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!
Pj’s are my comfort items – everything is better in pajamas.
Reading, with hot tea and chocolate, or maybe potato chips, within my reach.
Knitting, romance novels, and bubble baths. If only I could find a way to do all 3 at once.
My go to comfort item is my fleece blanket which I use when I read.
My go to comfort is an episode of Parks and Rec, a chai tea, and baked goods.
My knitting is always a comfort to me. Warm soft and the sound of clicking needles is soothingly
Old-school Muppets (especially foreign translations of SESAME STREET–I like to pretend I’m on an exotic vacation while watching, and I can follow the old skits without subtitles) and hockey bromances!
My go to comfort items are a cup of Lapsang Souchong tea and a few gingersnap cookies.
Milk and cookies, always and forever.
My kindle, a bubble bath and a glass of wine.
My comfort items are a cup of black tea with a couple of cookies.
Okay, so my go-to self care item is a box of postcards. Writing to people who matter to me is something that always makes me feel better. And if I stick to postcard length, then I don’t feel pressure to write gobs and gobs. I can just write “thinking of you and hope you’re well” and that’s plenty. Always serves to scare the demons away.
a cup of tea
If he is around my go to comfort in a big hug from Mr Jazz, just the best. If he’s not around cuddles with the dogs, both long haired German shepherds, so essentially big teddybears. Though the absolute best is cuddles from all three at once.
My comfort items are definitely books, blankets and cats. Combine and you have one happy Amanda.
My #1 goto is books. Then movies, ones where I do not have to think about anything and just enjoy. If it is cold out I like to make my mom’s soup.
My go-to comfort is a steamy romance, of course! It’s perfect to get lost in, especially when I want to forget the world a bit.
Chocolate.
My go-to comfort items are re-reading a couple of old favourite books with a warm wool blanket (it’s so heavy! The weight is what makes it most comforting) and a cup of something hot. Hot beverages are my jam.
My go-to comfort item is books. And anything crunch, salty, and sweet. Healthy, not so much. But true. 🙂
I fell down the knitting rabbit hole in August and it’s now my go to for comfort.
A Terry Pratchett book. And hot milk with a little sugar and a little almond extract mixed in.
If the weather is nice, then my comfy chair on our patio and a favorite book.
If it’s too cold to be outside, a comfy blanket, my lap cat, and a favorite book.
This may be odd, but I have a big bottle of “Sleepy Time” bubble bath that’s for babies, and whenever I really need to unwind, I use that in a nice hot bath with a cup of chamomile tea. My mom always kept it around because she had many babies, so I find it really comforting.
Julie Garwood’s Saving Grace, and my bed. Not necessarily in that order.
My go-to comfort item is sugary food. It may be chocolate, it could be sour gummy candy, it could be pie, it just depends on my mood. I’m trying to change this habit so I’m making books and movies my comfort items.
My go-to comfort items: my pets. Snuggle time with my cat or snuggle/lap time with my dog. They bring me more comfort than anything else.
My fuzzy Mickey Mouse blanket, a cup of decaf and a good romance novel!
My soft coated wheaten terrier puppy Alistair is my go to comfort item. He’s soft and cuddly or sometimes a goofball who needs to get a walk in which helps me get outside more. When depression is hitting hard, he keeps me going.
My go-to comfort items are handknit socks.
I have levels of comfort items because sometimes a little comfort is all that is needed, but others I need a lot.
A Little Comfort: Music, especially Christmas music, and a good book.
Medium Comfort: I like to re-read old SBTB reviews. When I’m stressed and need a good laugh I binge the D-F Reviews and it always makes me feel better, especially Decadent and The Sheikh’s Virgin Stable Girl.
Uber Comfort: I binge seasons of tv shows–Buffy, Chuck, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Eureka, The Librarians, and Hart of Dixie.
bath bombs – especially in lavender!
If I were a dragon, I’d hoard blankets. There is nothing like a cozy blanket for comfort. They are everywhere in my life–blue fluffy blankie on my bed (yes, I am an adult with a blankie), handmade hedgehog blanket on my couch, and red monogrammed blanket in my office.
Wine and pasta (any kind really-as long as there is marinara sauce) are my go to when I’m stressed.
chocolate, peppermint, books & sleep (not necessarily in that order & can vary)
A warm blanket
Petting my dogs ear
A hot cup of tea
Hot chocolate
Chocolate is my go-to when I’m having a bad day. Instant mood lifter.
Potato soup! It will be the middle of July and I’ll need a bowl of this.
My go to comfort items are books and wine and chocolate. Pretty predictable, but it works!