🎁 holiday gift guide for techies with good taste 👩🏻‍🍳

Here’s the first edition of my holiday gift guide.

This year’s theme is all about good taste (not junk).

My goal is to share a few of my favorite items from 2025 (some gifted, some gifted to myself 😉).

Nothing below contains affiliate links just simply a collection of pieces I love and think you’ll enjoy them too.

Do you have something you absolutely adore? Please reply and I’ll curate a part 2 from all of you!

Please let me know what you think.

For the home office

1. Heat pad for your desk: I randomly bought this on Amazon a few years ago and it’s been a WFH essential! It’s super stylish, functional (keeps your hands nice and toasty for zoom calls), and a small but mighty luxury for winter workdays for just $20.

   

2. Walking treadmill: This is my 3rd one after the first two broke (oops). So far, I really like this brand for 2 reasons: built-in handle bars for safety and great for watching things on your phone and you can jog/run if you’d like: walking (0.6–2.8 mph), jogging (3.0–3.8 mph), and running (4.0–7.5 mph). The only way I can hit 10K steps while at home!

For travel

1. Baggu travel accessories: Extremely kawaii, washable, and lightweight items. I did not realize this is a CULT brand. I’ve gotten so many compliments on my purse, travel bug, and laptop pouch (see below). Just looking at this sparks so much joy 🥹. I got all of my pieces from Sports Basement.

2. Away luggage - The Bigger Carry On: I received this as a gift for my wedding from Figma, and it’s been my staple for easy traveling since. They have amazing customer support (they gave me a new piece of luggage during a recall). The only problem is that so many people have them, so it’s easy to mix them up at the airport lol (hack: choose a unique color to tell them apart)

For your daily routine

1. RingConn smart ring: I finally decided to get a fitness ring without paying for the Oura+ + subscription. I did a TON of research and finally got it, and I’m honestly impressed. It tracks sleep, stress, activity, and your menstrual cycle. It’s super comfy (I forget it’s even on) and has motivated me to keep activity levels up. 10/10.

   

2. Nike Vomero Plus: I typically don’t swear by shoes, especially Nike, as I think they are overrated, but this one is worth the hype. I’m so happy I found stylish & comfortable walking shoes. I walk in these all day and have had ZERO issues. I usually wear HOKAS, but they aren’t the most fashionable shoes, so this is perfect.

3. Casetify phone strap: I bought these randomly at the mall in Thailand, and it’s been the perfect functional accessory since. It’s great to wear while traveling, hands-free, and so easy to put on and take off. I rotate between this and the MOFT tripod card case.

4. Milk frother for delicious lattes: I’ve been making healthy matcha lattes at home for years! It’s literally my go-to. I love how frothy my lattes are thanks to this machine. Just add your favorite milk, add a sweetener (I use Lakanto monkfruit from Whole Foods), and press a button, and in 1 minute you have yourself a quality latte (hot or iced) without running to Starbucks!

For the cozy minimalists

1. Kiehl’s advent calendar: My husband always surprises me with this every year, and it’s something I always look forward to. Such a fun and exciting way to count down until Christmas, and it is thoughtfully curated. I’m also surprised by the quality of their goods, and you’ll find full-size versions of the avocado eye cream, calendula cream, and more. These sell out, so get them while you can! We are STILL using items from last year!

2. Ostrichpillow heated neck wrap: I had zero expectations about this after getting it from a conference, but again, I was so pleasantly surprised! I pop it in the microwave for 60 seconds, take it out, then wrap it around my neck whenever I need to de-compress, and it’s become a daily ritual! I use it 3x a day (morning, afternoon, nighttime). A great, easy way to incorporate self-care in your day :)

I hope this guide helped you discover something new for yourself or someone you love.

If you try any of these, let me know!

P.S. I’m taking a break until 2026 to reflect on this past year and set intentions (and goals) for the new year. I hope you do too.

See you next year!

Jean

And you can read all the previous newsletters here 🎉