November 11, 2026 by suzanne day by day

Wish List Wednesday: Gift Ideas for the Dudes

I have a handful of very specific dudes in my life, and each one of them is exceedingly difficult to buy gifts for. Also, two of these dudes have Major Milestone Birthdays coming up, in addition to the winter holidays, and so I am twice as stumped.

All images from amazon.com unless otherwise noted.

Mens Sunday Slipper My husband hates having cold feet, and these look warm and elegant. Or maybe these slippers with arch support? (Image from bombas.com)

Puzzle Mania: I could see three out four of the dudes on my list enjoying this book.

Murdoku: Speaking of puzzles, I got this logic puzzle/Sudoku mashup for my husband for Father’s Day and he LOVES it. Ooooh – there’s a new one out. Maybe he needs it?

Darth Vader Fortune Teller: This little fortune teller cracks me up and I think my brother would love it.

Upton City Coat: My husband mentioned recently that he’d like a new fall-weight coat he can wear to work. This is lovely. (Image from Johnstonmurphy.com)

Messenger Bag: Speaking of workwear, my husband is also on the hunt for a more adult work bag. His current bag holds a TON of things, though, so it’s hard to find an adequate replacement. (Image from buffalojackson.com)

Insulated Lunch Bag: Maybe if I got my husband a heavy duty lunch box, he wouldn’t need to stuff IT into his messenger bag.

Smart Bird House: Not sure if this would be better for my father or my child, but they would both get such a kick out of watching birds nest.

The Rolling Stones: The Biography by Bob Spitz: I think my dad would enjoy this biography, as he’s a big Rolling Stones fan.

Joggers: I got a pair of these for my husband a couple of years ago and he loves them and wears them all the time. Maybe my brother and my father-in-law need their own pairs?

Footed pajamas: These are another thing that I got my husband ages ago that he still loves and wears. The best part is that you can wear them and take your feet out of the feet part, just in case your tooties get a little toasty. (Image from feejays.com)

Apocalypse Survival Set: Perhaps you, too, have a prepper in your life. Although if you have a REAL prepper, they probably have heavy duty versions of all these things already. Maybe this is for the not-quite-a-prepper person in your life? (Image from uncommongoods.com)

Bubble blanket: My husband is often chilly and my daughter and I tend to hog the available blankets all to ourselves. He clearly needs his own. Also, I want about four of these for our house. *Oprah voice*: Everybody gets a blanket!

Waterproof headphones: Maybe this would be better for Father’s Day, since we live in a part of the country that has winter, but I think my husband would enjoy swimming laps a lot more if he could listen to his tunes.

Animal Print Socks: These make me super uncomfortable but I think my brother, who loves a good gag gift, would enjoy them. (Image from wanderprints.com)

Merino Wool Socks: For the less quirky men in my life, these Bombas might be more appropriate. (Image from bombas.com)

LED Sports Ticker: This would be a major splurge, but I bet my husband would LOVE this.

Flight Tracker: Oh wow, he might like THIS even more. He has always been obsessed with airplanes, for as long as I’ve known him. He would get such a kick out of this. (Image from theflightwall.com)

Backyard Hammock: Hammocks make me kind of nervous, but I think my brother would get a lot of use out of one.

Ring Toss Game: Maybe he’d get just as much enjoyment out of a game for the backyard? Or there’s always axe throwing.

Cordless Smart Jump Rope: The ceiling in our workout room is too short to use a real jump rope, so this would be a cool alternative.

Cordless Screwdriver: My husband and my father both need one of these.

Thermal Imaging Camera: This is another tool that I think my dad and husband would enjoy. Do I have any earthly idea WHAT they would use it for? Not really, but I think they would love walking around our homes and seeing what’s hot and what’s cold.

Portable Tire Inflator: If you have a person in your life who enjoys gadgets and/or tools and/or cars, this is another one of those surprise mega hits with my husband.

George Washington Cap: My father-in-law loves a good cap, and he also loves history and the United States. This cap seems like the perfect intersection of those interests. (image from thehistorylist.com)

Promise of a Nation: He might also really enjoy this coffee table book. (Image from smithsonianstore.com)

Funko Pop: My brother and sister-in-law 100% need me to create mini figures in their likenesses. (Image from funko.com)

Laser Measuring Tool: I think every guy on my list would enjoy measuring all the things with this digital tool.

Diagnostic Scanner: I definitely want to get this for my husband; I bet my brother would like one, too. My dad has one and it allows him to diagnose (and then repair, because he is A Car Guy) issues with his engine. I might need to look into it a little more to see if this is the exact right one for their specific vehicles, but this is definitely a contender.

Anything Speaker: Ah yes, yet another gadget that I don’t 100% understand, but I think would really appeal to my husband and probably my brother, too. Using some kind of bone conduction vibration technology, it turns anything into a speaker.

Fancy Sweatshirt: My husband is always a sucker for a good sweatshirt, and he tried this one on earlier this year and loved it. I don’t know if I can behind the yellow, but it does come in other colors. (image from jcrew.com)

Scent Subscription: My husband has been really into fragrances for awhile now, and I think it would be fun to get him a fragrance subscription service to allow him to sample a bunch of different scents. (image from luxesb.com)

Dopp Kit: A nice travel toiletry bag is always a useful gift. Just depends on whether the people on my list already have one or not.

Travel Hoodie: My brother has some long distance travel coming up, and I keep seeing this hoodie with built in eye mask everywhere. I love how efficient a use of space it is.

Well, this list got a wee bit out of control. But I do feel as though I have a better handle on what I might get these fabulous men in my life.

November 4, 2026 by suzanne day by day

Wish List Wednesday: Gift Ideas for a Tween/Teen Girl

I mentioned yesterday that I have only the vaguest of ideas for holidays gifts for anyone this year. What better way to solidify those plans than by doing a little online shopping? Well, or at least online putting-into-my-cart-ing.

All images in this post are from amazon.com, except for the 3Doodler Candy, which is from Target.com. Links to amazon products are affiliate links.

The one thing I KNOW I am getting Carla is this drying hairbrush tool.

She’s recently gotten into crocheting. I don’t know a single thing about crocheting, but I love this kit with a bunch of brightly-colored yarns.

Oh! Or this little crochet project kit, where you can make CATS. I mean, this is enough reason for me to want to learn to crochet.

On a recent family trip, Carla noticed this board game and immediately requested it for Christmas.

We’ve got kind of a cat theme going, so why not lean in? This book about cats in myth and folklore sounds perfect for Carla.

I don’t really know if she NEEDS this little mindfulness Yeti, but it is SUPER cute.

Carla adores popping boba, and I found this great variety pack with different flavors. I would pair it with a package of fun fruit tea.

I tried to find a boba Jellycat and failed, but I did come across this bagel with shmear, which is darling. I don’t get the Jellycat craze, and certainly don’t understand why they are so expensive, but they are very soft and very cute.

Speaking of trends I don’t understand: Carla would love these squishy sticks of butter.

She has been wanting a little Polaroid camera for a long time. My biggest objection is buying film once she goes through what it comes with… but maybe that’s something she can spend her allowance on?

In terms of vintage/retro gadgets that are back in style, I think she would get a lot of use out of this MP3 player.

I’m pretty sure this flip book kit was in the running for last Christmas. It didn’t make the cut, but I think it’s SO cool.

Or maybe she’d like this create-your-own-filmstrip kit?

Carla and her cousin have gotten really into collecting Pokémon cards, and they require special storage. It’s amazing how quickly one can fill up a binder with these cards. Carla is in need of a new binder, like this one. Probably I would pair it with a bunch of Pokémon cards; apparently the Dollar Store is the best place to get those.

Speaking of Pokémon, Carla spotted this Pikachu in a store somewhere (Target?) and asked me to put it on her Christmas list. She is a sucker for an animatronic anything.

Ah, yes, it was Target. She spotted this 3D candy pen while we were there and wants that, too.

Every now and again, Carla dips into a bit of a witchy vibe. I think she would love these oracle cards.

Carla continues to love miniatures, and building things; this build-it-yourself greenhouse is the exact intersection of those two loves.

To that end, she would adore this Mini Brand bakery.

This feels like a good start for brainstorming. Are any of these items on your list for the tweens in your life? What is the Hot Gift among the tweens you know?

December 13, 2025 by suzanne day by day

Cat-Themed Gifts for Cats and Their Fans

When I was putting together the lists of gift ideas and stocking stuffer suggestions, I kept coming across delightful cat-themed options. Of course, cat stuff is kind of niche, and I know not everyone likes cats. (It’s okay; I still love you.) So just for fun, I collected a bunch of cat-specific gift ideas for our furry feline friends and the people who love them.

All images below from the accompanying sites linked to in the descriptions.
Some of the gift ideas below use affiliate links, which means I get a few cents if you click on a link and buy that product.

Cat feather wand: My cat and I play with this pretty much every day. (Today, he chose to play with a hair tie instead.) It is such an enduring favorite that we have three wands and a huge variety of feather clips and other “prey” to attach to the string.

Cat tree: I swore I would NEVER have a cat tree in my home; they are hideous and huge and I hate them. And it took all of two days for me to change my mind and welcome a cat tree into my home. It has been SUCH a good purchase. The cat uses it as a resting place, an observation station, a scratching post, a playground. Even though he is nearly three times the size he was when we first got this cat tree, it still “fits” him and he loves it. He spends HOURS there every day.

Cat carrier hoodie: A relative got one of these sweatshirts for my daughter and it has been a delight for cat and humans alike.

Cats and pansies art print: I love this and want to hang it in my office.

Cat Christmas tree: I do not need this, I do not need this, I do not need this. (I want this very badly.)

A Literary Cat for Every Day of the Year by Tara Richardson: Yes. This book sounds perfect.

Carpeted cat ramp: A lot of cat scratchers and ramps are made of cardboard or sisal. Both of those things are nice scratching surfaces, but my cat also LOVES the feel of carpet against his claws. This ramp is a nice alternative to the actual carpet.

Cat plates: I want these so badly I can hardly stand it.

Keepsake puzzle box: This is such a charming little box!

Cat spirals: If you want the biggest bang for your buck, these spirals are it. My cat goes crazy for these and will spend hours chasing them around our house. They do tend to disappear, though; usually under the oven, but also into inexplicable places I have yet to find.

Cat with martini art print: To me, there is something so impossibly elegant and chic about this painting.

Magnetic bookmarks: Cats peering out at you from a book? Yes.

Churu bites: These are my cat’s favorite treats. FYI: since they are little hollow shells filled with goo, they are the perfect vehicle for a hidden pill.

Cat socks: These look so soft.

Mug and sock set: Oh! I also love this little grouping of cozy catware! This would make such a good gift for the cat sitter!

Window bird feeder: My cat would never leave the window if we got him this bird feeder.

Da Vinci’s Cat by Catherine Gilbert Murdock: My daughter and I read this book a few years ago, and it was a really fun read featuring a time traveling cat.

Cat tunnel: Santa is planning to bring this to my cat for Christmas. Shhh – don’t tell him.

Cat spoon rest: These are darling.

Catnip bubbles: I think my cat would be fascinated by bubbles, but I haven’t tried these yet.

Cat T-shirt: Endless options abound, but I love the expressions on this foursome.

Nambe cat photo frame: I love Nambe products – they are so sleek and elegant – and I like the idea of having a cat-shaped frame that isn’t too overtly cat-y.

Cat bookends: I already have these in my office, and I love them because they are very subtle. However, I would love a pair that are more noticeably cats. These are contenders, too.

Interactive cat toy with moving feather: One of the challenges of having a cat is keeping him entertained. An entertained cat is a cat that stays out of trouble. Mostly. This toy is so good at keeping him occupied without my intervention. He mainly ignores the little butterfly wand on the top of the toy, and he only occasionally swats at the track balls, but he LOVES the little feather guy that appears and disappears at random.

Amazing Cat Stories by Karen Roberts: This title sounds perfect for the cat fan.

Cats notecards: I keep promising myself I will send more mail. These cards would help a ton with motivation.

Exploding Kittens game: This is a durable hit around our house.

Cat slippers: There are so many fun options for cat slippers. What a time to be alive!

Carpeted cat scratcher: My cat LOVES this scratcher. His favorite thing is to run full speed toward the scratcher, dive under it, and bat at the little hanging feather toy on the other side. This maneuver is equal parts startling and hilarious.

Cat castle puzzle: I’m not a fan of jigsaw puzzles, but my husband is and I know he would love this puzzle.

Scratching post: We have MULTIPLE scratchers in our house, in an effort to keep the kitty from ruining our carpet and furniture. He’s a big cat, so we wanted a nice sturdy scratching post and this one is great. He’s eleven pounds and leaps at the vertical post and it has never tipped over.

Cat hair clips: I love that these are subtle and come in lots of color options.

Wall hooks: Can you imagine how fun it would be to build a décor theme around these hooks?

Cat planter: These are adorable.

Cat handbag: I’m normally pretty simple and utilitarian when it comes to my handbags, but this cat crossbody is charming.

Find the Cat puzzle book: My daughter came across this in a bookstore recently and spent a very long time flipping through the pages.

Little Kitty, Big City game for Nintendo Switch: My daughter requested this game for Christmas.

Cat grass kit: We bought this for our cat and he LOVES it. He alternates between chewing on the grass, dropping spirals into it, and hiding behind it to pretend he’s a tiger. The cat grass grows amazingly quickly.

We’ll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida: I have seen this book all over the place lately, and it sounds so charming.

Cat vase: I want this.

Petcube 360-degree camera: My friend got a pet camera for her dogs and it has provided endless entertainment and comfort. I would love to know what my cat gets up to when I’m not around.

Bathroom sign: This cracks me up.

Cat trivia book: If you have a kid who loves cats and facts, this would be a fun stocking stuffer.

Cat earrings: These are the kinds of earrings that make me want to have pierced ears! They are so cute. As are these.

I Am a Cat by Galia Bernstein: This is one of my – and my daughter’s – favorite picture books of all time. The illustrations are fabulous and the story is sweet.

Cat post-it dispenser: Yes please.

Cat butt makeup kit: My kid would get such a kick out of this. There are plenty of other cute and stylish options if you aren’t into the rear view of the cat.

Hooded sherpa blanket: We got this for my daughter for Christmas. It is so soft.

Weighted eye mask: I just love this, that’s all.

How to Draw Squishy Cats & Kittens by Vera Kay: My kid would have so much fun with this book!

Microwavable cat heating pad: This cracks me up. Of course a cat would be perfect for soothing cramps or sore muscles.

Cat origami kit: What a fun little craft kit.

Nathan Pyle art print: I love Nathan Pyle cartoons and he has several fantastic cat-specific art prints.

Cat coloring book: The perfect soothing activity while your cat purrs next to you. These cat-inspired colored pencils would be the perfect accompaniment.

LEGO cat: Build your own cat!

Cat mug: I have several cat mugs but that doesn’t prevent me from wanting one more.

Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag: This book – which I read as a child and then read to my own child – is weird and unsettling and wonderful.

Cat towel: I’m always in the market for a cute towel. I like this one too.

Cat apron: Even though I’ve worn an apron maybe twice ever, I think this is SO cute and want to have it immediately.

Cats & Art: 50 Masterpieces & Their Cat Breeds by Susie Hodge: Such a gorgeous coffee table book.

Cat wine charms: Super charming (pun intended).

Cat note pad: I have some cat themed notepads and they make jotting down grocery lists and phone messages much more fun.

The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth: I loved this book when I was a kid and have a copy to read with my daughter.

Window hammock: Next to his cat tree, this is the place where my cat spends most of his time. He loves keeping an eye on the neighborhood from his window vantage point. And my neighbors tell me constantly how fun it is to spot him from the street when they are out walking.

Interactive ball with tail: My cat is half terrified, half intrigued by this weird automated ball, but whatever feelings it inspired, it keeps him occupied for long stretches. It does make a very annoying cheeping noise that I could do without.

Inspired by Cats: Writers and Their Mews(es) by Bob Eckstein and Nava Atlas: Um, this is very me-coded.

Freeze dried turkey treats: Fish products don’t sit well with my cat, and yet so many cat foods and treats contain fish! Even if they say they are chicken flavored! So I was pleased to find these turkey treats for him. He LOVES them.