Shannon’s Favorite Things 2021
Make the yuletide pay
Merry Capitalism, friends!
Better yet, happy gift giving season of 2021. We survived not just another year, but another year in a pandemic. It’s at long last my favorite season—the season where we demonstrate our love and value by purchasing things for each other. My love language has always been gifts.
Years ago, this started as a dysautonomia themed gift guide, but last year I pivoted to Shannon’s Favorite Things, because to be honest, I sort of covered all of the appropriate dysautonomia gifts. There’s only so many times I can tell you, give POTSies fancy salt, water bottles, comfy clothes, and cute pill containers.
My annual favorite things DO include items that are great for the chronically ill, as I am very chronically ill, but will also include random products that I have come to really love that anyone will enjoy, along with my favorite section—links to my friends’ online stores!
A couple of these items have been mentioned in previous gift guides, but these are links to specific items I purchased this year that I really, really loved.
I don’t make any money off of these recommendations (however I would like to, so if you’re a business reading this, hit me up, I’d love to be your spokesperson). I believe all of these would make great gifts, and if you give one of these and the recipient doesn’t love it—just message me and I’ll accept it instead.
Merry giving!
*
My Favorite Things
*
Microplush Blanket by Bare Home
I believe I’ve said it before that blankets are always the correct gift to give.
When I moved to Chicago, I was only able to bring two blankets with me because I could barely fit anything in my car. It was devastating, as I am rarely seen without a blanket. The first thing I did when I got to Chicago was pick out replacement blankets, and WOW, this one was perfect.
I got the king sized blanket in green and it’s the perfect size to wrap myself in while watching TV on the couch or snuggle with in bed—I can use the extra blanket to prop myself up with.
Warning: if you live with a toddler, they WILL try to steal this blanket.
*
Goosebumps Adult Swaddles
If you’re looking for something less fleece-y, a little more lightweight, then the adult swaddles from Goosebumps are the way to go.
For years I was very jealous of babies for many reasons, the primary of which being that they had these great super soft lightweight blankets but I couldn’t find one that was Shannon sized.
I tweeted out this complaint and a friend sent me a link to the Goosebumps website which makes adult swaddling blankets. It’s the perfect blanket for summer—you still get the protection and comfort of being wrapped up without the heat. Absolutely phenomenal.
*
On a whim this spring, I grabbed this tumbler at Target because I told myself I was going to start making my own knock off
*
In other Target finds, I found my all time favorite room spray, which is from their Project 62 Aromatherapy Collection.
*
The biggest (literally) find of my year though was the Capri Blue Volcano candle.
He is my son.
If you’re looking to buy a 60 oz MegaCandle for yourself, check out Anthropologie here
Winters in Chicago are long and the days are very short, so I decided to upgrade my SAD Therapy lamp.
*
Like most millennial girls raised in the suburbs, I used to be hard core into Bath & Body Works. And yes, I do still have two Bath & Body Works lotions on my bedside table at any given moment.
*
Going along with skin care, it took me ages to find a great lip balm. I used to swear by
(Pro-tip: Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap is also amazing, and I’m also pretty sure that Dr. Bronner’s is 100% a cult, but wow the products smell great and just clean really, really well.)
Emily sent me a care package that had my new favorite stress item—bubble pop fidget toys. The one she got me was in the shape of a circle, but they come in almost every shape imaginable from ice cream to Pokemon to gigantic game boards.
Target, Chuckle & Roar Pop It! Fidget and Sensory Game, $7.99 (the one Emily got me)
Amazon, Bright Moon Five Piece Fidget Pop Pack with Dinosaur, Unicorn, Food shapes, $17.99
*
I’ve written about bathrobes before, but I got a new one this year which is my absolute favorite I’ve ever had.
*
This March, I switched from working on the phone team at work to being a member of the chat team, which means that I am typing frantically all. day. long.
*
When I was in high school, I became one of those elitists who swears by Moleskine journals. I do keep dozens of other notebooks to jot down quick notes in, but for the journals I intend on keeping for years and years to come—I always go with Moleskine.
*
IKEA has been my favorite place for this—a few years ago they sold twinkle lights in a glass bottle, then twinkle lights in a plastic glass dome. Now you can get a
Almost every store that sells Christmas decorations will also sell very inexpensive, lightweight string lights you can use to bunch up in anything from a mason jar to an old lantern. It’s perfect mood lighting for any room you’re in and also makes a great gift.
*
The trait people compliment me most on is my skin, and now that I’m getting older, I feel like I actually need to take care of it. I got the PMD Clean in a CauseBox subscription last year, so it’s the only tool I use to help me clean my face.
*
Pill organization is a super personal business for us with chronic illness. I have utilized a few different systems over the years, but before my move I knew I needed a new container that I could potentially lock since I’d now be living with a three-year-old.
*
*
Products from my friends
Yes! This is the best thing you can buy of all. I have very talented friends who create amazing things and you should buy everything they sell.
Donations
If nothing from this list above seems right, you can always make a donation in the name of someone you love to the best non-profit in the world, Dysautonomia International. This winter there is a matching grant from an anonymous donor, so your gift will go twice as far.
And in case these ideas weren’t enough—
You can view my previous gift guides here:
However you celebrate the season, please be safe, take good care of yourself, be good to others, and have a great holiday season.