the sweet feminist holiday gift guide
my qualifications: being an excellent gift giver
Attention: this is a long email!! Maybe think of it more like a letter?
And if you aren’t interested in presents, skip ahead!
the gift guide
This is an eclectic mix of presents I want to give and presents I want to receive. I promise I have good taste (yes, I know everyone thinks they have good taste).
Please note, these can absolutely be gifts for yourself.
For the feelings havers
Absolutely any art print by Jlynch
A custom pet portrait ring (my MIL bought me one of Otie!)
My all feelings are OK tote bag
This color changing mood calendar
For the foodies
My lil cookbook, Baking by Feel (of course)
This (adorable) Butter pennant from Cold Cream
Any of Diaspora Co.’s spice gift sets
A shipment of Delia’s tamales - I love the pork ones
The incredible Erin Jeanne McDowell’s new cookbook Savory Baking
Polina Chesnakova’s beautiful new cookbook Everyday Cake: 45 simple recipes for layer, bundt, loaf, and sheet cakes
Anything from Overseasoned by Amy Larson
This grilled corn candle
This *very* cute “pasta not patriarchy” sweatshirt
For the pro-abortion babes
This sparkly Lizzie McGuire themed pro-abortion sticker from PeachFuzz.co (also the “I don’t care what the founding fathers wanted” sweatshirt)
This “f*ck abortion bans” hat benefiting Midwest Access Coalition
Liberal Jane’s mife & miso patch
One of my sugar, spice, & abortion rights bumper stickers
What’s An Abortion, Anyway? a nonjudgmental, gender-inclusive, and medically accurate resource to use in discussions with children about abortion
A custom abortion is normal crochet top from Soft Stella (I love mine!)
A recurring donation to your local abortion fund in their honor
For the people who love staying home
This sleep mask, and only this sleep mask
A 10 foot phone charger (mine came from Marshalls and has changed my life)
The Rattan candle from Otherland
Local Eclectic’s MJ ring
Olive & June’s mani system
Dabs of Love CBD bath fizzes (so helpful for stress/pain)
For your inner child (and/or your actual child)
Diamond painting kits - I love this museum edition one
A children’s play tent, for your adult self. Mine for inspo:
And then: a selection of the recs y’all submitted!
An Om Som pantry shortcut gift set
An artisanal truffle set from Pyroclastic Chocolate
A “Mendtorship” from Worth Mending (a private tutorial to learn how to mend clothing!)
An Ourshelves subscription (curated diverse book boxes for children)
Hex the Patriarchy - An Adult Colouring Book for Depressed Witches
A Fikabröd baking box subscription (cool new ingredients/goodies each month)
This forest bathing themed soap bundle
A subscription to the The Baking Notification Project - they connect home bakers with their neighbors to share extra baked goods
Any of these food shaped Cereria Introna candles (but especially the heirloom tomato one!!)
An illustrated tea towel from Neighborgoods (I love the dill one!)
A CTOAN Co candle, designed to celebrate the human form from a completely gender neutral perspective
This cute (and hand painted!) dog hair claw
A Thread For Days embroidery kit
The Not Written By Men bundle from trans-owned candle company HomebodyMN (two books + a candle!)
The therapist-designed Affirmations in Color Journal
An embroidery journal kit from The Stir-Crazy Crafter
Apostrophe Puzzles, curated puzzles by contemporary artists of color
Negroni themed goodies from Love & Victory: a patch, and an ornament
This cookie-themed friendship card from Paper Wolf Design (also this one)
becca, where can i hear your voice this week?
Replays of my chats w/
Dr. Alex Ketchum about Baking by Feel + Dr. Ketchum’s new book, Ingredients for Revolution: A History of American Feminist Restaurants, Cafes, and Coffeehouses
Lily Cox of the wonderful houseplant haven REWILD, where we talked all things self care, plants, and messiness
sunday secrets from the cutting room floor
“I was told no when I asked for a totally warranted raise - I’m over my job and quiet quitting”
“Kinda regret getting married and having kids (4 of them)”
“I failed a class for the first time. I’ve only ever had A’s”
“Being a mom during the holidays sucks. It’s so busy and all I feel is stress & guilt”
“Sometimes I’m worried I settled in my relationship because I don’t like change”
“I wish I wasn’t so easily trusting”
“I have a boyfriend but I am relieved my ex is not with his (now ex) girlfriend anymore”
“I’m 34 and a virgin”
“I kissed my best friend a few weeks ago and it was so good but we decided to stay friends”
“I’m in love with someone who is not in love with me. So hard”
weekly abortion affirmation
I recorded a new abortion affirmations video for ya, you can watch it here!
baking tip of the week
If you’re shipping holiday baking to far away loved ones (yay!): put a slice of plain white bread in the tin/tupperware along with the cookies (put wax paper in between!). It’ll keep things fresh(er).
my current fave pic of Otie
a few seasonal recipe ideas from the blog & the book
blog:
book:
Molasses Gingersnaps, pg. 47
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, pg. 101
Raspberry Tahini Linzers, pg. 124
Walnut & Fig Shortbread, pg. 65
some notable (and less notable) things
Keep your eye out for next week’s newsletter: post-holiday baking reflections/rants
xoxo,
your favorite becca