fragrances are free of parabens. phthalates, sythentic dyes, and
Animal-derived Ingredients. Their products are hypoallergenic and Skylar is eco-conscious with their packaging. *Free shipping on orders over $50

DIY pine bath salts

These simple and affordable pine bath salts would be a perfect gift for those who need a good relaxing soak. Print off the free gift tag and pair it with a few cotton muslin drawstring bags. Get the recipe here.

forest bathing in a bottle

Have you ever heard of forest bathing? It’s a Japanese practice that simply encourages people to spend time in nature. Being outside promotes calm, eases stress, can lift our mood, refresh and rejuvenate us! Simply being in nature while we connect and observe our senses, slowing down, breathing, and sitting still has several amazing benefits. But sometimes we can’t get outside as often as we’d like, so I’m Outside has created this forest bathing in a bottle. This is not a perfume or a room spray, it’s a self-care break spray. . With all-natural ingredients, they captured the forest air (phytoncides), the sunshine on your skin (vitamin D) and the microbiome boost from the great outdoors (fulvic acid + microalgae).
With a subtle blend of cypress, hinoki, spruce, Japanese mint, and pine, the mist makes for a fresh, herbal scent with woody notes.

cbd hot cocoa

I love gifting a little hot cocoa gift box with a cute mug and marshmallows. You can add in some peppermint sticks, a little wooden spoon, and tie it all up with a bow. Take it up a notch by gifting this delicious organic CBD hot cocoa made with fair trade cocoa. Their ingredients list is simple and easy to understand, and the recipient will be able to enjoy all the benefits of the ever popular CBD, They also make the most delicous CBD chocoalte bars and have Golden Latte and Chai Latte flavors as well. * Use code mymountainwild15 for 15% off your order!

DIY this fresh eggs sign

Raising chickens has really grown in popularity over the last couple of years! Chances are, you may know a crazy chicken lady. Try your hand at this easy DIY chicken coop sign that she can use to decorate her coop.

herbal course

Mel from Mtn Mels is an herbalist that makes everything from salves to natural hand sanitizers, and herbal teas. I recommend the Wonderful Women tea blend which is a nourishing hormone balancer . It has just a hint of sweetness and really helps me get through my cycle and calm my nerves. Mel also just launched a series of online herbal courses that would be a really unique and useful gift. You can sign up for the ” Keep Yourself & Your Family Well With Herbs” course now or get on the wait list for the five more herbal courses coming soon. Mel will touch you to use herbs safely and effectively to battle illness from settling into your home. You’ll get access to the best recipes to handle illness in your home and you’ll feel incredibly empowered knowing exactly what natural to turn to.

herbal books

These two books are really wonderful resources for mothers looking to learn how to treat and prevent certain ailments and promote natural wellness for her family. I have learned a lot about herbal remedies from these books! The Backyard Herbal Apothecary is a great start, and to dive a little further, The Herbal Apothecary is wonderful.

the Scout Pack

more gift ideas:

Gift card to her favorite craft store
Does she want to learn a new skill? Etsy has embroidery starter kits that would make a wonderful gift.
A sturdy cookbook stand is really helpful in the kitchen. Check out this one or follow this tutorial to make your own.
If she is a tea drinker, an electric tea kettle would be perfect. These heat up so quickly, she can get that hot cup of tea she so deserves even faster.
Dipping candles is really fun but can be a bit messy. This DIY Beeswax Candle Kit lets you roll your own candles with sheets of beeswax. It’s a fun project to do with kids, too.
A subscription to her favorite magazine. I am a bit of a magazine junky and really look forward to my monthly subscriptions. There is just about every type of magazine out there, but I highly recommend Mother Earth News, Taproot Magazine, or Flow magazine.
A pair of functional (and good looking) foraging scissors will come in handy for anyone that has a garden or enjoys foraging. These vintage style gardening scissors are adorable and these sharp pruners are sure to cut through thicker branches.
The Hands-On Home by Erica Strauss – A Seasonal Guide To Cooking, Preserving, & Natural Homekeeping. This one is on my own wish list!
Instax Mini Instant Camera– I recently was gifted one of these and I have had great fun taking snap shots and getting the instant results of a photo I can hold in my hand. Over the past few years I have printed out less and less photos and rely on digital copies only. One of my goals this coming year is to print more photos out and actually place them in albums so that my future grandchildren will have something to hold and flip through. I think this would be a great gift idea paired with a nice photo album or blank notebook and washi-tape.
My most-used cookbook I own is The Magnolia Table. It is packed full of wholesome recipes that my family really loves. Joanna Gaines came out with a second cookbook that I have been wanting, too. Pinterest is wonderful and I do find a lot of recipes there, but there’s just something about pulling your favorite cookbook off the shelf and flipping through the pages to figure out what’s for dinner.
This personalized made in the US leather journal is so beautiful and unique. Complete the gift by adding in a nice calligraphy pen or some colored pencils. (these journals are 50% right now!!)
If you know an oily mama, chances are she already has several essential oil diffusers in her home. But I know I could always use an extra! I would have one in every single room of my home if I could. Pair this diffuser with some high quality essential oils that you think she could use. If you are new to essential oils (or she is) I recommend starting off with an orange, peppermint, and lemon. There are SO many simple uses for those three oils.

I hope this 2020 holiday gift guide for mindful mamas gives you some inspiration and ideas this holiday season! Now that you have this intentional and meaningful gift, try using recycled paper, a pretty piece of scrap fabric, newspaper comics, or a functional basket as gift wrap instead of the disposable paper wrapping that fills our landfills every year. I re-use every bag I am gifted, every piece of tissue paper that isn’t ripped too badly, and every gift box. Why not? It’s those little changes that can really make a difference.