The best gifts say, “I see you, I know your heart and I dig your happiness.”
How do you feel about gift giving? How about the holidays? I adore both, but shopping, unless I’m at a bookstore or clothing shopping with my stylist pal Rayne, not so much.
No matter how you feel about the season, it’s tough to argue how awesome it can feel to give someone just the right gift: something that shows you care and have a good sense of their wants or needs.
Figuring those particulars out isn’t always easy, so I thought I’d share a few of my current favorite gifts that can suit a whole range of people. As a bonus, you can purchase all of the below items and services online.
Feminist Book Club Gift Box or Subscription
Feminist Book Club is a community-driven monthly subscription box that features a book of the month and enticing products from femme- and queer- owned businesses. And it’s far more than a subscription box. Members can suggest and vote on titles in a private discussion group, moderated gender researcher Renee M. Powers. “A portion of the proceeds benefit the revenue to a new feminist organization each month,” she said, “so your money is always making positive change in this world.” 🙌🏾
Learn more at feministbookclub.com and follow along on Facebook and Instagram: @feministbookclubbox.
Musa Masala: Mountain Girl of the Himalaya
I have a bit of a personal stake in this one but honestly, I’d support all-things-Musa regardless. Musa Masala, the book and organization, was created by my husband and a group of his colleagues, and I helped with the writing of the book. With a mission to educate people on safe, culturally-aware mountain travel, the group also raises funds for hugely worthy causes. Proceeds from Musa Masala: Mountain Girl of the Himalaya will support the building of the Wongchhu Sherpa Memorial Hospital, which will bring much needed healthcare to people in the lower Solukhumbu region of Nepal. They’ve met their crowd-funding goal to make the book possible and additional funds will allow them to do far more good!
Donate to the Kickstarter campaign by 11/30 to receive a copy of the stunning illustrated book about an orphan girl who recognizes her purpose in unlikely ways here. They’re also offering other sweet rewards, such as art prints and bandanas.
Yarlap
I interviewed MaryEllen Reider, co-founder of Yarlap, on Girl Boner Radio a few months back adore the company’s work and mission. Once inserted (like a tampon), Yarlap does kegel exercises for you, removing the guesswork from the pelvic floor exercises. This is important not only because it’s easy to do kegels incorrectly, but because a stronger pelvic floor can address super common issues such as urinary incontinence while paving the way for more pleasure. Woot!
“If you think of your pelvic floor as a hammock, the clitoris actually runs alongside of it [and] underneath it,” MaryEllen told me. “And your clitoris is not just the button that you see. It’s basically an iceberg…huge and massive. The same muscles that you use during your kegels are the same ones that are contracting during orgasm. So the stronger your pelvic floor muscle is, and the stronger your response is to that exercise, you actually have a stronger response to the orgasm because you’re toning the same muscles that are being used for both of those acts.”
Learn more and place an order at Yarlap.com.
Global Girlfriend Goodies or Gift Cards
I’ve purchased several accessories and gift cards from Global Girlfriend and can’t recommend them enough. Founded by Stacey Edgar to help women around the world gain economic security while providing shoppers unique products and a simple way to help women in need, their fair trade, women-made brand offers stylish apparel, accessories and gifts with the aim of helping women in need help themselves. (The wonderful Linda Cruise would call this a “hand up!”)
Start shopping at globalgirlfriend.com.
Reconnect. Restore. Reclaim.
These affirmation cards created by sexuality educator and mentor Natalie Hatjes are gorgeous. If you heard my recent Girl Boner Radio episode recorded at The Pleasure Chest, you know how meaningful they can be. (You were crying!) The messages are as striking as the artwork, making way for greater self-acceptance, self-love, sexual self confidence and more.
Learn more and order your cards at lovechatwithnat.com.
Juicebox or Talkspace
“If you can’t talk intimately with a partner then no toy or lube or trick you know is going to help your sex life,” Juicebox founder Brianna Rader told me in our Girl Boner Radio chat earlier this year. “Our mission is helping people talk about sex to create a more pleasurable world.” Standing O! (Pun intended.) If you’re seeking the guidance or support of a sex coach for any reason or simply want to have the occasional sex questions answered, check Juicebox out! They now offer a free membership, which provides access to polls and community stories, and coaching options from $2 – $24 a week.
Learn more at juiceboxit.com or download the Juicebox app here.
If you or a loved one are seeking more general therapy and don’t have access, funds, or time for conventional counseling, look no further than Talkspace. I’ve used Talkspace personally and gifted a month to a loved one who was going through a rough patch. It’s like having a therapist in your pocket, with options for daily check-ins by text, audio or video message. Learn more or get paired up with a therapist at talkspace.com.
If you’re on a super tight budget or prefer DIY gifts, here are a few more ideas I love:
Framed photos
Handwritten cards or letters
At-home massages
An original song, poem or short story
Volunteering together
A babysitting or pet-sitting coupon
A homemade meal or baked goods
A soulful coffee chat
A DIY self-care kit, filled with items such as bubble bath, comfy socks and snacks
*I suppose I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that my Girl Boner gifts can make groovy gifts, too! Purchase Girl Boner in hardcover, ebook or audiobook format on Amazon or grab the hardcover most anywhere books are sold. You can also preorder Girl Boner Journal, which will tentatively release late January.
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