Holiday Presents with Purpose

Day 11

Gifting during the holiday season can be tremendously cliche. Many feel obligated to buy presents, resulting in excessive spending on nicknacks and what nots that lack function, and soul. When we give, it should be to share something that is meaningful––something that is truly special to warm the heart of the receiver, and elevate their wellbeing. If this intention does not rest at the source of our giving, we should refrain from imparting anything other than handcrafted tokens of love, and our time––the best gifts we can give.

If you are in the market to buy, on this eleventh day before Christmas, I want you to take a deep breath. Know I’ve got your back, and you don’t even need to leave the house to shop for meaningful presents to give this year. To ease your burden, I’ve curated a selection of some personal favorites below. These goodies either awaken the spirit, soothe the mind, nourish the body, or simply make life a bit easier and more enjoyable.

Books for Body + Soul

Heed Your Call is a must read for anyone wanting to feel more fulfilled while doing all that is required of us in our modern day. It invites us to integrate soul and business, spirituality and commerce. It awakens and unifies the heart AND mind, and is an ideal gift for him or her.

Superfood Juices & Smoothies, now available in German and English, is the perfect gift for helping your loved ones jumpstart healthy habits in the New Year. Filled with 100 delectable recipes that incorporate the earth’s most powerful superfoods, this gift is sure to wrap your friend, co-worker, or family member in delicious nourishment.

Sublime Stocking Stuffers

Portland Bee Balm is the bees knees! I have a tube tucked in my car, my coin purse, work bag, on my nightstand, and in the bathroom. It is the first, and only lip balm I have ever come across that is silky smooth, doesn’t leave any residue, is truly all natural, and keeps my pout perfectly hydrated.

Lulu’s Maca Buttercups, as well as all of her raw chocolate treats are swoon worthy. Sweetened only with coconut palm sugar, and made with sprouted almonds, they are low-glycemic, and do the body good. Despite them being raw, vegan, and gluten-free, her selections never compromise the decadent taste, and rich velvety texture of chocolate we love. Delight family and friends by slipping Lulu’s goodies into stockings this year. To sweeten this gift idea, we’re extending an exclusive savings of 15% off your order when you use promo code: guiltfree11.

Easy Travel Essentials

Staying true to a clean eating routine can be challenging during times of travel or a busy day. Aloha The Daily Good packs the goodness of powdered superfood fruits and veggies into single serving pouches. All that is needed is filtered water and in seconds nutrient-rich greens, and loads of antioxidants are made available on-the-go.

I’ve received more compliments on this reusable Swell Water Bottle than any other item I have toted around. They are composed of non-leaching and non-toxic 18/8 stainless steel that keep drinks cold for 24 hours, and hot for 12. The mouth opening is just large enough to feed ice cubes through, but not so big that drinks pour down your chin and chest. What’s just as appealing is their designs are sleek and sexy. Shown here is a 24-ounce bottle from their Wood Collection.

The Gift of Health

Matcha is unlike any other green tea. One serving from my favorite brand, Panatea delivers ten times the nutritive potency of brewed varieties. The bright green powder is made by grinding whole Japanese tea leaves, and delivers an abundance of antioxidants, bioavailable amino acids, essential vitamins and minerals, and chlorophyll––A.K.A. Sunfood. Give those you love matcha this holiday and gift them health.

If I’m going to be crafting recipes, I want them to be as nourishing as they are delicious. Integrating flavor and function is made easy by incorporating superfoods such as maca, yacon, coconut, cacao, goji, camu, maqui berry, and others into juices, soups, snacks, dressings, sauces, and smoothies. Navitas Naturals produces potent superfood powders that can easily be infused into dishes made at home. Their Cacao Nibs and Hemp Seeds are especially great for on-the-go snacking. I used all of their products abundantly in the development of recipes for Superfood Juices & Smoothies.

Good gut health is paramount to our wellbeing. It’s also necessary for achieving the glow of health that can only come from within. Probiotics deliver healthy bacteria to our intestines, and from there, they boost immune function, inhibit the growth of bad bacteria, and reset our entire sensory system, making us feel more alive and vibrant. The probiotic I’ve discovered that does this heavy lifting better than any other is Progurt. Sure it’s not the most sexy gift to give to that special someone, but you’ll be gifting them radiant health, and sex appeal from the inside out. No one can argue with that.

Hand Crafted Gifts that Uplift

Most days you can find me adorned in AK Vintage. My sweet friend and jewelry designer, Anna Korte is an artistic force to be reckoned with. She crafts exquisite pieces inspired by literary themes, architecture, landscapes, textiles, shadows, light, and sleep state visions. A piece from any one of her remarkable collections will add unique style and custom-crafted elegance to the silhouette of your loved one.

Calling all yogis. Downward dog never looked so good. These La Vie Boheme eco-friendly yoga rugs are luscious pieces of art beneath your feet. They are made of 100% Organic Cotton, and hand woven in India. Rugs like this one have been used for centuries to practice asanas, and meditation. Not only are they beautiful, they are functional fabrics for a Vinyasa, Bikram, or Ashtanga physical pratice.

The gift of tea is always a welcome idea, especially when it has been custom blended with intention. Together with my business partner and friend, we commissioned renowned tea crafter, Steve Smith to create a Power of And tea. With his expert guidance we created a blend that integrates the stimulating aromatics of the East with grounding Western herbs. Each cup is bold, yet soft, soothing and invigorating. This carton of 15 tea sachets will delight anyone who could use a little a subtle lift, and will be shipped direct from us with love. Please email to order.