Truth is, we could all stand to take a chill pill from time to time. But we all have someone in our life who is going through a difficult chapter, has had a string of bad luck, or is just too caught up in our go-go-go society. It’s hard to know what to say, let alone what to do, to ease that anxiety. Thankfully, the holiday season is an opportunity to show you care — and what’s more important than that? The following gifts aren’t a solution to all your loved ones’ woes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make life a bit more tolerable.
Down-to-earth
Turns out, we all want to be back in the womb. A gravity blanket may be the next best thing for us post-natal beings. Weighted covers purportedly ease stress, improve sleep and boost mood. Think of the benefits of a hug or swaddling a baby.
Mosaic manufactures a variety of weighted blankets, in standard sizes, that are made in the good ol’ U.S.A. So you can rest easy that your comfort doesn’t come at the expense of low-paid workers overseas.
Cost: $125 and up
Where: Mosaic Weighted Blankets, mosaicweightedblankets.com. These are also available at area department stores.
Don’t avoid the ’noid
Recently, several CBD stores have rolled into town. A myriad of health benefits, including stress and pain reduction, are promoted by the industry. To be blunt, the science isn’t entirely half-baked — let’s just saying it’s budding.
The sheer number of ways to consume CBD is an opportunity to spice up an otherwise practical but ho-hum gift. There are CBD-infused balms, salves and bath bombs. Local kombucha brewer NessAlla makes a variety that includes CBD. Community Pharmacy takes some of the guesswork out by offering CBD liquid extracts, capsules, patches and chocolates from legit supplies.
Like CBD’s sinister sister cannabinoid (THC) — some believe the true benefits of the plant emerge when inhaled. So that’s an option, too.
Cost: $10-$100
Where: Widely available at local CBD shops and at Community Pharmacy. Or basically everywhere.
Subconscious soother
What is the mind trying to say when one dreams about being lost or being chased? Dream Decoder cards by Theresa Cheung provide the answers. These 60 cards “unlock your unconscious” with interpretations to common dream motifs. Dream Decoder cards are a tool to subtly help the stressed increase self-awareness. Like tarot readings, reflection is where the real power resides — at least when Mercury is in retrograde.
Cost: $17
Where: Anthropologie, 702 N. Midvale Blvd.
Rocks!
You’d be surprised by the elemental joy brought by a small chunk of obsidian, rose quartz, hematite or moonstone. It might be semi-precious, but a nice stone makes for a priceless gift.
Let’s not forget that pink opal helps heal a broken heart. Aragonite floods your throat and heart chakras with loving energy. Red jasper grounds your chi and releases anxiety. Surely, a piece of apatite quells your appetite — that just makes too much sense. And yeah, crystals and gems can be worn as jewelry. But just having some sort of mineral, on your person, should really be a thing.
“What’s that in your pocket?” asks a pal.
“Why, it’s a nifty rock [your name] gave me,” your giftee will say. “I think it’s an agate.”
And just imagine a world where everybody has a cool rock to show people — beats talking about the weather or sports. I’m less stressed already!
Cost: A few bucks
Where: Burnie’s Rock Shop, 901 E. Johnson St. and 636 S. Park St.
Plants!
No pseudoscience here. House plants do purify the air, act as a natural humidifier, speed up heating, and reduce stress. Spider plants, succulents, jade plants, pothos ivy, and lavender are very easy to keep alive. If you want to be trendy AF, spring for a fiddle-leaf fig tree. Pair the plant with a pot. Thrift stores have a lot of cool containers that will work. Don’t overwater!
Cost: $10-$50
Where: Most local greenhouses, florists, and Wildwoode, 702 E. Johnson St.
Stick ’em up
In an age of outrage, rage needs a healthy stage. Isthmus is reluctant to recommend any gift with a trigger. A NERF gun seems to touch on the primal, perhaps dark, satisfaction of discharging a weapon without any danger of inflicting harm (don’t shoot your eye out, Ralphie). It’s also why we are recommending only the NERF guns with suction cups at the end.
Hasbro, the current owner of the NERF brand, now has a dizzying number of frankly absurd soft projectile weaponry. The NERF N-Strike Elite Rhino-Fire Blaster is twin-barreled, floor-mounted and can unleash 50 darts in one load. The NERF Ultra One Motorized Blaster — which can launch a dart 125 feet — is more than sufficient firepower.
The classic NERF dart blaster of the 1990s seems about the right speed for most. The closest equivalents nowadays are the Jolt or SnapFire Blasters. The Sidestrike Blaster, from NERF’s “Zombie Strike” series, is a bit more sporty. It’s also bright green which, sadly, seems sensible. Spring for some extra darts while you’re at it. Happy hunting.
Cost: $6 and up
Where: Basically any toy retailer
