Regardless of what you celebrate during the winter season — Hanukkah, Christmas, Toji, Shabe Yalda, Sinck Tuck, Kwanzaa, whatever — it tends to culminate in the giving of gifts and feasting of foods.
We, being Sleep Club, are giant fans of sleepy presents that make you and your fave folk feel all cozy, yummy, and blissfully relaxed. The idea of entering the new year with some fresh comfort just seems incredibly soothing. Therefore, without any further ado — or adieu? Nevermind — let’s dig into some cool gifts to warm and fuzzy up your winter season and rest in the new year.
Warm sips to sleep by
Hot drinks are simply among the most calming, comforting ways to wind down at the end of the day. Whether hot milk, hot tea, hot chocolate, or a hot toddy — just remember that imbibing too much liquor before bedtime can have the opposite effect of chilling you out, but I digress — the combo of the warm liquid with the different properties of your drink of choice work through your body to release tension and prepare you for dreamland.
If you’re looking for some good hot milk, such steamers and frothers as the Miroco Milk Frother from Taotronics and Instant Milk Frother, just to name a couple, are great to have on hand for some old-fashioned warm milk making as well as awesome hot chocolate. Adding a little vanilla, cinnamon, and honey to your hot cow juice gives a nice little boost of delicious comfort, by the way.
And while these steamers also make great hot chocolate — whether you go for the nostalgia of pouring your milk into a cup with a packet of Swiss Miss Instant Cocoa or you want to be more elegant by dropping in a cocoa bomb — if you know someone really into that warm chocolate-y drink who would LOVE a machine specifically for that, check out the Chocotera by Corona. It’s created for making Corona branded hot chocolate. Then of course leave it to Mr. Coffee to develop a high-end cocoa maker with a basket especially set up to use chocolate pieces instead of coffee filters and coffee.
Let us not forget the teas of the world with their soothing herbal quality for those folks in your life who prefer a cuppa. Adagio Teas has a four sampler selection called Pillow Time Teas with four of their most soothing, caffeine free offerings: 40 Winks, Chamomile, Rooibos Vanilla, and Peppermint. Tea Forte also offers a line of warm, relaxing blends with their Herbal Retreat collection and they come in a perfect box ready to be wrapped and tucked under a tree, bed, or simply handed over with a hug.
Wrapped up in sleep
From fantastic shawls such as L.L.Bean’s Cozy Sherpa Wrap and our own SC Travel Wrap by Jules Allen (shoutout!), to sumptuous blankets like the fully recycled Puffer blanket — it gets softer as you wash it — and that favorite go-to, the weighted blanket (check out Luxome, which has been getting top ratings from just about everyone), ‘tis the season to wrap yourself and the ones you love in warm, comfy cozyness. These gifts make us want to curl up on the couch, holding one of our hot drinks, and drift away.
We’re also all about slippers and socks, which we are happy to report are no longer viewed as the consolation prize of presents. For slippers, we love Uggs, of course — and not just the boots but the actual slippers — but we’re a little obsessed with Warmies Marshmallow Boots and slippers — you toss them in the microwave for a few seconds and they get toasty warm for your tootsies — and for both slippers and socks, the Gripper Slippers and every kind of sock from Bombas tickle us like crazy these days. These are wonderfully comfortable and make chilling out feel that much better. Giving back through Conscious Step is also one of our delights, and during the holidays everyone has such great deals to encourage you to pamper yourself and those you love with these great accompaniments to the sleep, dream, and wake-up routine.
Restful stocking stuffers
Let us not forget the stocking stuffers, and we’re not talking gift cards and candy. These are snoozy, dozy, sleep manifesting wonders to tuck inside of stockings, pockets, shoes, socks, purses, wherever for whatever holiday occasion floats your boat. And just so we understand, when we say “stocking stuffers,” they don’t literally fit into a stocking necessarily. They’re quirky and often cute ideas that add a special brightness to your or your favorite being’s day — you’ll notice we didn’t say person. We’ll get to that.
From the little light up mushroom to the couch potato, the cute ambient lights from Smoko are just about as adorable as they can be. Available at their online store or through Urban Outfitters, these squishy, kawaii bundles add a sweet, comforting glow on a dark night.
Don’t want any light getting through? No worries! The Mavogel Cotton Sleep Mask is touted as the best overall sleep mask around. It’s soft, adjustable, very light pressure on the eyes, comes with a travel pouch, and normally $19.99, is selling for $9.99 right now.
Giving the gift of soothing scents is also a great way to wind down throughout the day. The wellness scents from Neom Organics include oils and candles for better sleep. As another way of supporting a good night’s rest while also helping those in need, The Little Market Hand-Poured Chamomile Candle does both. These candles are handmade in small batches by women who resettled in the United States as refugees. Proceeds from sales go to help them support their families as they make a new and better life.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention Sleep Stripzzz and our Jeff Bridges Sleeping Tapes because, after all, these are trusty little sleep and dream aids that add a sense of care to anyone you love. They’re portable, comforting, and they’re just a click away. Honest.
Rest for the four-legged
We don’t want to forget our fine, furry friends. Pet beds are not just for dogs and cats. Rabbits and other small animals love them, and snuggling into a special place for rest is a universal theme for all animals. While some of our pets are more nocturnal than others, Casper — yes, the hooman bed company — has pet beds that will bring joy to your fuzzy friend’s world. Want to pamper your bunny, hedgehog or guinea pig into a wonderful slumber? Give the Yuepet a gander. They keep your animals comfy and toasty warm.
…And to all a good night
These are just a few thoughts about how you can add some cozy to your winter season. The holiday may be the time of giving, but we all need sleep, and all these ideas and ones we shared in our Black Friday/CyberMonday list are an all-year treat. Whether these gifts are for you to give others or to pamper yourself, we wish you a good rest, blissful dreams, and a feeling of refreshed waking today and everyday.
Happy Holidays!
