It's officially the time of year that we have to put together our Christmas shopping lists and come up with unique gifts to give everyone on our lists.
As if shopping for christmas gifts wasn't stressful enough, when you add your friends with expensive taste into the mix along with your budget, things can get pretty tricky. However, buying gifts for your friends with expensive taste doesn't necessarily mean you have to spend all of the coins in your piggy bank. This year, make it your personal goal to find amazing gifts that look expensive but are affordable 'AF'.
If you have friends that love the nicer things in life, here are 10 affordable gifts that will make them feel like a million bucks.
1.For The Champagne Papi/Mami: Beaudroix Crystal Champagne Flute Set, $19.97
Have a friend that loves to sip bubbly? Have them drinking in style with this luxe champagne flute and crystal glass stopper set. The satin lining is just an extra splash of fancy. (Shop Here.)
2.For The Beauty Guru: Funtouch Large Vanity Makeup Mirror, $33.99
Your friend will think about you every time she uses this fancy LED vanity mirror to slay her face for the day. (Shop Here.)
3.For The Apple Aficionado: Keeplus Apple Watch, Airpod, Apple Pen And iPhone Stand, $20.99
This 4-in-1 stand is the perfect home for all things Apple. Your techie friend will love this gift of convenience and endless battery power. (Shop Here.)
4.For The Glamour Girl: Kate Spade Mini Small Square Stud Earrings, $32.00
These super cute sparkly studs is the subtle glitz that any glamour queen will appreciate. (Shop Here.)
5.For The Fly Girl That Always Has Her Nails Did: SkinnyDip Bliss Purple + Gold Manicure Set, $23
This luxe gold manicure is the perfect on the go companion for the woman that has to keep her nails in tip top shape. The glittery case is also a great touch. (Shop Here.)
6.For The Hostess With The Mostest: Nordstrom At Home Recipe Cocktail Shaker, $39
The entertainer of your crew would love this gold shaker for all her hosting needs. The outer portion has recipes for popular drinks so get ready to be a taste tester. (Shop Here.)
7.For The Beauty Queen: YSL Lips & Lashes Duo, $32
This limited edition set includes two of YSL's most coveted beauty products, a dramatizing mascara and bold red lippie. Any beauty lover will be grateful for this luxurious beauty experience. (Shop Here.)
8.For The Woman Always On The Go: SkinnyDip Bliss Glitter Set, $25
This glittery makeup case and mirror will have your on the go beauty lover traveling with her essentials in style. Trust us, you'll never find her without it. (Shop Here.)
9.For The Ultimate Diva: Trouve Faux Fur Long Scarf, $39
Fur is a simple way to bring any outfit from drab to fab and faux fur is an affordable and conscious option. This long versatile scarf will have the diva in your life slaying all winter. (Shop Here.)
10. For The Fashionista: Topshop Black Charm Beret, $26
Usually giving hats as gifts is a bit boring but this beautiful beret is anything but basic. Have your trendsetting friend getting compliments everywhere she goes with this edgy twist on a beret. (Shop Here.)
'Tis the season! Check out xoNecole's other Christmas gift guides here.
Disclosure: If you purchase something through one of our links, xoNecole may earn a small affiliate commission.
Featured image by Getty Images
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Among the many individuals who battle severe asthma, Black women face a unique set of challenges. It's not uncommon for us to go years without a proper diagnosis, and finding the right treatment often requires some trial and error. Thankfully, all hope is not lost for those who may be fighting to get their severe asthma under control. We spoke with Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq. and Jania Watson, two inspiring Black women who have been living with severe asthma and have found strength, resilience, and a sense of purpose in their journeys.
Juanita Brown Ingram, Esq.
Juanita Ingram has a resume that would make anyone’s jaw drop. On top of being recently crowned Mrs. Universe, she’s also an accomplished attorney, filmmaker, and philanthropist. From the outside, it seems there’s nothing this talented woman won’t try, and likely succeed at. In her everyday life, however, Juanita exercises a lot more caution. From a young age, Juanita has struggled with severe asthma. Her symptoms were always exacerbated by common illnesses like a cold or flu. “I've heard these stories of my breathing struggles, but I remember distinctly when I was younger not being able to breathe every time I got a virus,” says Ingram. “I remember missing a lot of school and crying a lot because asthma is painful. I [was taken] to see my doctor often if I got sick with anything so I was hypervigilant as a child, and I still am.”
Today, Juanita says her symptoms are best managed when she’s working closely with her care team, avoiding getting sick and staying ahead of any symptoms. Ingram said she’s been blessed with skilled doctors who are just as vigilant of her symptoms as she is. While competing in the Mrs. Universe competition, Juanita took extra care to stay clear of other competitors to ensure she didn’t catch a cold or virus that would trigger her severe asthma. “I would stand off to the side and sometimes that could be taken as ‘oh, she thinks she's better than everybody else.’ But if I get sick during a pageant, I'm done. I had to compete with that in mind because my sickness doesn't look like everybody else's sickness.”
Even when her symptoms are under control, living with severe asthma still presents challenges. Juanita relies on her strong support system to overcome the hurdles caused by a lack of understanding from the public, “I think that there's a lot of lack of awareness about how serious severe asthma is. I would [also] tell women to advocate and to trust their intuition and not to allow someone to dismiss what you're experiencing.”
Jania Watson
Jania, a content creator from Atlanta, Georgia, has been living with severe asthma for many years. Thanks to early testing by asthma specialists, Jania was diagnosed with severe asthma as a child after experiencing frequent flare-ups and challenges in her day-to-day life. “I specifically remember, I was starting school, and we were moving into a new house. One of the triggers for me and my younger sister at the time were certain types of carpets. We had just moved into this new house and within weeks of us being there, my parents literally had to pay for all new carpet in the house.”
As Jania grew older, she was suffering from fewer flare-ups and thought her asthma was well under control. However, a trip back to her doctor during high school revealed that her severe asthma was affecting her more than she realized. “That was the first time in a long time I had to do a breathing test,” she describes. “The doctor had me take a deep breath in and blow into a machine to test my breathing. They told me to blow as hard as I could. And I was doing it. I was giving everything I got. [My dad and the doctor] were looking at me like ‘girl, stop playing.’ And at that point [it confirmed] I still have severe asthma because I've given it all I got. It doesn't really go away, but I just learned how to help manage it better.”
Jania recognizes that people who aren’t living with asthma, may not understand the disease and mistake it for something less serious. Or there could be others who think their symptoms are minor, and not worth bringing up. So, for Jania, communicating with others about her diagnosis is key. “Having severe asthma [flare-ups] in some cases looks very similar to being out of shape,” she said. “But this is a chronic illness that I was born with. This is just something that I live with that I've been dealing with. And I think it's important for people to know because that determines the next steps. [They might ask] ‘Do you need a bottle of water, or do you need an inhaler? Do you need to take a break, or do we need to take you to the hospital?’ So, I think letting the people around you know what's going on, just in case anything were to happen plays a lot into it as well.”
Like Juanita, Jania’s journey has been marked by ups and downs, but she remains an unwavering advocate for asthma awareness and support within the Black community. She hopes that her story can be an inspiration to other women with asthma who may not yet have their symptoms under control. “There's still life to be lived outside of having severe asthma. It is always going to be there, but it's not meant to stop you from living your life. That’s why learning how to manage it and also having that support system around you, is so important.”
By sharing their journeys, Juanita and Jania hope to encourage others to embrace their conditions, obtain a proper management plan from a doctor or asthma specialist like a pulmonologist or allergist, and contribute to the improvement of asthma awareness and support, not only within the Black community, but for all individuals living with severe asthma.
Read more stories from others like Juanita and Jania on Amgen.com, or visit Uncontrolled Asthma In Black Women | BREAK THE CYCLE to find support and resources.
According to a recent Forbes Health survey, the average resolution lasts just 3.74 months, which means that only 8% of people tend to stick to their goal for only one month. To set yourself apart and stick to your goals, consider the advice of confidence coach Tiwalola Ogunlesi.
Meet confidence coach, Tiwalola Ogunlesi.
Founder of Confident and Killing It, Tiwalola Ogunlesi
Courtesy
Ogunlesi is a globally recognized coach specializing in positive psychology, an international speaker, an author, and the founder of Confident and Killing It. Confident and Killing It is a purpose-driven organization and community that wakes women up to their worth so they can be confident, and unstoppable and dare to live the life they truly desire.
Through engaging and practical workshops, media, and coaching programs, Ogunlesi equips women with the tools they need to overcome fear and self-doubt, program their minds for success, and live out their biggest dreams. As you game plan for the new year, consider Ogunlesi's tips to crush your 2024 goals:
1. Prioritize your growth and happiness.
"It's okay to be selfish and put your needs first. It's about time we start prioritizing doing things that make us feel alive and whole because, ultimately, we can't give to others what we don't have for ourselves. This year, fill your cup up first and put your oxygen mask on first before you help others," Ogunlesi shares. "This will mean cutting down on people pleasing and being okay with disappointing others, but you know what? No one has ever died from disappointment, so they'll be alright!
"Before you are a sister, a mother, a daughter, a friend, or a colleague, you are YOU. You deserve to prioritize your growth, happiness, and whatever brings you fulfillment," Ogunlesi continues.
"Nobody wins when you play small."
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2. Assume positive things about yourself until proven otherwise.
"Stop going into your future to think of the worst possible outcome. Stop booing yourself off the stage before you've even had the chance to perform. Confidence means having an in-depth belief in yourself and your abilities and knowing what it takes to take action on your dreams and your goals. Your thoughts influence your feelings, and your feelings influence whether you take action or not.
"If you want to win in 2024, you've got to quiet the voice of self-doubt and 'get sassy with the mean girl in your mind,' as I say in chapter two of my book Confident and Killing It. Assume you are capable, assume you have what it takes, give yourself a chance, and then figure things out as you go along," she adds.
"Confidence means having an in-depth belief in yourself and your abilities and knowing what it takes to take action on your dreams and your goals."
3. Get comfortable with self-promotion and shine your light.
"There's no award for being the world's best-kept secret! Nobody wins when you play small; you've got to embrace your main character energy and shine your light unapologetically with the world. The world needs your gifts, ideas, and solutions, so don't hold back in 2024. No more pushing your accomplishments under the rug, if you did it, you should own it!
"When you celebrate your wins, it helps you feel more confident and optimistic about your future. Imposter syndrome is simply memory loss, where you've forgotten all the amazing things about yourself. So, if you want to take up space and feel confident, don't be afraid to reflect on your wins and share them with the world," Ogunlesi concludes.
Since 2018, Tiwalola Ogunlesi has upskilled over 10,000 women across the world and delivered engaging experiences for brands and organizations such as Google, Meta, The Times, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, Viacom CBS, Spotify, Squarespace, UN Women UK, The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy and many more.
For more information on Tiwalola Ogunlesi's work, consider her confidence coaching, and for daily tips, listen to Confident and Killing It Podcast.
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