Earlier this year, I did a podcast with Sarah where I described making myself a self-care bag to help me get through my mom’s two surgeries and subsequent in-home care.
I put things in my bag that were designed to give me comfort and help me break away mentally from the stress going on around me.
The holidays are stressful for a lot of people, for a myriad of reasons, so I decided to assemble a Little Bag of Comfort for our Hanukkah giveaway with some of the things that bring me peace and comfort.
This giveaway includes a small pink tote bag that says Little Bag of Comfort. Inside you’ll find books! Shocking, I know. We’ve included Roomies by Christina Lauren, A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe, Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai, and A Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase.
Chocolate contains antioxidants, which means it’s a comfort food and healthy, right? Included are two bars of chocolate: Lindt 70% cocoa dark chocolate and Lindt’s classic recipe milk chocolate.
Tea is my go-to drink of choice when I need to relax so we’re also including one ounce of my favorite caffeine-free herbal tea, Cinnamon Plum by Fava Tea (not pictured) is a mellow, fruity tea with lots of cinnamon aroma. It’s excellent plain or with some honey. (Sarah adds, “I have a bag of this tea, too, and completely agree – it is wonderful.”)
We’re also including some beauty items to pamper yourself with. These year I discovered INLP nail polish and I love it so much. The colors are vivid and it resists chipping better than any other polish I’ve tried. You’ll get a bottle of INLP polish in Charmingly Purple, which is a sparkly lavender color.
You’ll also get two tubes of Stila All Day Matte Liquid Lipstick in the colors Sogno and Baci. I really like Stila’s Liquid Lipstick because it doesn’t feel sticky or dry on my lips. There’s also a small tube of Crabtree & Evelyn’s hand crème in the scent La Source.
Topping everything off is a Bad Decisions Book Club Sticker and a Smart Bitches magnet.
Ready to enter? Excellent! Leave a comment and tell us your go-to comfort item.
Standard disclaimers apply: I am not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to international residents were permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18 and ready to be extremely pampered and comforted. Cats recommended but not included. Dewey agrees with everything Elyse says, though he pretends otherwise. Comments will close Friday 15 December at or near 12pm ET, and winner will be announced shortly afterward.
Good luck, Happy Hanukkah, and thank you for being part of Smart Bitches!
WINNER UPDATE: Our winner for night four of our Hanukkah-palooza is Lostshadows! Check your inbox and spam folders shortly!
My Kindle, my bed, and my tiny pink pillow.
My husband and our cat just being around, and then add in a fuzzy blanket and some Star Wars. The original is best but any will do in a pinch (except Attack of the Clones, that just makes things worse). Or Lord of the Rings. Or the BBC Pride and Prejudice if said husband is not around. I have a hard time reading when I’m well and truly stressed so it’s comforting movies time!
My go-to is a blanket. Any blanket as long as it is large. Multiples blankets if I can get them. Enough for a blanket fort should the comfort level need increase.
My cat and my Kindle.
Bread.
I have a cashmere cardigan that belonged to my grandmother so not only am I wrapping up in soft warmth, it also feels like a hug from her. Im wearing it like daily armor this winter.
My go to comfort item(s) are my collection of plush toys.
They’re always available to cuddle, for as long as I want.
Which one depends on a number of factors. (Right now, mostly Earth, since she’s a good size.)
Books and hot cocoa.
When life becomes too much, I wear something extra soft (mink fleece if its cold enough), find a book to read (or more likely reread), some chocolate and my cat to sit in my lap.
Knitting and chocolate, definitely!
My go to comfort is my cat. It’s really hard to be sad when you have a ball of purring fluff on your lap.
My go to comfort item? GIANT SWEATPANTS from a million years ago in college. Can’t ruin anything wearing those suckers.
Blue Bunny “Bunny Tracks” ice cream. My wise husband makes sure there is always some in the house, possibly in fear of what would happen if we ran out!
It may sound ridiculous, but a gallon of good paint, a well-written and well-narrated audiobook, earplugs, a pocketful of red hots and an empty room. Total sensory involvement, total comfort.
Chocolate.
Of course, chocolate works when I’m happy, too. Or bored, or…
Also, hanging out with the cat, the dogs, rewatching favorite shows (we’re watching Psych as a family right now).
My go to comfort items are my books and my knitting projects. I started knitting about 10 years ago and it’s been helping me through a lot of stress
My go-to comfort items are my warm, fuzzy bathrobe and a cup of Constant Comment tea … and lots of dark chocolate.
My chubby black-and-white cat Biff, who looks like a fuzzy little cow and purrs in his sleep!
A cup of tea & a cuddle from my cat are the best stress relivers.
My kindle and a heated blanket. Guaranteed comfort. Add knitting or hot chocolate for extra bonus comfort.
Reading SBTB is my comfort, and that’s not flattery but the truth (although obviously you should be flattered!). 🙂
Happy Chanukah!!
A hot cup of tea and snuggling in my wool throw.
Either Brooklyn Nine Nine of Community or Golden Girls. I watch those shows if I just literally can’t even. Then a book later 🙂
My go to comfort item is hot chocolate. Instant, fresh, fancy, plain, doesn’t matter. Give me a cup of cocoa and I’m good!
My go-to comfort item is a book, honestly, I had a special bookcase full of comfort reads and I miss it dearly in my new house (which reminds me, husband is planning a custom wardrobe, I think it needs a bookshelf). It featured well worn books by Andre Norton, Anne McCaffrey, Judith Tarr, Julian May, Mercedes Lackey, Robin McKinley and Marion Zimmer Bradley. They saved my sanity many, many times.
Books (and knitting occasionally) got me through Cancer, Unemployment, bullying, working US hours in Ireland, and horrible school days.
<chocolate, mmmmmmm, yes that is a comfort to me
For me that a warm cup of tea.
A quilt or throw
Books, tea (with cream and sugar!), a lap cat or two, and silence. The last one is usually hardest to come by.
A pair of soft pyjama bottoms, an old t-shirt and something warm to drink. Then a seat in the corner of the sofa and a good book or a good game. That’s what I do for comfort.
Flannel pajamas (cat print), a London Fog tea latte, my cats, and a book.
It depends on my age (e.g., 5: stuffed animal), location (e.g., waiting room: kindle), and time of year (e.g., winter: fuzzy blanket), but last year when I was spending a lot of time in the hospital with my mother, I wore my favorite leggings a lot. They are warm, comfortable, red, covered in gray hearts, and when I wear them I’m as happy as a 2-year-old!
omg this looks amazing!!! my go-to comfort item (other than books of course) is probably my embroidery stuff. nothing is more relaxing than putting on a fun show with a blanket in my lap, stitching away
I love to reread The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery with some tea and chocolate for comfort.
My dingo looking mix, Periwinkle, is such a comfort. I’m stressed out or upset, I take her on a long walk at the nature park or cuddle with her on the couch and read.
Sitcom reruns and potato chips. Just last night, after spending 48 hours on campus trying to finish a paper, instead of crashing the moment I got home I watched Parks and Rec reruns. No regrets.
My Kindle!
A fuzzy blanket and a warm cat.
A book (Quel surprise!) preferably by Bujold, Pratchett, Heyer, Linnea Sinclair, as well as a few others, and a tin of Almond Roca.
Yarn / embroidery thread + tea + podcast / audiobook / British panel shows. Any combination thereof!