I’m a big believer in helping to nurture yourself. During gift-giving season, I also advocate giving those you love something that will make them feel good. What better way to show that you care about someone than to give a gift that brings joy/warmth/comfort or contributes to their good health! And what better gift to yourself and everyone to seek out products that are environmentally friendly?! I tried to find things that aren’t the typical gifts and found them!

So here’s a list of recommendations for gifts to give others, and yourself.

These are all things I love! I mean love! So please bookmark this post and come back to it when you have to give a gift later in the year too. Forward the link to others too! And please don’t forget yourself! The best time to treat yourself is often. ? The more loving your are to YOU, the more good things you attract. So keep these gifts in mind for the whole year, for when you need gifts for family, friends and for you, just because…

NOTE TO GUYS! Skin care products aren’t just for girls. Using them makes you feel good too! And if you hate shopping, use the following to just click and order. ?

Here we go with my recommended goodies:

I just have 3 books to recommend now. I’ll have a bunch more in my post with gifts for yourself, right after the new year begins.

The Extreme Art of Self-Care: by Cheryl Richardson: I’m a big advocate of being self-loving to develop good self-esteem and happiness. So I’m so delighted to recommend this book as a gift of love for anyone you care about, especially YOU! The book’s format is very user–friendly. The tips are broken down into bullet points, boxes and small sections so it’s easier to read and digest. Cheryl’s voice feels like a friend speaking to you. This book is filled with action that you can take to be kinder and more nurturing to yourself. It helps wake you up to what you may be doing that keeps you from making yourself a priority in the scheme of your life and gives concrete suggestions for taking radical action to improve your life by creating healthier habits to maintain a more self-nurturing standard of living. I’m delighted that next month I’ll have an interview with Cheryl Richardson as part of my Embracing SUCCESS interview series. Stay tuned!

The Way of the Buddha: I’m not a Buddhist but many folks say I sound like one. The principles are so spiritual that they go along with my basic philosophy of living a spiritual life. This GORGEOUS book, with Illustrations from the Rubin Museum of Art, is a wonderful gift for anyone who’s spiritual and is at least open to Buddhist principles. The book’s illustrations with traditional Buddhist artwork make it a joy to read the inspirational words. It’s a small and inexpensive gift for a spiritual person.

The Anywhere, Anytime Chill Guide: by Kate Hanley. This easy to read, fun book is an especially good gift for a girlfriend! It offers natural solutions to 77 stressful situations, from bad hair days to broken heats, constipation to computer crashes, with remedies are drawn from yoga, meditation, acupressure, and more that are easy to fit into a busy day—bite-sized serenity for busy women in need of some serious chill. The author, known as “Ms. Mindbody,” gives practical and humorous step-by-step instructions for taking charge of your well-being. Like me, Kate writes from personal experience, giving tips that worked for her.

The Art of Relaxation—A Spa for Your Mind: Dr. Carole Lieberman is a psychiatrist with a multi-dimensional career in many areas of media. She is the creator of America’s first in-flight entertainment Relaxation Channel (audio and video) narrated by a psychiatrist. She recorded this wonderful CD to bring her soothing voice and message to anyone who needs a good dose of relaxation without leaving home. Her gentle voice will be your guide to a sense of balance and peacefulness.

I LOVE chocolate! So I must include some of my favorite chocolate treats that nurture. I know that all chocolate can feel nurturing, but it also has lots of calories. I was thrilled to learn that dark chocolate in particular is recommended as something to have every day, in moderation, because it’s a terrific anti-oxidant. Sure beats taking supplement! Chocolate is a good mood booster too. I found 4 chocolate products that I LOVE—2 edible and 2 with no calories but are yummy.

IgnaFire Chocolates: I had to try these unprocessed dark chocolates made from whole, stone-ground cacao beans and lightly sweetened with Mexican sugar. They don’t remove or add cacao butter and avoid extensive heating and industrial processing, keeping all the healthful flavanols and antioxidants that occur naturally in the bean and its natural flavor. This might be the healthiest chocolate you can eat! They’re available in 4 rich flavors—cacao, cinnamon, vanilla, and moka (I can’t decide on my favorite!)—and also in ground powder for making hot chocolate. The morsels feel bit grainy on the tongue, which I actually like. I let one melt as I resist chewing too much. Just a few satisfies my chocolate cravings. These hearty little chocolates make a great gift for men, since they’re more gritty and rich! And they’re great to bring when you’re invited for dinner in their sweet natural packaging. The papers accompanying the chocolates can be washed down the sink or composted!

Intentional Chocolate™: I was curious to read about this chocolate that’s embedded with good intentions by Tibetan monks—infused into the chocolate from advanced meditators—some who’ve trained with the Dalai Lama—and are transferred to those who eat it. Each product includes this intention: “Whoever consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and functioning at physical, emotional and mental levels, and in particular will enjoy an increased sense of energy, vigor and well-being for the benefit of all beings.” I had to try some, since I love chocolate AND being healthy! I’ve been enjoying the chocolate for 5 days, both dark and milk versions. It’s delicious! Oddly, when I finish a portion, I feel very satisfied. Usually I can usually nibble indefinitely and still want more.And while this has been a stressful week, I feel more energetic and relaxed than usual. When I went for acupuncture last night, my doc saw improvement. Coincidence? My imagination? Whatever it is, I feel healthier so I shall continue to eat it.

Peruvian Chocolate Sugar Scrub: Have you ever dreamed about being immersed in chocolate? This scrub gives you chocolate from neck to toe. It smells yummy and leaves my skin feeling exceptionally soft, and delicious (pun intended!). Founded by Lela Barker after she saw research indicating that some cosmetic preservatives could cause breast tumors, Bella Luccè uses exotic ingredients that are environmentally friendly in all their products—a luxurious line of healthy luxuries! While I love eating chocolate, using their chocolate scrub on my body was a calorie free treat! Peruvian Chocolate Sugar Scrub is a loving gift for your skin and as a gift to anyone you want to make smile. ?

Mint chocolate chip lip balm: For tasty, chocolaty lips, this balm is in one of my favorite flavors for ice cream, but unlike my sweet, fattening treat, this all natural lip balm comes in a rich base of moisture-holding, protective oils. A great stocking stuffer and a keeper to bring with you wherever you go to treat your lips to scrumptious protection.

Nurturing your body is a tremendous gift of love to yourself. Giving gifts that help others do this shows you care. Here are some gifts I found that make me feel more loving. I encourage you to try them.

Luxur-Eco: This company makes products that are the ultimate of luxury. Their Eco-friendly, earth sustaining, and 100% biodegradable home and fashion items including bamboo towels, blankets, bathrobes, slippers, spa wraps and sheets, takes soft to the next level. When I picked up a towel it felt like silk. Yet it’s very absorbent! I’m bookmarking this site to get the towels for baby gifts as the softness would make any mom delighted to use it on their little one! The bamboo robe is soft as cashmere and the bamboo slippers light and comfy. The bamboo makes the products much more absorbent than cotton and the antibacterial qualities in these products are an added bonus. I don’t know how bamboo can make fabric so soft, but WOW! These products feel A LOT more expensive than they are!

YogaToes: I’m a foot person. Getting reflexology helps my whole body feel healthier so I know the importance of pampering your feet. I was intrigued by YogaToes, which stretches the toes and helps the feet feel more flexible and stronger. I enjoy putting them on each day when I’m writing and let them exercise my feet while I sit! Their Aloe Breeze foot mist is refreshing and helps the YogaToes slide on. I walk and run a lot and the YogaToes help my feet feel more aligned. I also enjoy putting on their Grapefruit Ginger Moisturizing Foot Cream before I go to sleep. It smells and feels yummy. The company has lots of other gifts to pamper yours and your loved ones’ feet. Gotta keep them healthy and fit in order for them to serve you best! ?

Softress skin care: What could be better than skin care products created by a mother’s love and desire to nurture her child?!? Nina Birnbaum did just that when she developed products to manage her daughter’s eczema and condition her dry, curly hair–fragrance-free, chemical-free body oils for dry, sensitive skin. My skin gets dry in winter since I continue to run and power walk. The first time I tried the SoftHands, which has macadamia oil to soothe and heal very dry hands and cuticles, it felt like I was applying liquid silk. My hands felt so soft and smooth. I was delighted that they didn’t feel greasy either. I also tried E-Blend, great for extremely dry skin, especially on areas where running in the cold of winter dries my skin the most, like my legs. Nina suggested putting a drop on my lips at bedtime and they were noticeably softer in the morning. Softress has other products to choose from as gifts for someone you care about—from babies to adults—or a nurturing gift of love to yourself. Use the promotional code DAYLLE, for a 15% discount.

Color Therapy Masks: I love facial masks but don’t use them often because they can be messy to leave on. Color Therapy Masks are literally like a mask you peel the back off of and stick onto your face. It has all sorts of skin nutrients that get absorbed into the skin. No drips and you don’t wash it off, which makes it super easy to use! The results? Very soft skin! There are three colors—Rejuvenating, Revitalizing and Relaxing. I put one on and allow myself to relax so the scientific ingredients and botanical extracts can do their job at softening and rejuvenating my skin. It’s a great nurturing gift for yourself or to give a little TLC to your friends. Become Beauty also has an assortment of other nurturing products.

Herban Lifestyle body balm: This company lovingly makes all natural, reasonably priced skin care products that soothe and nourish. All products contain pure oils, essential oils and herbs, the majority of which are either certified organic, pesticide-free/chemical-free and/or ethically wildcrafted. I mentioned the lip balm earlier and this body balm is scented and healing too. It’s in a small tin that you can carry with you for winter emergencies! All packaging is recyclable.

I LOVE getting gifts you can eat or drink. So practical! So I Included these favorites in case you agree with me and want to give them as well as receive.

[me] & goji: I love eating healthy cereals and was thrilled to discover this company! This is the first custom cereal and granola company, created for people with specific tastes and nutritional needs. Their sites offers over 40 natural and organic ingredients to choose from that include the healthiest superfoods on earth and you can create and name a mix for yourself, to give as a gift, or purchase a gift certificate so those you care about can create their own. I got my own. It was so much fun to go through the different choices and choose the varieties of grains, fruits and nuts. When my canister of custom made cereal arrived, I confess that I opened it and began munching right away. What a fabulous healthy treat and unusual gift for people who like to eat healthy!

800-4-COFFEE: The company says, “Why send flowers when you can send coffee?” I love coffee and these baskets are a practical gift for the holidays, to say thank you and more. These coffee and tea baskets, with other goodies that go well with these beverages, are perfect for any holiday or special occasion. Each one can be personalized with an added gift based on the recipients hobbies for that extra personal touch. The also have Healthy and Organic baskets and there’s an option to add a music CD to it. Use coupon code: DAYLLE for a 10% discount.

Soyfee: This is the first 100% Organic Soybean Coffee Alternative. I tried it and it’s an interesting drink. It had a pungent smell when I opened the bag but it was actually an enjoyable drink. I had the original roast, though it comes in flavors too, and I added some cinnamon to it, which I liked. It looks like coffee and while it tastes different, it did have a coffee feel when I drank it. If you need a healthy substitute for coffee, this might be the gift you need!

MISCELLANEOUS GOODIES

GreenPan: I worry about all the reports about Teflon pans being unhealthy to cook in. That’s why I was so delighted to get a GreenPan frying pan. It’s the first eco-friendly line of non-stick cookware made with Thermolon, a coating that’s completely PTFE-free and PFOA-free in manufacturing. I didn’t need to use cooking spray or oil and my food didn’t stick! It’s endorsed by celebrity chef Todd English and now me! It’s a great, long-lasting gift. Keep it in mind for a wedding or anniversary gift too!

5-Pack Car Care Kit: by Green Earth Technologies has the supplies to get your vehicle clean such as the G-Wash Car Wash, the G-Glass Glass Cleaner, the G-Wheel Brake Dust Removing Cleaner, the G-Tire Ultimate Tire Shine and the G-Wheel Brake Dust Shield. The appearance products are all safe to use by children, so parents can use the products with their kids and teach them the importance of being environmentally conscious. Green clean rocks!

Bejeweled 2: I love playing games. That’s why I’ve always avoided putting any into my computer. When I read about Bejeweled 2, it piqued my interest, since it was recommended for relaxation, which I can never get enough of. So I tried it and I must say, it has truly made a big difference for me. Whenever I’m feeling on edge or rushed, I allow myself 15 minutes of playing. It usually settles me down. It also helps me to be more focused. If you’re gonna get a game, this is a good one!

Good News Network: This is a clearinghouse for the gathering and dissemination of positive news stories from around the globe. They believe that good news isn’t in short supply; the advertising of it is. It may not be a material gift but getting good news each day will put a smile on the face of you and your loved ones. You can send a year of good news with a gift certificate for this positive service that sends good news to your computer every morning.

KIDS’ BOOKS

Archibald’s Swiss Cheese Mountain: by Sylvia Lieberman (Author), Jeremy Wendell (Illustrator) I LOVE this award-winning book! It’s bright and cheery for ages 4-8. It made ME smile looking through it. The book tells and illustrates the story of a little mouse with a big heart who helps children reach their big dreams. Archibald will delight any child who receives this book. It sure delighted me! Endorsed by a list of notable people, it teaches some valuable lessons about life in a very sweet way. A portion of sales goes to children’s charities.

All the Wrong People Have Self-Esteem: An Inappropriate Book for Young Ladies*: by Laurie Rosenwald. This is a really cute, very different kind of book for teenage girls who don’t like to conform. It’s illustrated with lots of fun pictures and thought provoking messages. It’s written by Laurie Rosenwald, an award winning designer who teaches a workshop called, “How to Make Mistakes on Purpose.” Her first picture book, And To Name But Just a Few: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, was named a Scholastic Parent & Child Best Book of 2007.

Hope you found my gift guide helpful! On Saturday I’ll post websites that sell products with proceeds going to charities or that have ways to make a difference in the world in someone’s name.

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

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