The Annual (Crowd-Sourced) Oldster Gift Guide
Written mostly by you!!
Readers,
It’s that time of year again—when I invite you all to tell me (and everyone else here) what you’re giving people as holiday gifts this year. This has worked out so well before, it’s become an annual tradition.
In my family, these days, we’re not big on gifts. But I do enjoy giving thoughtful presents to people I love, at any time of year. And I’m always open to suggestions from other thoughtful gift-givers.
Related: Did you catch the 4th installment of ’s Oldster column yesterday, “I Don’t Know Why” in which she writes about the exceedingly thoughtful presents she buys her ex-husband? Here it is:
Okay, in the comments please tell me:
How old are you? What are you getting for friends and family this holiday season? If you’d like to be more specific: What are you getting for kids? For young adults? For people in middle age? For elders? For anyone, regardless of age? What gifts do you hope others will get for you? (This is a great place to hint, if others in your life are also Oldster Magazine readers. OR…maybe you’d like to get them an Oldster subscription so they can catch your drift…just an idea!) *Feel free to shamelessly self-promote any wares you’ve got for sale, but if you do, please also recommend at least one other thing that’s not yours.*
Of course, I’d be remiss if I missed the opportunity to remind all of you about the things I have for sale, which make great gifts.
There’s Oldster tee shirts, which you can find in the Oldster Magazine Merch store on Etsy:
Got some cute new Oldster mugs, and Oldster nameplate necklaces, too, made by
from Waxing Poetic:
And of course gift subscriptions.
I’ve got books. (My only regret is not getting the audio book version of my memoir ready in time for holiday gift-giving, but the recording and editing are completed, and it’s coming in January!)
If you’ve been reading Oldster from the beginning, you’ve probably seen me frequently recommending Glow Juice, a natural moisturizing facial spray made by my friend, Rebecca Wolff in Hudson, NY. I still just love this stuff. Applying it twice a day pretty much comprises my entire facial skin-care routine, although in the dead of winter I add a thin later of Egyptian Magic, and to my lips I apply Weleda’s Everon Lip Balm. All of these make great stocking stuffers. (Ghostwriting a book for the founder of Aveda, plus a few years working in a health food store, plus my own skin sensitivities have made me skeptical of the beauty industry. I’m a total hippie on this front.)
Left to right: Egyptian Magic, Glow Juice, Weleda Everon Lip Balm.
Okay, your turn. In the comments please tell us:
How old are you? What are you getting for friends and family this holiday season? If you’d like to be more specific: What are you getting for kids? For young adults? For people in middle age? For elders? For anyone, regardless of age? What gifts do you hope others will get for you? (This is a great place to hint, if others in your life are also Oldster Magazine readers. OR…maybe you’d like to get them an Oldster subscription so they can catch your drift…just an idea!) *Feel free to shamelessly self-promote any wares you’ve got for sale, but if you do, please also recommend at least one other thing that’s not yours.*
Thanks as always for reading, being the most thoughtful, engaged, and supportive commentariat I’ve ever witnessed on the internet, and for all your support. It means a lot to me. 🙏💝
-Sari
I'm 58; my adult children are 28, 26 and 20. I sew professionally, and every year I make my kiddos a utilitarian bag, usually a backpack, but once a sling bag, and several large overnighters. This year they're getting quite large roll top rucksacks made from waxed canvas with lots of leather trim. I've sourced merino felt to line the leather shoulder straps.
They love their bags, and apparently their friends/colleagues are all a bit jealous. Last year's bag was less complicated than usual (a smaller crossbody bag), and I had some extra waxed canvas, so I made additional bags for each child's partner. Something I didn't expect--seeing these six bags turn up in my IG feed all year long as my kids and their partners traveled and just did IG-y things with their time.
While this is a gift for them, it's also my gift to myself. After 11 months of sewing professionally, December is my turn to sew for me (even if the resulting product goes to someone else).
I like giving experiences. I've gifted pottery classes, glassblowing, tickets, horseback riding lessons, etc.