Narrator:  Hi everybody, my name is Remy. Welcome to the For the Love Podcast, with your host Jen Hatmaker, my mom. She writes books and speaks to crowds. But she mostly loves talking to amazing people, every week, on this podcast. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the show.

Jen:  Hey, everybody. It is Jen Hatmaker. Welcome to the For the Love Podcast.

I am thrilled to have you here for a lot of reasons. First of all, we are kicking off a brand new series today that I am so excited about. It’s called For the Love of Giving, appropriately, and I cannot tell you how much fun I have had recording it for you. I mean, I am introducing you to some absolutely top-drawer human people. You are going to love them, their missions, their work, their companies. It’s fabulous.

But today’s episode is a fan fave. I know it’s definitely one of mine. I have a special guest today, and this is our second annual Christmas Holiday Shopping Gift Guide. That might have been too many words, but we have curated a list of companies who not only offer the most beautiful products—and I mean that as sincerely as I possibly can, you’ll hear, you’ll see—but every single one of them gives back in some way. They are companies with a conscience. They are gifts with a purpose, whether it is their hiring practices or where they give a portion of their proceeds or how they source. You are going to be blown away by what you hear today. Every single one of these is the place to spend your Christmas dollars. It’s that simple. Absolutely gorgeous stuff.

Brandon . . . oops, I gave it away. My “special guest” and I will go through these and tell you what we loved about them and what our favorite parts were and what we would want you to know if we were getting them. We are your guides today through your holiday shopping conundrums, and so I’m thrilled to kick off the series with this fabulous episode, just in time as you sort of turn up the heat on gift buying and product shopping. I am here for you, and you are going to love this episode.

So without any further ado, help me welcome my special guest as we kick off the first episode of the For the Love of Giving series.

Okay, everybody. Welcome to the show. I have a guest.

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Brandon: Hey, guys. How are you?

Is it funny already?

Jen: I don’t know. It’s a little funny. My guest is the person that I am married to.

Brandon: That’s me.

Jen: And his name is Brandon, and we did this gift guide last year for the podcast to rave reviews. And it was so much fun and we enjoyed it so much that we decided we are absolutely going to repeat this fun episode for you this year. Thank you for being my guest today.

Brandon: Of course. I love doing it. Great time of the year to partner together and figure out what we’re doing, as well as maybe help some other folks out.

Jen: That’s true. Now, I’ve said this before and I’m absolutely on record here, but when it comes to gifts— buying gifts, giving gifts—one of us is better than the other, and would you like to discuss your thoughts on which of us is the superior gift giver in this union?

Brandon: It feels like a setup, but since I know that we’re doing a podcast on gift giving and you’ve said it many times before, I’m probably a little bit better than you are.

But the truth is I wasn’t always a great gift giver. I remember some early Christmases where I blew it.

Jen: Oh, my gosh. Now that you’re saying that, that is true, and I would love for you to tell that story.

Brandon: Well, I don’t know. I mean, we were early. I remember a number of things you said you wanted.

Jen: Meaning, just in my life.

Brandon: But you said that weeks prior to Christmas, and so I thought you would want those actual items and—

Jen: Which were?

Brandon: Well, they were mostly kitchen items and cooking items.

Jen: Like, let’s get specific.

Brandon: I don’t even remember. I don’t know, a toaster oven or something like that.

Jen: A toaster oven?

Brandon: You said you wanted a toaster oven, maybe, or microwave and things like that. Also a video recorder, and I bought that.

Jen: Yes, but you—

Brandon: But I see now. I see now.

Jen: Yes. Yes, and the video recorder. Now, this was back in the day, guys, when we had video recorders. For my young listeners, that was a thing that you propped on your shoulder and recorded videos when you didn’t have a camera on your phone. We didn’t have phones.

But, you know, I was obviously not going to be the user of the video camera. That was going to clearly be your domain.

Brandon: Yeah, right. Kind of like the Jamie Foxx tickets you bought me for Father’s Day one year.

Jen: Look, listen. Look. I know that I am not good at gift giving, so—

Brandon: Well, I did not claim that at that moment. I think that was a lesson giving or lesson learning year for me, and so it’s evolved over the years, and what that means is that everyone, there’s hope for you.

Jen: That’s true.

Brandon: Regardless of where you land on the scale of thoughtful gifting.

Jen: That’s true.

Brandon: I think just the fact you’re listening to this podcast, whether you agree with our gifts or not, I think is a good step forward, because you’re putting in the advanced effort.

Jen: Hey, that was like a world-class segue. It’s like you are a podcast host.

Brandon: I listen to some of the best podcasts out there.

Jen: This one?

Brandon: It’s the only podcast I listen to.

Jen: Okay. That’s nice.

So guys, Brandon is not lying to you. This is a good day for you, especially if you’re a little bit more like me and you’re not necessarily the best gift giver and need a little bit of support, a little bit of instruction. So you are in for a treat over the course of the next hour. Also, for any of my listeners who like to prioritize gifts that give back in some way, gifts with a conscience, gifts with some really amazing built-in component to serve other people in some way, every single product we’re about to talk to you about on this episode is like that. Every one of them has just a real amazing mission on top of giving us, I mean, some really like top-drawer products. Seriously, we’re surrounded by them right now. They’re all around us.

Oh, and hey, before we get into it, know every single one of them is offering some sort of deal for my podcast listeners, and so not only are these fantastic recommendations, but you have codes for every single thing we’re going to tell you for discounts and free shipping and all kinds of cool stuff. So like this is the next hour well spent for you.

Brandon: You’re literally saving money by listening to this podcast right now. That’s what we’re saying to you.

Jen: Okay. Is everybody ready? And let me say this to you in advance because we’re diving in: Every single thing we are going to mention, you guys, if ever you use the podcast transcript page over at my website at JenHatmaker.com, this is the episode to do it. Amanda—who you all very well know by now, my second brain—will have loaded every product up on the page with pictures, with links, with all the product or like gift codes that we’re going to give you.

You don’t have to remember any of this. You don’t have to write it down. You don’t have to like almost have a wreck in your car trying to write it in your or speak it into your . . . what do you want to say? What am I trying to say? When you speak into your phone with notes, your phone notes. So you can find all of this over at JenHatmaker.com under the Podcast tab, and every little bit of it will not only be spelled out for you, but you can see what it all looks like.

THE HATMAKER HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Okay. Let’s start with this first one. So we tried to curate a bunch of gifts that were for everybody, the men, the women, the kids, people who like cozy, people who like shiny. So there’s a little bit of . . . the foodie. There’s something for everybody in here.

So let’s start with something for the women—and by the way, guys, don’t imagine for one second that you can’t hear something that you love on today’s episode and send the link to a person that will be shopping for you. Right? There’s no shame in that game.

Brandon: Nope, not at all.

Jen: People want to know what to buy you. They don’t want to guess. Trust me. From somebody who doesn’t know how to buy presents, I love to know exactly what you want. That thrills me.

Okay. Let’s start with this first one. So we tried to curate a bunch of gifts that were for everybody, the men, the women, the kids, people who like cozy, people who like shiny. So there’s a little bit of . . . the foodie. There’s something for everybody in here.

So let’s start with something for the women—and by the way, guys, don’t imagine for one second that you can’t hear something that you love on today’s episode and send the link to a person that will be shopping for you. Right? There’s no shame in that game.

#1. 31 BITS

Whether you’d ask somebody for this or you buy this for somebody else, I want to tell you a little bit about 31 Bits.

Now, I have zero doubt that you’ve probably already heard about this company before. I know you’ve heard about it from me certainly. They’ve been around for a while, a little bit more than 10 years now, but 31 Bits has caught the attention of folks like Jessica Alba, Sophia Bush, Candace Cameron. Their products have shown up in magazines like Forbes and Harper’s Bazaar and Elle, and all for good reason.

So this company was started by friends Kallie, Alli, Jessie, Anna, and Brooke. And this is cute, they were all juniors at the same college starting to consider what their next step was in their big “life plans.” So Kallie it turns out took a life-changing trip to Uganda, a country that Brandon and I have both been to and love, where she met women her own age who had grown up in war and they had nothing.

They were living in drastically different conditions from what she and her friends knew back home, but these women were industrious and skilled and creative, and they were making the most beautiful jewelry out of paper beads, of course. So Kallie returned home with like a whole box full of jewelry made by these incredible women, and of course her friends fell in love with it, too. Who wouldn’t? And they started selling these pieces at local events.

They realized pretty quickly that these artisans that they were helping were clearly talented, and they just needed a new market in which to sell their creations, and so that’s how 31 Bits was born. I could not possibly love it more. They were honestly among some of the pioneers of ethical fashion, sort of cultivating a holistic development program that enabled their artisan partners to graduate after five years with their own businesses. I mean, it’s really, really pioneering work.

So in the 10 years since 31 Bits has been operational, they have graduated over 100 empowered women. And in the past couple of years they’ve expanded their areas of impact to include Indonesian artisans, as well, and the company now has literally hundreds of stores across the US.

The company is named, I don’t know if you picked up on the name, but it’s named after Proverbs 31, which describes a diligent woman providing and caring for her family using her gifts and talents. So it’s just so on point here. “Bits” comes from the perfect product that started it all, the company’s like original best-selling jewelry made from bits of paper.

So I want to highlight a couple of 31 Bits products that we particularly love this year. The company has partnered with a lot of talented artisans, and the two products I’m going to tell you about right now were handcrafted by artisans in Bali. In fact, this first item is the product of a collaboration they have with a very business-savvy woman named Merlin, who created their collection of marble goods, including our first pick, their—I mean, I’m not using this word lightly—gorgeous Marble and Brass Cheese Board. It also weighs about 100 pounds.

Brandon: It does. It’s a two-hander.

Jen: It is positively a two-hander.

So Merlin partners with other artisans in Java who specializes in cutting marble, and they came up with this cutting board that is perfect for displaying your cheeses, your hors d’oeuvres at your holiday parties. It’s really thick. It’s 12-inch by seven-inch marble board with this brass handle. It’s very sophisticated. I would notice it across the room. Just takes your food presentation up a notch.

So it retails for $80, but keep listening because we’ve got some special offers for you you’re going want to use. If somebody gave me that as a gift, I would freak out. It is so pretty. So that’s one.

Another item that we love, also made by artisans in Bali, is their Slender Serving Spoon Set.

Brandon: Yeah, it’s really pretty.

Jen: I know. I feel like I’m not going to do it justice. You’ve got to go to my website and look at what this looks like. So not only are they functional, this set of spoons, but you can set them out for a dinner party or special occasion, obviously. But they’re so stylish that they’d actually make pretty décor, if you had them on display somewhere. They’re made out of brass.

Brandon: They’re like hammered brass, too.

Jen: Yes.

Brandon: It’s really cool.

Jen: Like, hammered brass. They each come in a set of three. They’re like great for serving tapas or sauces or little appetizers, and each one has a little saying inscribed on the handle, like “Eat your greens” or “More please” or “Dessert first.” I mean, they are really, really, really cute. It’s a super cute hostess gift.

So the set usually goes for $58, but let me tell you how you can score them cheaper. So to get any of these items that I am mentioning, or just to browse the other beautiful products at 31 Bits, go to 31Bits.com, and the code that you will put in at check-in is FORTHELOVE, all together, FORTHELOVE. This expires on December 31st, and what you get is a 20% discount on your entire purchase with a $50 minimum. So that’s pretty good, 20% off everything you purchase, as long as it’s a $50 minimum.

And I just want to point this out. 31 Bits rarely ever offers site-wide discounts, but they are making an exception for our For the Love listeners, so whole site, whole order 20% off, 31Bits.com, code FORTHELOVE. I mean, talk about an amazing, amazing gift.

Brandon: Yeah, that’s some pretty good stuff.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 20% off your entire purchase with a $50 minimum order from 31 Bits using the code FORTHELOVE at checkout. Valid through December 31, 2018.

 

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#2. FIRE DEPT. COFFEE CO.

Jen: Why don’t you take the next one?

Brandon: Good way to start.

Man, so you know what? We’re always looking for great organizations and the right people to give to. It’s one of the reasons Jen and I started Legacy Collective a couple years ago, and one of the things we love is supporting our first responders, supporting our military. And this next one just feels really special right now in light of what’s happening with our friends on the West Coast dealing with all the devastating wildfires. If we’ve seen anything in the past few years with the Camp and Woolsey fires, most recently in California the Carr Fire they had a few months earlier, Gatlinburg wildfires a few years ago, 9/11, my goodness, it’s that our firefighters and first responders are providing an immeasurable service to our communities. Man, they’re the ones that run in when everyone else is running out.

Of course, we are thrilled to shine a bright spotlight on a company that puts firefighters and first responders at the center of their mission, and we get to do so while talking about something very close to our hearts.

Jen: Like, literally, our shared value.

Brandon: Yes. That is coffee.

Jen: Yes.

Brandon: And so Fire Department Coffee, very aptly named, very simple, easy to remember, was started by a husband and wife duo, Kate and Luke.

When they met, Kate was a barista at a local coffee house, and Luke was and still is a firefighter in Rockford, Illinois. And they started this venture together with the idea of using their product to support the brave men and women serving us every day.

And so 10% of the proceeds from every single order, and that’s a big . . . I mean, you think about it, you’re trying to start some kind of a, any kind of a company, and right off the top 10%. You know the percentages that are going to taxes and overhead. To be able to commit 10% of all the proceeds supporting specifically injured firefighters and first responders with PTSD, the resources and medical supplies that they need.

Another cool thing is that their team is staffed with veterans and first responders.

Jen: Yeah, I love that.

Brandon: So it’s a pretty cool organization. We all drink coffee.

Jen: Yes.

Brandon: This is some great coffee, and let me tell you about a couple of their products that we really like that I think are really unique.

Jen: I know. I can’t wait about this.

Brandon: Yeah, especially for this season.

One, everybody has got to have your staple coffee, the one that you go to. Their Original Coffee is a blend of Central and South American coffees. It’s really rich, it’s really bold, but many times when you have a really rich or bold coffee it ends up being bitter, but this one is not bitter at all.

Jen: It’s delicious.

Brandon: Yeah, it’s actually really smooth, and I think that’s because it’s the blend. It’s not just a South American. It’s a Central and South American, different coffee beans coming together.

Jen: Do you know this about coffee now?

Brandon: I’m a connoisseur, babe.

Jen: A bean connoisseur?

Brandon: Are you kidding me?

Jen: How do you know about—

Brandon: It only makes sense.

Jen: What do you know about Central and South America blends?

Brandon: Here’s what I know about blends: If you’re going to get a bourbon and it’s blended, it’s going to be smoother and more consistent than a single barrel.

Jen: Oh, my gosh. Speaking of bourbon, did you do that segue on purpose?

Brandon: No.

Jen: Go to the next part.

Brandon: Oh. Well, yeah. I didn’t, but I’m about to go there.

Jen: You subconsciously did it.

Brandon: I subconsciously did that.

Jen: You did.

Brandon: You asked me where my knowledge came from, and there it is.

Jen: Okay.

Brandon: So here’s the deal. First, their original coffee is amazing, but here’s a really unique, really unique coffee. For those with a slightly more, let’s call it a sophisticated palate, I really like their line of Spirit-Infused Coffees. So what they’ve done, it’s not just a spiked coffee. These are infused with spirits like bourbon, tequila, rum, Irish whiskey, my favorite.

Jen: I know, right?

Brandon: Obviously, the alcohol content is removed when they roast, when the roasting is—

Jen: Sure.

Brandon: You can really taste it. And then there’s, really like the bourbon-infused coffee, bold, smooth. The aroma is just . . . it’s crazy.

Jen: It’s crazy. Like I want to just sprinkle my pillow with the grounds of that coffee and then just sleep in it every night.

Brandon: That’s a little weird.

Jen: Is it?

Brandon: But we’ll go with it.

Jen: Well, I wouldn’t say it’s weird at all. I think it feels absolutely reasonable.

Brandon: So they have the whole bean, they have it ground, but also if you’re a Keurig user, they have 12-packs of K-cups available, so that’s a cool way to get the day started.

So they have that, and then finally, not only all the different blends, but there’s also a holiday blend. They have a Christmas Blend. One thing I’m going to talk about here today: When it comes to gift giving, sometimes the presentation is as important as the product, and so—

Jen: That’s true. Let me just say this real quick. I want to just say this about their Christmas blend: It’s flavored like dark-chocolate-covered cherries with like spice of vanilla.

Brandon: Yeah. I mean, you can’t go wrong with that.

Jen: You cannot go wrong with that.

Brandon: You can put that on cardboard and it’d be yummy.

Jen: Seriously.

Brandon: So anyways. That’s a holiday favorite, great stocking stuffer. It comes in a special holiday bag.

Jen: Also, a good like teacher gift.

Brandon: Exactly. I think a lot of these are phenomenal teacher gifts by the way, but more information, to see all the info on all the things that they do, go to FireDeptCoffee.com. Obviously, when you’re checking out, the code ForTheLove, and here’s the deal: This offer for you expires never, so you can continue to use it, and they are going to give you 25% off everything that they have.

Jen: Like forever, you guys.

Brandon: All products, 25%.

Jen: Forever. For the rest of your life, you can get Fire Department Coffee at 25% off until you are dead.

Brandon: Yeah, super cool bag, super cool presentation of this thing, too.

Jen: Oh, yeah.

Brandon: So right now everybody that drinks coffee, just go order these. I mean, it’s good. You’re doing some good. There’s so much going on right now with the wildfires, what a great way to support and to do something very significant, very relevant to what’s going on today.

Jen: Absolutely. I love that stuff.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 25% off your entire purchase from Fire Department Coffee using the code ForTheLove at checkout. This great offer does not expire so bookmark this page and come back whenever you’re ready for a refill!

 

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Okay, here’s the next company, and you’ve probably seen this company around, too. It’s called FEED.

#3. FEED PROJECT

Let me give you a little bit of background on them.

This company’s founder, Lauren Bush Lauren, is—get this—the granddaughter of President George H.W. Bush. So she literally grew up as a child in the White House. She’s also the daughter-in-law of iconic fashion designer Ralph Lauren.

Brandon: That’s a special lineage right there.

Jen: That is a heritage is what that is.

She’s more than even all that, all that awesome upline. She is a woman determined to put a dent in the world’s hunger problem. So she started the FEED handbag company about a decade ago and committed the proceeds from the sale of her handbags to feeding the hungry in nations around the world.

Every single bag has a number stamped on it that signifies the amount of meals or micronutrient packets that will be provided using the proceeds from the purchase of that bag.

Obviously, all of their products are produced using fair labor conditions, of course. They’re committed to the use of environmentally-friendly materials, and they partner with really established collaboratives in, let’s see, Columbia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, El Salvador, Peru, providing sustainable livelihoods to those craftsmen.

And then also through partnerships with orgs like United Nations World Food Program and No Kid Hungry, if you see that on the Food Network, Feeding America, the company has provided meals, you guys, to millions of kids around the globe in 10 years. It has done such an enormous amount of good.

So we’ve got a couple of suggestions for you that we really like out of what they create. Our first suggestion is a great gift idea for the person on your list who likes to make just a little statement. It’s a Hand-Painted Floral Bandana.

Do you know that bandanas are in this year?

Brandon: When did they go out?

Jen: Well, I mean, for girls in a certain way. Jessica Honegger, of course, my good friend at Noonday, taught me about how we’re tying bandanas around our necks again this year and frankly I’m glad for it.

Brandon: I do that all the time when it’s cold and I’m riding my motorcycle.

Jen: That’s not the same thing. This is like stylish and fancy cuteness for girls.

It comes in two colors. Oxblood, which is this beautiful rich deep red, or Honey, which is this nice neutral kind of warm beige color. They’ve got a limited edition floral print and hand stamped phrase “Help Feed the Children of the World.” You can loop it around whatever you want: your neck, the handle of your favorite bag or purse. You can wear it in your hair, you can tie it around one of your little furry friends.

It’s just a great conversation starter because every single bandana provides ten school meals, which delivers healthy and nutritious meals in micronutrients to help kids learn and grow and thrive, but it also has a dividend on their education because research shows that when children are given school meals, their attendance doubles and their performance just vastly improves. So not only that, but girls with just a few years of education are shown to have fewer children, have them later in life, and are better prepared to care and educate them. The impact a purchase like this has, has a pretty far reaching effect. So there’s the bandana.

Then for something a little more substantial, we really like the Field Messenger Bag. And I mean, really like. I mean, look at this thing.

Brandon: And when we say we, we mean we. It actually is a really cute bag.

Jen: Look at this. This bag is so cute.

Brandon: It’s holiday green, really cool leather strap.

Jen: When I—

Brandon: Probably double stitching. That’s solid.

Jen: Yeah, it is solid.

Brandon: That’s solid.

Jen: When I took this out of the package, I was like, “Woo, goody.” It’s canvas. It’s kind of a carryall tote bag. It’s really, really durable. It’s got a really cute leather top handle, if you just want to loop it over your arm. But it also has a cross body strap.

Brandon: Leather.

Jen: If you want to go that way. Also leather. It’s got this real functional interior build out too. For my southern listeners, it can be personalized with your person’s initials, or you can pick from one of their . . . they have these signature inspirational phrases like “cultivate kindness” or “woman on a mission.” The personalization costs $10 more. And if you get your order in by December 9th, you guys, you get it in time for the holidays.

Here’s the best thing about this: every bag provides 50 school meals. 50! This is a win/win, is what this is. An absolute win/win.

Here is the offer. Again, we will have all this at JenHatmaker.com. Do not freak out that you can’t remember any of this.

Their website is feedprojects.com. With the code FORLOVE . . . isn’t this gonna be easy for you to remember? This is the code for almost all of them. You get 15% off your entire order. This expires on Christmas, December 25th.

It’s feedprojects.com. The code at checkout is FORLOVE.  15% off your entire order. If I got this I would be thrilled, no doubt about it.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 15% off your entire order from FEED by using the code FORLOVE at checkout. Valid through December 25, 2018.

 

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Brandon: All right. The next organization we’re taking a look at is called Gifts for Good. We’re always looking for innovative, smart ways to give, smart ways to buy products that are doing good.

#4. GIFTS FOR GOOD

One of the things I love about Gifts for Good is, they work with a ton of different organizations around the world that do good. It’s kind of like a place you can go and you can even go in and select a cause that you love and you can find products that support that cause and then buy a gift from there.

Their products are so well done. Everything that I’m seeing here and have seen are just really well done, from their leather binders and their journals and things like that, it’s just super, super high quality.

I guess you could think about Gifts for Good as like an online marketplace that sells gifts that just give back.

Jen: Yeah, exactly.

Brandon: They work with over 40 nonprofits and social enterprises in 19 states and in 65 countries around the globe. This is not just international. So many times we hear, “What’s going on domestically?”

Jen: I know that’s true.

Brandon: They work with over 40 nonprofits and social enterprises in 19 states and in 65 countries around the globe. This is not just international. So many times we hear, “What’s going on domestically?”

Jen: I know that’s true.

Brandon: “How are we partnering together not just across the ocean but also here?” You can know that in 19 states they’re working with nonprofits and social enterprises here in the United States. So a lot of good that they’re doing.

Many of their cause partners are non-profits themselves who make products and directly employ the marginalized or disadvantaged groups, whether that’s transitioning out of homeless, out of human trafficking or even domestic abuse and they’re helping people in need around the globe to redirect their lives and become contributing members of society.

Some of the products we like . . . they have a million awesome products. There are two great items we want to put on your radar.

First is their Handmade Charcuterie Serving Board, which I love.

Jen: I knew you were gonna say that.

Brandon: I mean, I love it. I could sit there and . . . if it’s meant to be on a charcuterie board, I’ll eat nothing but that.

Jen: I’m the same. Give me a grainy mustard all the livelong day.

Brandon: There you go. It’s solid premium white oak. It’s the strongest of domestic hardwoods. It’s just super high quality, six inches by eighteen inches long.

Here’s the bonus. You can have these engraved with your company logo, your brand name or custom message. It does come for a little extra fee but you can purchase them as-is as well. That’s one of the cool things. If you own an organization, a company, anything like that, have a handful of these and give them away as a gift. It’s a great gift.

Second pick, another great employee or coworker gift idea, also great for friends, family members. It’s just great. What?

Jen: I just wanted to say real quick, going back to the board, just so you know, they go for $48. That’s not with any personalization but they’re worth every penny. And I just want you to know that for every single board that is purchased, the company provides one hour of dignified solid labor for a person experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty in the greater Los Angeles area. So those are made with sincere love and have a serious impact on its craftsmen.

Brandon: Yeah, that’s good. Thank you for—

Jen: Adding that back in.

Brandon: Yeah, that’s important.

Jen: It is important.

Brandon: They also have, what I was starting to talk about, was their Coworker Gift Set. Retails for $32, comes with a beautiful dark chocolate 100% oil tanned leather journal—

Jen: It’s so pretty.

Brandon: For taking notes. The little cord that wraps around it, and there’s an organizer inside of it with a brass snap enclosure. Again, high quality stuff. Managing all of your charger cables, earbuds and all of those things. These sets are made by the students and graduates of their vocational schools in Honduras and Haiti. The proceeds go directly back to provide three days of school for each child there in Honduras.

Jen: This is seriously, if you have a writer or a dreamer, somebody who loves to journal, that leather book is gorgeous. I’m staring at it right this second. The stitching is beautiful.

Brandon: It’s kind of distressed looking.

Jen: Okay, tell them where to go.

Brandon:  Okay. Giftsforgood.com is their website. Code, again, ForTheLove. There’s a 10% off your total purchase through the end of the year.

Jen: That actually goes through January 31st.

Brandon: Oh, I’m sorry. Yeah, you’re right. January 31st. Extra bonus month.

Jen: Yep.

Brandon: You can shop the site by whatever cause you want. I mentioned that earlier. You can go in there, check it out. You have a cause, you could start with that and then you could find the product that helps support that cause. I think it’s pretty innovative.

Jen: Absolutely. You will lose a dozen hours on that site, just I’m warning you.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 10% off your entire purchase with Gifts For Good using the code ForTheLove at checkout. Valid through January 31, 2019.

 

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Let’s move on to our next company. This is one that I have loved for some time and have worked with. I want to talk about Create Hope Cuffs. You have seen me talk about this company before. In fact, I think we talked about this last year.

Let me tell you about them. If you’re on my email list, for sure, you’ve seen me shout out to this company before. They have some of the cutest accessories. I want to buy up every bit of it and make it all mine all the time. It’s very much in my wheelhouse of style and aesthetic.

#5. CREATE HOPE CUFFS

This is Create Hope Cuffs. It was started by Danielle Brower in 2016, so it’s still pretty young. This was a means for her to bring her passions of faith and family and caring for a world in need of hope all together into a project. She started her own line of upcycled, repurposed leather bracelets and cuffs. She was asked, in fact, earlier this year, to create a line of sister survivor bracelets to be given to the honorees of the Arthur Ashe award for courage at the ESPYs. Isn’t that awesome? What an honor.

They are not just inspirational but they are so cute, you guys. Not only do Create Hope Cuffs products bring hope to those who wear them, but proceeds from her sales also create hope in Swaziland, Africa through Children’s HopeChest. You may have heard of that. It’s an orphan

advocacy org. That’s who she partners with. So every single bracelet helps an orphan or at-risk kiddo stay in school and just sort of reach for a better future. I just love it. You know I love that. That’s so near and dear.

There’s no end to the products that we like but you know that I bring a strong earring game, so let me start there. People are always asking me where I get my accessories. This is one of the places that I always mention.

One of my favorite from her current collection is the Navy Leather Boho Earrings. They come in what I would consider petite . . . like, two-inches size or—

Brandon: Yeah, you have to re-calibrate your gauges when Jen talks about earring size.

Jen: Obviously. I laughed. When I got these, one of them is the petite two-inch and one is the larger three-inch. These are both petite. Let’s just be real honest. If they do not skim your shoulder blades, then they are petite.

But the petite size has the option to add a little charm. These are cute, aren’t they? The ones I’m holding right now on top of the navy leather have this metal turquoise feather . . . which you know how I feel about feathers. Really, really, really strong. You can choose from a silver arrow or a silver feather or the patina feather like I just mentioned. Gosh, I love them.

A little tip for you essential oil users. Leather is a fabulous diffuser, so because there are leather earrings, you can drop a little dab of oil on the back of these things for a little pick-me-up that’ll last you all day long.

Another favorite that I love . . . I was just looking at this with my sister. This one’s really, really cute.

Brandon: It is.

Jen: It’s the White Distressed Hope Cuff. It’s made with recycled and upcycled leather belts and each one’s kind of unique. They’re not all the same. Because they use them like that, your cuff may be distressed or even have some buckle holes in it, which I love. I’m thrilled when I get a buckle hole. That just adds to the charm to me. These feel really, really vintage and special. They range from one-inch to one-and-a-half-inch wide. They have two different snap settings, depending on what your wrist size which is great because I think I kind of have a big wrist. You can either tighten it up or loosen it up, whatever you need. Again, oil people, drop some oil on the back of your leather cuff and just be zen all day long. I think that’s how that works.

Our last pick is their men’s or women’s . . . their Adjustable Black Leather Bracelet. They come in a half inch wide style, so they’re smaller. They’ve got little gunmetal snaps too for adjusting the size. This one can be customized. It’s stamped with one of the words from their list. They have stuff like “justice,” “purpose,” “courageous,” “strength,” “brave,” “strong,” or you can choose your own word or phrase which I love. I like these for anybody but they’re a particularly cool idea for your fashionable guys.

Here’s what you do. You go to createhopecuffs.com and look for the tab that says Jen Hatmaker’s Favorite Things to see the products we just mentioned. Here’s your code. It’s a little bit different than the first ones we mentioned. It’s 15FORTHELOVE. The number, one five. One-Five-FOR-THE-LOVE. This expires December 31st and what you get is 15% off your entire purchase from createhopecuffs.com. Love it, love it, love it.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 15% off your entire purchase from Create Hope Cuffs using the code 15FORTHELOVE at checkout. Valid through December 31, 2018.

 

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Jen: You want to take the next one?

Brandon: Sure, sure. Here’s the deal. I know when you think holiday guide, then you think Brandon Hatmaker. You are thinking succulents.

Jen: That is so true.

Brandon: There is no doubt you’re thinking, This guy’s gonna talk about succulents.

Jen: I’ve heard it a million times.

#6. LULA’S GARDEN

Brandon: The irony of this conversation is, it’s kind of true. Lula’s Garden is an organization that deals in these well-packaged, amazing set-up . . . I’m honestly not a succulent guy but . . . I used to think they were all cactus, right? Did I?

Jen: That’s literally what you said 30 minutes ago.

Brandon: I said, “I want to talk about the little cactus.”

“You mean the succulents.”

I’m like, “Yeah, and the little cactus.”

Jen: Also the little cactus. Let it go.

Brandon: But here’s the deal. Theses little guys who are so adorable . . .

Jen: They really are adorable.

Brandon: They’re freaking packaged amazing.

Jen: I cannot wait for people to look at this ’cause they’re not gonna believe us until they see it.

Brandon: I know it. But they’re simple, it’s unique. You think about a gift for a teacher or someone like that.

But here’s why I love this. Because my daughter Sydney loves succulents.

Jen: Like crazy.

Brandon: So in her windowsill . . . You know those people in your life that have those little green things sitting around on their desks and in their windows and things like that? Here you go. All right?

This company has some fun ideas that work for any of the people that we were just talking about. You’re thinking babysitter, neighbors, your kid’s teacher, mail carrier, whatever.

It’s Lula’s Garden. They’re based out of L.A. They provide, obviously, eco-friendly long lasting plants, primarily succulents. They do have some cactus. They really do. They’re gift boxed.

Jen: Stop trying to pull cactus in. You were determined to say “cactus.”

Brandon: They have a Trio Plant Gift Set where one of them is an actual cactus.

Jen: Okay, all right.

Brandon: I don’t know which one of them it is, but it’s a cactus.

Jen: Think of this a little bit like sending flowers, you guys, except cooler and longer lasting and they’re gonna actually be able to keep them instead of throw them away in a week.

Brandon: Yeah, and you won’t kill them in a week because—

Jen: You don’t know that I won’t.

Brandon: You don’t kill them.

Here’s the deal. This organization was inspired by drought conditions in the western U.S. so they donate a portion of their proceeds to support water.org, which is a very credible organization doing great work, and other groups that provide access to clean drinking water.

So again, creative ways to give great gifts that are making an impact. I’m telling you, when you give these gifts to people, they will appreciate the gifts themselves, but in some way, it’s strange how it just really makes them feel good that you’re able to do something, maybe if it’s something that they like that is doing some good in that area as well.

Jen: And to Brandon’s point I’m gonna go, there’s no DIY involved with this at all. Your recipient does not have to pot these plants.

Brandon: Mm-hmm. It’s ready to go.

Jen: It literally comes ready to go in cute, clean packaging. This requires zero skill except for opening up the gift box.

Brandon: Right. And placement.

Jen: And put it—

Brandon: Proper placement.

Jen: In the window that you like.

Brandon: Or wherever. There’s lots of great products to choose from, so you can shop by your budget and maybe start small with one of their Petite Gardens that includes smaller size of succulents. They start around $25. Next size up, $35 and then they have these what they call Deluxe Gardens, it’s their largest plants, starting at $55. So they’re very, very reasonable.

Couple products we like . . . love the Zebra Garden. I’m looking at it now. It comes with three small-sized, pre-planted zebra plant succulents. When I say three, I mean that there are three potted together in a row in a single planter. These plants have thick, dark green, triangular, spiky leaves with a white horizontal stripe, so really pretty. They resemble a zebra striping.

We also like their Trio Garden, which is three individually planted succulents, so they each have their own separate container. Here’s the deal. You can buy one of these and you have either three great gifts for three different people or three bonus gifts to one person.

Jen: Right.

Brandon: Right. This is how we win at Christmas, buying smart and be . . . exactly. This is the one that has one cacti.

Jen:  Okay, oh gosh.

Brandon:  So just so you know-

Jen: You’ve been working it saying “cacti.”

Brandon:  Don’t call me and ask me which one it is.

Jen: Okay.

Brandon: But it’s one of these cool little plants.

Jen: Okay.

Brandon: All right. Also they do have a holiday line, has all the special packaging. Here’s what I think. These are the kind of things, just order some, have them, when your kid comes to you, they forgot a coach, a teacher, whatever, this is perfect.

Jen: I would like it.

Brandon: Pre-wrapped, ready to go. They’re gonna last, they’re durable.

Jen: Tell them where to go.

Brandon: Go to lulasgarden.com. The code is FORTHELOVE through the end of the year, 15% discount. These are ready to go. Put a bow on them and run them down to your neighbor.

Jen: They’re just different. It’s just different than the stuff you always get. It’s just completely interesting. Okay, thank you.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 15% off your entire purchase from Lula’s Garden using the code ForTheLove at checkout. Offer valid through December 31, 2018.

 

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Jen: I want to talk about the next company. It is called Sudara. Here’s the deal….

#7. SUDARA

Sudara’s story started with their line of loungewear pants. Loungewear pants are also a very deep value to me.

Brandon: Love language, if not.

Jen: It’s a love language. They called their loungewear pants “Punjammies.” That’s amazing.

Brandon: What does that even mean?

Jen: I don’t know but I love it. They’ve expanded their line now to have even more styles. All these clothing items are hand sewn, you guys, by their partners in India. It’s a part of a program that provides living wage jobs and skill training for women who are either survivors or at risk of sex trafficking. This is very near and dear to our hearts, for sure.

These are really high-risk targets because they’ve lacked either the education or the resources and skills to really have a choice with what they do with their lives. The jobs these women are provided are doing a whole lot more than just teaching them a new skill and giving them a paycheck.

It’s creating a pathway, really, for women to support themselves and their families and have respect in their communities and break generational cycles of trafficking and poverty.

Every single print is named after a woman in the center, in honor of her life and her bright future, which I just think that touch is so incredibly special. Hundreds of women have found freedom through living wage employment with Sudara and its partners. It is a really phenomenal company.

Let me tell you about a couple of the products specifically we like that they are putting out this year. One of them, this is for your men, is a t-shirt. It’s the Globe Men’s Tee. And it’s a great gift idea for your big dreamers or the world changers on your list. It’s this super, super soft t-shirt with a globe filled with the hand-lettered words “love changes the world.” It’s a men’s shirt but could be absolutely worn by a woman/me. It’s available in sizes from small all the way up through double extra large. Retails for $33. Every single purchase of that t-shirt helps Sudara continue their important work of empowering women in India, so it’s worth every penny.

The second pick from Sudara that I really love—I mean really, really—it’s called the Narma Robe. Oh, it’s so pretty. I’m looking at it right now across the room. It’s like a kimono-style robe. They call it the “girlfriend’s cut,” which means it’s just slightly more tailored cut than what you’ll find just in your everyday off the rack options. It’s really flowy, flattering, and pretty.

Brandon: Yeah, and guys, this is one you could slip on for a good laugh during the day. You could prance around the living room and maybe do a little happy dance.

Jen: That is so debatable. I don’t feel like that is good instruction on this podcast at all.

Brandon: Oh it’s happening.

Jen: Okay, back to this beautiful robe. It’s kind of in an ornamental pattern of jade and aquamarine florals. I don’t know how to describe . . . I’m not good at this. I’m not a fashionista but it’s gorgeous. It’s got sort of marigold geometric designs on it and it’s trimmed out with this gold border. It is just absolutely lovely.

Guys, pay attention here because this is an important gift-giving hack I’m giving you right now. Do you know what is easily the number one phrase women exclaimed right before they make the decision to buy an article of clothing? The women listening now. This applies from everything from robes to sweaters to even wedding dresses. The number one thing they say is, “It has pockets.” Seriously, this garment discovery moves the needle forward on buying decisions for women 100% of the time. This robe has pockets. Just add that little factoid to your repertoire.

The Narma Robe is beautiful. It comes in three different sizes: extra small, small . . . why did I just say three? Oh I see. Extra small to small, medium to large, and XL to 2XLs. This is for everybody. It retails for $79 but here is our special deal.

Just go to sudara.org. Use the code FORTHELOVE15 through January 15th and get 15% off your entire order. That’s the deal, you guys. 15% off your entire order, sudara.org, offer code FORTHELOVE15.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 40% off your entire purchase from Sudara using the code FORTHELOVE at checkout. Offer valid through January 15, 2019.

 

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Again, we will have all of these links, all of these pictures, all of these gathered, over on the Podcast tab at JenHatmaker.com. Got the next one?

#8. MISSION BELT

Brandon: Yeah. This next item is . . . it almost feels a little bit of an offshoot from our typical products because a lot of them are kind of grassroots things. But this next one, Mission Belt, was actually featured on Shark Tank. The reason why I tell you that is ’cause these belts, the design and just how they put them together, and how they give back is incredibly innovative but they’re really amazing belts.

Jen: Yeah. They look really cool.

Brandon: Amazing belts. They’re so cool looking. They’ve done such an amazing job with them.

Jen: I know.

Brandon: I want to talk a little bit more about them before I get into the design of them because they’re very, very intriguing.

They’re different from regular belts because instead of having the holes and the notches, each separated for the different sizes, this belt has a ratchet buckle system that adjusts in quarter-inch intervals. So sort of like having a zip tie but it always fits. You can undo them, obviously. No more stretched out notches on the belt, thanks to the extra 15 pounds maybe someone else might have put on during the holidays, whatever.

The Mission Belt comes in a wide variety of styles, hard to find colors, even some to match your favorite college and pro teams, which is your bonus.

But, as with all these orgs, Mission Belt is not just concerned with making a fashion statement. They also want to make a global one. So, one dollar from every belt goes to fight hunger and poverty worldwide through microlending, and via a partnership they have with Kiva.

Jen: I love microlending, and we love Kiva.

Brandon: Yeah, it’s a peer to peer micro lending institution. Here’s the thing, we have been working so hard over the last few years to partner with organizations that are making a difference. And one of the things that we are learning over and over and over, that if an organization is sustainable, that that is what makes a long impact difference.

And when you think about microlending, it is so empowering. It is so empowering on the local level, and you are helping people start jobs and do things, take their businesses to another level that is just simply sustainable. And so that brings dignity to that person because they’ve done it themselves, and it’s reproducible, because then it’s microlending, giving back to the lending process that helps fund other loans.

And so it’s a brilliant way, it’s a very responsible way to give, and these belts are rad. They are—

Jen: They’re pretty.

Brandon: They are really great belts.

Jen: I knew you were gonna love those when you opened that box.

Brandon: The design is simple, and they’re clean lines, very specific dress belts, very specific those that could be worn with jeans and kind of more rugged. They use different textures and different designs, and so they’re really, really cool.

A couple products we like. The first one is the Gold 40 Wide Leather Belt. It’s really stylish. These are sleek, a modern belt. It’s a 40 millimeter metallic buckle, so it’s a good size, it’s a good size buckle. It’s made of genuine leather. It comes with a bunch of different colors, black, dark brown, light brown, mocha, tan, deep blue, gray, purple, red, white, so all of them. Our favorite is the chocolate brown. It’s just really warm, rich looking item, great for a gift.

It’s so important—Guys, for those of you who are out there, you need to understand something. Your belt is supposed to match your shoes.

Jen: Okay, here we go.

Brandon: All right? And so this is important. It’s supposed to match your shoes. If you want to go further and you’re not wearing a metal watch, it should match your watch band too, but that’s a whole ‘nother level, okay?

Jen: Please do not make everybody feel panicked.

Brandon: But at least try to match your shoes somewhat, and you have so many different textures or colors of brown for your shoes. Black is black, but different browns and things like that . . . Taking it up a notch. See what I did there?

Jen: Oh my gosh.

Brandon: They don’t have notches in their belts.

Jen: Okay, I see.

Brandon: All right, so taking it up a notch, they’ve got a gift set. Their Premium Metals Gift Box. It comes with a really cool gift box, magnetic closure, foil embossing. Again, I’m a huge fan of packaging.

Jen: Yeah, it’s nice packaging. I’ll give you that for sure.

Brandon: It really is. So in this comes with three belts, three of their best styles. Steel, which is steel buckled on a saddle brown leather, Bronze, which pairs a bronze buckle, which is kinda distressed with a dark brown leather, and Iron, with an iron buckle on a black leather.

But here’s the deal, the buckles are all interchangeable. So you get three belts, but they’re interchangeable.

Jen: That’s cool.

Brandon: So technically you get nine different options. So that’s a lot of Christmas value for you on that one.

Jen: Right, missionbelt.com. And if you guys put in the code ForTheLove at checkout, you will get a 15% discount off your purchase. So head over to missionbelt.com, you guys, because you are going to love their stuff.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 15% off your entire purchase from Mission Belt using the code ForTheLove at checkout. 

 

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All right, I want to talk about this next one. It is a company that is new to me, and I’m so happy that I know about it. It’s called MULXIPLY.

9. MULXIPLY

Jen: So MULXIPLY. Again, this is for women, so it’s jewelry and it’s bags and it’s other gifts designed using really modern shapes. It’s all very contemporary and really fashion forward.

It’s hand-forged in mixed metals and finishes. They’re all designed in Portland, Maine, by Tanja Cesh. She’s the founder of the company, and it’s made collaboratively by fair wage artists and craftsmen in Kathmandu, Nepal. So, I love that so much. While their accessories are modern, every single piece in their collection is handmade via age old techniques, which like my little old Granny heart loves . . . many of which are actually native to Nepal, so each piece has a story, as do every single artisan who craft and forge and stitch their designs.

And so, if you know anything about Nepal, life is not easy there. Poverty is commonplace, and a lot of young women and men are at risk of being trafficked. So MULXIPLY works primarily to prevent this by partnering with local artisan co-ops as a path out of poverty here.

So as a result, communities are economically changed. Heritage handicraft secures its place in history. Right? We don’t want everything sort of punched out by machines in factories. So this preserves craftsmanship that’s ancient.

MULXIPLY partners with four fair wage groups in Nepal, 80% of who are women, and they provide annual salaries for 30 artisans, and then additional employment to seasonal artisans, which I love, love, love.

So let me tell you about a couple of products that we really like coming out of MULXIPLY. The first recommendation is absolutely a statement piece. It is called Embrace 2-in-1 Mixed Metal Earrings. I mean, look at these. Let me grab these right here.

Brandon: I saw those.

Jen: When I opened these up, I did a little, “Ohhh!”

Brandon: Super cool.

Jen: Oh my gosh, these are so, so . . . I cannot wait to wear these. They’re modern and simple. It’s a gold O-shaped piece and a center brass bar that’s like dark blackish blue. It’s hard to explain. I’ll put a picture of them on my website, of course. I would call these showstoppers.

You can also wear the gold O piece by itself for a more classical look, or pair it with the brass bar piece, either in front of the ear or behind the ear. Whew, so forward, so progressive. I’ve never done a behind-the-ear earring, I’m excited. You’ll absolutely want to see how versatile and stylish they are. They are really, really sophisticated.

Another something that I love from them is a little more playful, their Pom-Pom Slippers. You guys, there’s 100% of you who have somebody who would love to get a cushy pair of slippers for Christmas. They’re house shoes, they’re completely hand-felted by women artisans in Nepal, they’re made from 100% natural gray wool with this non-slip suede sole, and super cute white pom-pom on the toe. I mean, you want to put your feet in these. It’s available in just small, medium, and large, and covers shoe sizes from roughly size five to 10, so literally again, almost everyone.

The Mixed Metal Earrings go for $52, the Pom-Pom Slippers $56, but here is our deal for our listeners. If you go to MULXIPLY.com, and listen to this spelling, because it’s special. It’s M-U-L-X-I-P-L-Y.com, MULXIPLY, and you can kind of read the story behind why it is branded that way, and you put in the code at checkout, ForTheLove15, through December 25th, you get 15% off everything you purchase. And so again, we’ll have all this up at JenHatmaker.com. ForTheLove15, MULXIPLY.com, 15% off.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 15% off your entire purchase from Mulxiply using the code ForTheLove15 at checkout. Offer valid through December 25, 2018.

 

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Brandon: You love you some earrings.

Jen: Oh, do I ever. Okay, over to you.

Brandon: Speaking of love, if you know me, I’m an avid outdoorsman-

Jen: You sure are.

Brandon: . . . and so we’re really excited to bring some products from Parks Project.

#10. PARKS PROJECT

It’s a company called Parks Project. During a service project with park staff in the Santa Monica mountains, a group of volunteers learned about all the unique projects within a parks system that needed funding, advocacy and support. If you’ve ever been in a park that has been well-developed and had the funding, the experience there is just phenomenal.

Jen: Right.

Brandon: And there’s a huge difference between those that are neglected and those that have those projects going. And so recognizing a lack of participation from others literally in their own generation, they made a plan to create a collection of park goods directly fund backlogged projects within those parks.

And so a couple things I like about this organization, these products, the first one is the diversity and purpose. So Park Projects partners with more than 30 different park conservancies around the U.S. who have bots on the ground inside our parks. And by partnering with these conservancies, they’re able to find the most important projects in the parks that need the most immediate attention, specifically habitat restoration, which has to come first, wildlife conservation, and then youth education and visitor programs.

Each product purchased from Parks Project contributes to one of those 30 conservancies across the United States, and they have a 10 year goal of funding 100 projects and generating 100,000 volunteer hours.

Jen: That’s pretty cool.

Brandon: Yes it is, while reinvigorating passion for our parks. So, not just doing some good, but increasing awareness and educating this next generation, okay?
And here’s the cool thing, not only are they doing good and they’re selling these products, but they’re partnering with National Geographic, and so they have this amazing partnership with this large organization that can actually increase their impact.

So, products we love. First one is the National Geographic Field Notebook. It’s a premium filled notebook, National Geographic signature yellow with elastic wrap closure. It’s a full grain leather cover. It’s black, it’s just the right size. Stick it in your pocket or your bag, have something handy for recording important notes.

Jen: It’s cute.

Brandon: Yeah, it’s a real gift of utility. And these are all gifts that are kinda like for any price range. These are all under $20 gifts, and so that’s an easy gift. Everyone needs something like this. It’s really cool.

Also fans of . . . We love coffee. This is a great thing you can partner together with your fire department coffee is the “National Parks Are For Lovers” Enamel Mug.

Jen: It’s cute. It looks like a camp mug.

Brandon: It is, I mean, it’s perfect. So you can get that for just $18. This item specifically supports the Park Projects Youth Education Program. So every 10 products sold, $10 is donated to make a National Park experience possible.

Jen: That’s a lot.

Brandon: Yeah. And so they make these experiences possible for kids throughout the foundation’s Open Doors programs for kids. So that’s a really innovative idea. And you know, for that person that’s an outdoorsman in your life, this is kind of a cool gift for them.

Fun thing for the kiddos is their collection of coloring books. So they have several—

Jen: Yeah, it’s perfect for like stockings.

Brandon: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Very good stocking stuffer. They have several to choose from. They have the National Parks A-Z Coloring Book, which benefits youth education, and then the Wild Parks Coloring Book, which directly supports the Art for Parks program that creates collaborations with artists to put a unique spin on the typical National Parks souvenirs. So, that’s also a cool way for those of you creatives out there to be able to support the local artists.

So, here’s a great deal we have from our friends at Park Projects.

Okay, listen. ParksProject.us.

Jen: Okay.

Brandon: ForTheLove code, through January 31st, 15% off everything. There you go.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 15% off your entire purchase from Parks Project using the code ForTheLove at checkout. Offer valid through January 31, 2019.

 

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Jen: Okay. Good. We only have two left, and you are gonna love them both, especially this first one. I found out about this last year, and we are bananas about it in this family.

#11. WEIGHTING COMFORTS

So, it seems like this is kind of a new thing that has emerged in the past couple of years, but when I first got my hands on their stuff last year, I became a fan. This is from a company called Weighting Comforts, like weight, W-E-I-G-H-T, like how much you weigh, Weighting Comforts.

What they have to offer is weighted blankets, and they are exactly what they sound like. They’re heavy blankets. I mean like, heavy.

They’re meant to be roughly 10% of your body weight, so they come in 10 pounds . . . First of all, what the heck. For whom is 10 pounds 10% of your body weight? You are not my friend. Lose my number. But they come in 15 pounds, 20, and 25 pound weights. So you can think of them, and this is sort of the idea behind it, like a deep tissue massage. So they put pressure on your body and so it releases serotonin, which are happy hormones, of course. They give us this sense of well-being, like, you just feel snuggled in.

So some of that serotonin becomes melatonin, which helps us relax and go to sleep. That’s how our bodies work. But they’re actually even more than that because they have been proven, guys, there’s really cool research here, that they help people with autism and depression and stress and anxiety. It’s kind of like giving someone a big hug without getting in their personal space.

And so, Weighting Comforts is run by a mother and son duo out of Nashville. Donna Durham, the founder, is a marriage and family therapist who noticed that the clients under her care who were using weighted blankets were calmer and felt more grounded. It’s so real. And so she was like, We’re on to something here.

So, to make the blankets, Weighting Comforts partners with Sew For Hope, S-E-W, Sew For Hope. It’s a nonprofit org that provides sewing machines and sewing classes for international refugees that have settled in Middle Tennessee. Oh, I love that so much.

Brandon: Mm-hmm. I do.

Jen: This nonprofit allows these folks to learn a new skill and provide income for their families, in addition to receiving English classes and help integrating culturally and transitioning to better jobs in the future, which is fabulous, fabulous work. So every single product purchased from Weighting Comforts supports job creation for these refugee folks, who honestly might not have work otherwise. And so, I just love it.

So, here’s a product that we love. All of their stuff is made with super high quality fabrics and materials. They offer quilted cotton and flannel materials for sleepers who prefer warmth, like if warmth is what you want in addition to the weight. But I really prefer their Cool Max Weighted Blanket. So this one comes in 15, 20, and 25 pound weights. You can get it in white or light gray, and it’s filled . . . You would have to feel this and see it for it to make perfect sense, but it’s filled with PVC compound beads.

Brandon: It’s crazy.

Jen: That’s where you get your weight. And it is heavy. But they’re all machine washable, so do not panic. But the Cool Max fabric, it sort of transport moisture away from the body, so it keeps you cool and dry on hot days. But the structure still provides warmth on colder days. I don’t know how to explain it, but it does. Like I’m already hot, so I don’t need to be hotter. But this—

Brandon: That’s true, you are hot.

Jen: Thank you. This one is the one that I like the most, and our kids absolutely fight over this.

Brandon: They literally fight. I thought you were gonna say they love it, and I was thinking fight.

Jen: Yeah, they fight over it because it’s just cozy. I can’t explain it. Just you put it on your lap and you-

Brandon: It’s like a hug for your body.

Jen: It is.

Brandon: It’s a blanket hug.

Jen: And so, you’re going to like this. If you go to WeightingComforts.com and you use the code FORTHELOVE through Christmas Day, you can get 15% off your entire order. And so, I cannot recommend this enough. We’re gonna have to get some more so our kids will stop fighting. That is a fact.

Brandon: Yes.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 15% off your entire purchase from Weighting Comforts using the code FORTHELOVE at checkout. Offer valid through December 25, 2018.

 

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Jen: Will you take the last one?

Brandon: Sure. Love this. If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, then you might recall this next company. We actually had them . . . We first told you about them last year.

Jen: Last year.

Brandon: Yeah, in the inaugural gift guide, and this company is featured in our list, and I’ll tell you what, we love them. We loved them then, we love them now. What?

Jen: Sometimes you emphasize weird words, and I don’t know why.

Brandon: Me?

Jen: Yeah. Like you’re like, “We first told you about them in our list,” and I don’t know why you said that.

Brandon: Because I wanted to put the emphasis on the right syllable.

#12. PINE VALLEY OUTFITTERS

Brandon: Anyways, here’s the deal. Pine Valley Outfitters.

Jen: Yes.

Brandon: Love ’em. One of the reasons we really love them is because they go so big in the support of the homeless population. And here’s the deal.

Jen: Yeah, I like that too.

Brandon: They give 50% of their profits from their hammocks and their hammock accessories to the fight against homelessness. Fifty percent.

Jen: I know. That’s so rare.

Brandon: Five zero, that’s half, that’s huge.

Jen: So rare.

Brandon: They also donate 10% of profits for the other products, but 50%.

Jen: From the hammock stuff.

Brandon: That’s crazy.

I mean, a personal note, after we highlighted them this last year, and they know we work with the homeless here in Austin with Mobile Loaves & Fishes, great organization, Community First, just innovative, unbelievable organization providing longterm housing, sustainable housing for disabled, chronically homeless. They instantly went and made a donation to Community First in our name.

Jen: I know. Special.

Brandon: So, these guys, they walk the walk. We absolutely love it. Plus, their products are really super good.

Jen: I mean, hammocks actually you guys are a great gift. All of our kids, our college kids and our high school kids, this is the thing. This is what they love.

Brandon: They love them.

Jen:  They use these on their campuses, they use these in our backyard. This is the deal. This is like a home run, slam dunk.

Brandon: Caleb uses them on every track meet he has. The big thing now is they take these portable hammocks and hang them underneath the bleachers and stuff between their events, and everybody looks at his and it’s better than the other ones.

Jen: It is.

Brandon: It really is. And I’ve slept under the stars in Ethiopia on one of these hammocks.

Jen: That’s true, you did.

Brandon: It was strung between trees and you can hear the hyenas.

Jen: You and Sydney.

Brandon: If you’re gonna have one thing between you and a hyena, you want it to be an outdoor hammock.

Jen: Oh my gosh. That’s so stressful.

Brandon: Here’s the deal, products we like. We love the regular hammock. But they also have the Double Person Hammock. Obviously, a lot of great color choices. It’s durable, but super lightweight. Comes in a bag that just is really compact, light, clips to your backpack or wherever you want to put it. It includes the carabiners to hang it up, a handy little bag. It’s a great product. Double person, it’s plenty big for two people to jump in there.

Jen: Yeah, that’s cool.

Brandon: And then this is really fun. They also have Inflatable Air Hammock Lounges, which are . . . they’re like big chairs. So if you’re on the beach, you’re camping, you’re anywhere, you’re outside, you need a chair, you just kind of flip these things up in the air and it captures the air and then it seals it, and then it is a chair that you literally are able to sit in.

It’s surprisingly easy. You can use them anywhere, backyard, camping trips, everywhere. Music festivals, the beach, whatever. They’re great chairs and they really work. It sounds gimmicky, but they really work. They’re comfortable, they’re durable, and they’re so small. You don’t have to lug around a folding chair or something like that.

So, we love what they’re doing, we love their product, so we love partnering with Pine Valley Outfitters. Go to GoPVO.com. The code here is JEN10, so Jen-one-zero, the number. Through January 1st, 10% discount on your entire order, plus they’re gonna give you free shipping.

Jen: Yeah, those guys are the best.

Brandon: Bonus. Awesome. What a way to finish out the list.

Jen: Are you kidding me?

Brandon: Love these guys.

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PROMO DETAILS:
Get 10% off your entire purchase from Pine Valley Outfitters using the code JEN10 at checkout. Offer valid through January 1, 2019.

 

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Jen: These 12 companies, we believe in them, we’re so proud of them. Proud of their founders, proud of the folks they hire, the artisans they partner with, the people they give back to. I mean, you cannot go wrong here. Every single one of these companies are places where you can spend your holiday dollars, but really any of them, and feel good about it, feel good about how they are making this world a better place, who they are hiring, who they are benefiting, the materials that they’re using the craftsmanship they’re preserving. I mean, all we do is win on these list of 12 companies.

Brandon: There’s really no reason not to use a socially informed company or organization anymore.

Jen: Yeah, exactly.

Brandon: There’s so many out there doing great things, and so there’s really no reason not to do that, guys.

Jen: I completely agree. So, just as a reminder, I know I’ve said it 100 times, but every single one of these companies, we will have linked over at JenHatmaker.com underneath Podcast. We’ll have their links, we will have the pictures of literally everything we mentioned so you can see them up close and personal. We will have the coupon codes to use for each one, plus the expiration dates, ’cause those sort of varied a little bit too, where you can sort of peruse and where you know we have vetted these for you.

And so you can trust every single company to deliver beautiful, unique, and interesting products to the people that you love while also giving back.

Brandon: And also trust that your resources are going to organizations that are really making an impact.

Jen: Yep, exactly. I mean, you are giving gifts with a purpose, and I cannot think of a better way to spend our money this Christmas.

Brandon: So fun.

Jen: So, we want to say Merry Christmas to you from the Hatmaker family, and you are incredibly special to us. The podcast community has really been special to us and for us, and this is one of our most treasured communities. And so, we love you and it is a joy to serve you and to introduce you to not only fabulous guests week in and week out, but now fabulous companies that you can trust as you do your Christmas shopping.

And so, thank you as always for listening, thank you for reviewing and rating the podcast, and sharing it with your friends. This is an excellent episode to put up on your social media channels and share with your friends who maybe don’t listen regularly because they too can get the skinny on these fabulous companies. So, thank you for posting this episode so your folks can see also where they should be shopping this Christmas.

And from our house to yours, we wish you such a Merry Christmas, and are excited to bring you even more amazing, amazing episodes in this series.

Okay you guys, from Brandon and Jen, that’s us, signing off.

Brandon: Bye!

Narrator: That’s it for today’s show. Hope you enjoyed this chat. Be sure to subscribe to my mom’s podcast and give it a “thumbs up” rating if you like it. From the whole Hatmaker family, hope you have a great week and see you next time!