Stuff, stuff, stuff. I love a lot of it, especially the useful stuff that’s also pretty or nice or funny. If you’re on the hunt for holiday gifts, check out my Amazon Influencer list, aka, Rona Recommends. I add items every time I decide I’m madly in love with a purchase. Take a look around. These are all products I researched, bought and adore. I get a smidge of money if you buy any, but feel free to get them elsewhere. This list is about spreading the joy more than paying the rent.
This year’s faves, brand new to Rona Recommends:
The Warrior, an ultra-lightweight suitcase with miraculously useful wheels and a helpful strap on top for bulky items. It’s by Eagle Creek and has an lifetime warranty.
The perfect beach chair, for me, is low to the ground with decent shade cover and a cup holder. This GCI Outdoor Waterside SunShade Backpack Beach Chair has it all, and trust me I researched like nuts until I found it. (At this writing, the chair is on #blackfriday sale for
Delicious Disney, a the Disney cookbook of all Disney cookbooks. The author literally traveled to California to comb through corporate archives. You’ll see renderings of hidden spaces, classic and plant-based recipes, and way, way more. The author has worked with Disney chefs for decades, so she has knowledge and access above and beyond.
For more ideas, take a look at last year’s newest faves, which still merit placement on my oh-so-picky list:
When you want something sweet and delicious, without calories, this is it. It’s a chocolate, lavender and peppermint tea. No caffeine either. By the way, I discovered Christmas in Paris tea via a Sips By subscription, which is another excellent gift. The recipient receives monthly boxes full of interesting teas. One year after receiving a subscription, I’m giving the gift to others. It’s wonderful.
Now I prefer to do yoga and weight-lifting at home, but I hated it at the pandemic’s start. This board changed it all. Well, along with the Peloton app — and like me you can use the app without owning any Peloton exercise equipment. Back to the board: It breaks into two so it’s easy to move around. At first I found it tough to put back together, but after a few times it becomes a cinch. I move the yoga board from room to room as necessary, then have a firm, yet not painfully firm, base for my bicep curls and downward dogs.
I needed all new forks, knives and spoons, and just couldn’t resist this set. Peace signs and flower-power flowers are subtly imprinted on every handle. The set, by Liberty Tabletop, isn’t cheap. And more heft would be better. But the design makes me smile at every at-home meal.
This expensive item has been on my wishlist since a trusted reviewer went on and on about how handy it is. It’s over $700, so I never planned to buy it — then found myself in a situation where I actually needed a really good countertop convection toaster oven. So I tossed over the money and bought it. Should you? Probably not. But, gotta say, I love this thing. I cook whole dinners in it, which I never did with normal toaster ovens. I also heat up frozen stuff. This is a solidly made machine. It heats or cooks quickly and evenly. And it doesn’t heat up the house, which is a huge plus here in Florida. The convection fan, by the way, essentially makes this double as an air fryer. The toaster part is slooooow; I only use it if I’m melting cheese on top of bread. Otherwise I use this dumb little traditional toaster, which feels junky but so far does well for small jobs.