We’re talking about the best presents I got for Christmas!

Here’s the thing: We often see a ton of gift guides in November and December, but what happens to all those ideas after the rush of the holidays is over? That’s where this post comes in.

We’re talking about a few of the gifts I received last year during the holiday season of 2022 that I absolutely love. Now, I’m also including things that I received for my birthday, because my birthday is just two days before Christmas. For the purposes of the title of the post, we’ll pretend these are all holiday gifts.

I hope you enjoy this look into what I’m loving right now. Here we go …

(I’m using affiliate links for some of the items below. The purchase price is not altered, but if you order from my links, you’ll support me. So thanks for that!)

Five of the best presents I got for Christmas that I’m using and wearing

1. Stanley 40-ounce water cup with handle

I’ve already shared about my Stanley cup in a current faves post, but it needs to be on this list too. Dave gave me this large and special water cup for my birthday on December 23rd, and I’ve been sipping out of it all day long every day since. I’ll use this cup forever, and when it’s done, I’ll get another. That’s the story. Just get one. I know it’s pricey, but it’s so good.

The handle is awesome and makes it much more convenient to bring the cup everywhere, because my previous cup didn’t have a handle, and I dropped it a few times. The Stanley cup fits in a standard car cupholder. It keeps things hot and cold. It’s dishwasher safe. And it fits 40 ounces of water, which is a lot. By the way, this cup often sells out, so if you click on the link and it’s not available, just put your name on the notify list to hear back when it becomes available. If you want to invest in a cup that you’ll enjoy drinking out of and looking at, this is the one. Find the 40-ounce Stanley tumbler I have here.

2. UGG Shearling animal print slippers

My feet are so happy! For Christmas, Dave got my mom some pink loafer UGG slippers, and he got me some animal print UGG slippers. I slid my feet into these things, and it was like a cozy little home for them. We’ve had some seriously cold temperatures in Charlotte the last month or so off and on, and I’ve had these on my feet non-stop. I love that I slide right into them, and they’re not too heavy to walk around in, even when I’m tired.

Although these are warm slippers, because we have wood floors on the bottom floor of our house, I can see myself wearing these all year. Have you ever put your foot in an UGG? These are my first UGGs, and it’s just so nice. Find the UGG Scuffette Shearling slippers I have here.

3. Nike full-zip tech fleece hoodie

If there was one item that I needed in my wardrobe before the holidays, it was definitely a black full-zip hoodie. I ordered one from Lululemon that I didn’t love, so I returned it and knew this was a missing element for me. Why? Because I wear a lot of black to teach classes, and I always need something loose to zip up over my tanks. That way, it’s a quick transition after I’m all set up for class, just to un-zip and get ready to go (I don’t love pulling sweatshirts over my head, because it messes up my hair).

Well, without me saying I needed it, Dave bought me this full-zip Nike hoodie, and it’s the perfect item for my needs. Also, I’ve seen a lot of athletes on TV wearing the same one since he got it for me, and I love that. I’m in a small, and it comes in many colors. And I was actually wearing this hoodie while writing the majority of this post, sitting in a booth at my local Starbucks. Find my Nike full-zip tech fleece hoodie here.

4. Unhide Faux Fur Shleepy Wearable Blanket Robe

Before we get into this one: What does it say about me that everyone gets me casual house clothes? Apparently my casual vibe is well known, and I’m okay with that.

While my UGG slippers have real fur, this amazing robe I received for Christmas has faux fur, and it’s so chunky, yet light at the same time, and I don’t know how it does that. It’s also got a hood and deep pockets, and I love the pockets, because I always put my phone in there.

Also, this robe is considered a wearable blanket, and I can definitely wrap it around me like a blanket. Rudy loves this robe too, and I wrap him up in it when carrying him around the house (I never talk about my obsession with our small maltipoo, Rudy, but it’s real, and this small fact is just one of many weird things I do with him on the daily.)

My brother, Matthew, and my sister-in-law, Stephanie, got me this robe for Christmas, and I don’t know how they heard about this brand, but I love it. This robe/blanket would make an incredible gift for someone (or for yourself), because it’s been such a nice addition to my home life. I have the beige bear color, by the way, and it matches with so many other things in my house, including the couch, where I just blend in now. Find my Unhide Faux Fur Shleepy Robe here.

5. Oliver Thomas tennis backpack

I’ve almost been playing tennis for a full year, and during that time, I’ve either carried my racket in my hand or tried to shove it awkwardly into a regular bag. And that was all fine and good for many months, until it wasn’t.

But now that I’ve been playing longer and have the proper attire and shoes and my skills are improving, it seemed about time to get a real tennis bag. I had done a ton of looking around a while back and had heard great things about this brand by Oliver Thomas. I guess Dave remembered one of my evening scrolls from months ago, and then he chose the perfect black and white backpack for me.

I’ve been using this backpack every time I’ve gone to play tennis (when coming straight from home) since. The shiny-and-quilted-vibe looks a lot like my other favorite brand of bags, MZ Wallace, but this one is from a boutique brand that only makes tennis/sports gear. This bag is machine washable. It has a really cute liner inside. And it fits a ton of stuff, on top of a couple tennis rackets in the front. I’m a fan, so this is totally worthy of a spot on the best presents I got for Christmas list. Find my Oliver Thomas tennis backpack here.

Other honorable mentions …

While the list above includes my five favorite, I can’t neglect to mention some other items worthy of a mention on the best presents I got for Christmas that I’m loving and using (or will use) … 

• New planner and pen — My mom bought me the perfect planner and a fancy floral pen, and I put those items to use right away. Who else uses a hard-copy planner? I literally couldn’t live without it.
• Show tickets — Dave got us ticket to see the new Michael Jackson show “MJ the Musical” in October in Charlotte, and I can’t wait. We watched a YouTube preview, and it looks amazing.

That concludes my list of the best presents I got for Christmas that I’m loving, using and wearing. Thank you for stopping by the blog, and I hope you have an amazing day! xoxo

Other posts you may like …

• The 10 most popular items I’ve shared that you’ve bought in 2022 (reader favorites)
• My current favorite workout clothes that I always wear to teach classes
• What it’s like starting tennis as an adult

Questions of the day for you

What’s one gift you received for the holidays that you love?

What’s one thing on your wish list for this year?