New Mom Wellness Gift Basket #HappyAlltheWay

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I don’t know about you, friends, but one of my favorite things about the holiday season is trying to find *the* perfect gift for each of my friends and family members!  I love it when I’m able to find or create something I know is going to bring a smile to their faces!  This year, I put together a very special gift basket for my bestie, Erin, with a little help from the Walgreens Holiday Gift Guide!

This holiday season is a very special one for Erin, since she just gave birth to her third son on November 15th!  I was honored to be one of her labor coaches, spending several hours with her in the hospital and trying to help as much as I could.  I even brought her a craft project to do to get her mind off the pain.  Can you believe she didn’t want to make it right then?!  Haha.  I was especially honored that unlike her husband and her dad, I wasn’t ordered to leave the room for telling bad jokes.  The next day, I got to be one of the first people to meet and hold Baby C, and I had the special job of photographing the moment when his big brothers met him for the first time.

As I brainstormed what to give Erin for Christmas, I just kept thinking about how tiring it can be when you’re a new mom.  I thought about how easy it is for all moms to pour out all their energy taking care of their kiddos and the hubby and not really take time out to care for ourselves.  Two energetic toddlers plus a new baby is a recipe for sleep deprivation and very little “me-time,” I’m sure!  But we all know that the truth is, we have to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others.  I wanted to give Erin some gifts that were just for her.  Some things to promote her wellness physically, mentally, and emotionally. Things to pamper and treat herself.  Girly things.  Things that were just for her.

When I got the Walgreens gift guide, I was pleasantly surprised to see the variety of gift ideas and deals that were just the kinds of things I was thinking about for my friend. It features deals on makeup, body care, edible treats, and more, not to mention sections for kids, for men, and for throwing the perfect party! Not only that, it also contains fun facts and tips, like this guide to the perfect holiday cat-eye!  Score!  So, armed with the gift guide, I headed to our local Walgreens with my favorite little elf.

He had a blast helping me pick out just the right things for his beloved “Ms. Erin,” especially when we got to the holiday candy section!  When it was time to pay, I used my Walgreens app to earn my Balance Reward points and take advantage of all the special deals.  I was also able to use one of the coupons found in the back of the gift guide for Almay makeup.

We headed home with our bags of goodies and set out to make a personal pampering basket, full of things Erin can use to take good care of herself in all kinds of different ways!

So, what’s in the basket?  I’m so glad you asked!  Take a look!

A – InStyle magazine I figured this was a great indulgence; something she might not buy herself but would enjoy looking through.  A nice break from reading Dr. Seuss and board books all day.

B- Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter  Nothing says pampering like shea butter!  I’m a huge fan of Olay anyway {remember, you can vote for me to become one of P&G Beauty’s New Voices of Beauty through Dec. 6th!!!} and I figured this body wash would be a great choice for winter weather.

C- Venus razor with Olay moisture bars  I want to try this myself!

D – Olay Quench Ultra Moisturizing Lotion  With winter weather comes dry skin, which means it’s important to have a good lotion on hand!  I figured Erin could use it herself, or convince her hubby to give her a nice back or foot massage with lotion!

E – Gilette Satin Care with Olay Shave Gel  All four items, B-E, came together in a special gift package for just $10!  What an amazing price!  You can find other gift sets like this advertised on p. 33 of the Gift Guide!

F – Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino  Erin and I are both suckers for Starbucks, especially when mocha is involved.  I noticed on p. 38 of the Gift Guide that 4 packs of these bottled frappuccinos were just $4.99, which is a great deal.  Trust me.  I buy these a lot, so I know what they sometimes cost other places!

G – Almay Intense i-color Smoky palette  Erin is less into makeup than I am; she likes a more natural look.  But, a touch of these brown and very neutral shades will help her feel pampered, put-together and look awake {even if she’s not!}.  I had a $1 coupon for this, and saw the deal on p. 24.

H – Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturing Lip Balm: Minty Sheer  Erin doesn’t wear much lipstick or lip gloss, but this sheer lip balm will keep her lips feeling moisturized with shea butter and Vitamin E.  Little Crafter chose the mint flavor, which she’ll love.  We found this on p. 27 of the guide, on sale for just $3.99!

I – Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towlettes  These are on p. 24 of the Gift Guide, just 2/$10 or $5.99 ea. for a pack of 25.  They’re an easy way to leave your face feeling fresh and clean in the morning and at the end of the day.

J – Russell Stover Peppermint Bark Snowman  Because…peppermint bark.  Who needs a reason?

K – M&M Holiday Ornament Gift Tin  This was on p. 13 of the guide along with other chocolate yumminess.  Little Crafter picked out a green one for Ms. Erin.  She loves chocolate.

L – Reese’s Peanut butter holiday tree  More yummy sweet treats that she doesn’t have to share!

M – Purple Bath Poof  One more way to enjoy a good bath!

Here’s hoping Erin loves the finished gift basket and that it helps her to feel great in every way!  Because she is!  I’m hoping these little pampering and sweet treats will remind her to take time out for herself!  Love ya, E!

What about you?  Who in your life could use a special gift basket full of things to keep them healthy and happy?

Hugs & Glitter,