Tonight, we’ve got unexpectedly great gifts for your … bathroom. Plus:
Last fall, after a long weekend in London with one of my oldest friends, I stuffed just a single souvenir into my carry-on: A 30 quid bath mat from the British department store John Lewis. And what a bath mat it is! Vibrant and striped with museum-gift-store energy, I popped it into our neutral upstairs bathroom. Now, on any given evening between 7 and 7:30 p.m., you can find me in my chambers, bathing my children and beholding an excellent bath mat. My unbridled enjoyment of a tufted cotton rectangle got me thinking: Bathroom items make fantastic gifts! Bathroom decor is famously utilitarian and rightly sterile, so it’s a welcome space for unexpected whimsy. I don’t think you should buy your mother-in-law a rubber plunger. But something fancy, fun, and a little frivolous? I fully endorse. Here are some of my favorite finds for a fine loo makeover.
And now that I think of it, I do think your mother-in-law might like this handsome stainless steel toothpaste tube squeezer.
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My family is asking what I want for my birthday, and I am so overwhelmed with life right now (work-life balance isn’t easy, but accumulated stress topped by the endless cycle of sickness that comes from living with two kids under seven is kicking me while I’m down). I have hobbies I love, but can’t keep up with — knitting, sewing, scrapbooking — and activities I try to keep up with, even if less than I would like — reading, yoga, walking. They want to give me something meaningful or a gift that isn’t a tangible thing. But I am so tired and drained that I don’t even know where to begin figuring out what I would need or could enjoy. — M.O. From gifting expert Mari Uyehara: I appreciate that your family wants to get you something meaningful, but it sounds like you just might need a basket of quickie pick-me-ups in physical form. I like this invigorating mustard bath, which smells like eucalyptus and wintergreen (not French’s), to help bring me back to life when I’m under the weather. This cozy beverage set from one of our favorite spice purveyors features heady mixes of golden milk and chai, and comes in vibrant tins that are mood-boosters in and of themselves. Quality sweats are the self-care gift that keeps on giving, and these cool-looking ones, made from a lightweight knit fabric, are a Wirecutter favorite. For a little treat, my boyfriend and I argue about who finished the bag of these excellent Swedish gummies. (Elderflower is a house favorite.) Now, if your family wants to get you a gift-that-isn’t-a-thing, tell them to pick up the kids every Saturday morning so that you can hit a yoga class or just sleep in.
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One last gift (for you): Our deals experts have scoured the internet this week to find the best deals from Amazon’s spring sale and beyond, including a very good French moisturizer, a cute Coach bucket bag, and more. Was this email kindly forwarded to you? Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
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