Let’s be honest, sometimes communication is difficult. Whether it be family, romantic relationships, friends or yourself, it can be hard to communicate your needs, wants, or some of the harder emotions needed to keep relationships happy and healthy. It’s not a crime to ask for help and it certainly isn’t a crime to use some assistance in speaking your truth.
Here are some gifts for that special someone in your life to strengthen your relationships this holiday season.
For Your S.O
1. Reversible Plush Octopus
A reversible plush octopus to help express when you’re happy and when you’re mad. It can be hard to first express when an emotion arises. Anxiety can come into play and you might not know where to start when expressing yourself. This little octopus can help get the conversation started. He comes in a variety of colors and he’s easy to toss around, snuggle with or just set somewhere noticeable. You can buy him for $15.00 here.
2. The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate
The age old question that we ask ourselves every year, what do we get our significant others for the holidays? Why not a gift to help strengthen both of your parts in your relationship!? You’ve heard of the five love languages, now here’s a tool to discover yours and your partner’s. The moment you understand how your partner gives love and wants to receive the easier to provide what they need. This book helps you pinpoint your wants and needs together. Find it for $17.87 on Amazon here or at your local bookstore!
3. Charades
A classic party game that uses no words and, instead, uses body language. The perfect game to bring together you, your partner, and your friends or family. This particular game has a twist, this is adult charades. With more humorous topics, this game can bring you and your partner closer through laughter and communication without words, the perfect way to improve your body language communication skills. Find this game online or at your local Walmart for only $19.99.
For Your Family
4. {The And} Family Edition
Maybe your sister stole your clothes and you’re not over it. Maybe your mom and you got into a fight and now tension fills the house. Whatever the issue may be, this game can help you communicate with your family better through prompts that get the conversation going such as “What do you appreciate about your family?” The game can help put things into perspective and slowly remind the family on why you love each other, even if someone did take your shoes without asking. Find this game here for $24.99.
5. An Elephant in the Room, Rose Quartz Elephant Statue
This idea comes straight from my mother when asked what she thought would make tough family discussions easier. She said sometimes a family argument or tough topic can feel like the elephant in the room during a time of family gathering. How do you get the conversation started when everyone seems so tense? Put this little quartz elephant statue out as a symbol to the family that this is a safe environment for a discussion to begin. This little statue is a soft pink color that can be placed anywhere in your house. Pink isn’t even your only option, it comes in a variety of colors for $9.99 here.
For Your Friends
6. Reading People by Anne Bogel
It’s vital to connect with yourself, but human connection opens our perspectives and gives us those personal relationships that help us build our own personal circles. This book helps you identify what makes you unique, but more importantly what makes others unique too. The novel reminds you that others have thoughts, feelings and lives too that intersect with your own. Understanding others helps with communication and strengthening your relationships. With a teal cover with simplistic colorful drawings, this soft paperback can be taken everywhere with you, especially in times of need. Find it at Target for $12.99.
7. Magnetic Whiteboard
This idea may seem simple enough but can be truly helpful for those afraid of confrontation or those with social anxiety, especially for people with roommates. This whiteboard has a calendar and two note boxes. The calendar can be used to help organize one another’s schedules so you know when important events are coming up and you can be mindful of one another’s space. The two note boxes can be used for chores or roommate meetings that need to be called. Though verbal communication has been stressed as most important, this board can get the ball rolling in the right direction. Find it at Target for $10.99. Plus, you can find different styles to fit your household.
8. The Friendship Crisis By Mara Paul
Have you ever heard that making friends as an adult can be hard? We get caught up with jobs, school, marriages and life in general. Friends pull us out of our minds and our comfort zones. This is a novel assisting you in making friends as an adult and helps you improve both your communication and socialization skills when it comes to breaking out of your routine. This is a short read that will help prepare you for making friends. Just because you’re not a kid anymore doesn’t mean you have to give up one of life’s most important joys – friends. Find it at your local Barnes and Noble or order it online for only $12.99.
For Yourself
9. Wellness Journal with Prompts
Communication with others is a valuable skill but remember the importance of communicating with yourself and being honest about your wants and needs. With a soft pink cover and a bookmark to keep your place, this wellness journal does just this. It can be hard to pinpoint where to start in self-healing, this journal assists with that through organized prompts that help you dig a little deeper and identify your goals. Find it on Papier on sale for $26.39.
10. The Box of Emotions
Your roommate upset you and schoolwork begins to pile up. You’re beginning to feel stressed, but what is under the surface? Perhaps something you can’t quite pinpoint. This little box of emotions has all the basics – sadness, happiness, excitement, anger and other emotions that aren’t talked about often like Fago, a mixture of compassion, love and sadness. These cards offer the emotion and a mini essay to help create self-reflection and guidance in connecting with yourself. Affordable and helpful these cards only cost $20.00 and can be found online on Uncommon Goods.
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