See what my favorite finds for 2025 were, and find out what my friends gave me during this year’s Favorite Things Gift Exchange.
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My 2025 Favorites Things
This is always a fun list to put together. I try my best to gather some of my favorite everyday items, tools, and experiences from each year to share with you.
Our Daughter’s Graduation Trip to Walt Disney World
One of my favorites from this year was celebrating our oldest’s high school graduation with a mother-daughter trip to Walt Disney World. We stayed at Wilderness Lodge for the first time and enjoyed all of the shows, rides, treats, and fireworks together. 10/10 would recommend!
Eight O’Clock Coffee
We made a switch from a more expensive espresso to using Eight O’Clock coffee for our espresso machine, and it’s just so much better. Maybe this means I’m not a coffee snob after all, or maybe it’s just better coffee. Either way, it’s cheaper, and the flavor is much more consistent and smooth.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
I’ve been using this just about 2 years now, and I can see a difference! My son has even been using it and we’re finally seeing an improvement in his acne. It’s pricey, but it lasts a long time! If you’re starting to notice your skin aging, I highly recommend adding this to your routine!
ESR MagSafe Wallet for my phone
I’ve used a phone case with a wallet for a few years now and none of them were perfect, until this year, when I found this one! It attaches to my current phone case using MagSafe, which means I can take it off and on so I can charge my phone via MagSafe or use my MagSafe phone holder in my car. The magnet is STRONG! The loop gives me a nice grip when I’m taking a photo or carrying the phone around. The wallet part folds open and can be used as a phone holder on your desktop. The wallet holds my ID, plus up to 4 cards! I don’t even carry my purse when I have to run out the door. It’s super handy when traveling!
Medicine Container for Travel:
These pill containers have been so handy for when I travel. It has just the right amount of spots for all of the important travel medicines. The larger spots are perfect for motion sickness medicine and antacids. I keep it filled up and always packed in my luggage so it’s ready to go!
Gel Pens
I love a nice dark pen but I hate the smudging. These pens have been working really great, and they’re super cute!
Our 2025 Favorites Gift Exchange
One of the highlights of the holiday season is getting together with some of my closest friends and having our annual “Favorite Things” party. We started this several years ago and it has evolved into a fun annual gift giving party that we all look forward to.
How A Favorite Things Gift Exchange Party Works
First, we set a dollar amount limit. We started at $15 per person, but now we try to do somewhere around $20 per person.
Each person picks something from the past year that was a favorite thing. In the past, we’ve received a variety of gifts, including freshly made sourdough, fun markers, a mini tabletop fire for making s’mores, and more!
It’s so fun to see what everyone loved each year. This year we got together at our friend Sarah’s beautiful home, enjoyed takeout from a local restaurant (so no one had to cook or clean up!) and cookies, then opened our gifts.
What Favorites Were Shared at This Year’s Favorite Things Party
African Net Sponge & Collagen Face Mask
This was my favorite gift(s) this year. I found this African net sponge on TikTok and was completely convinced to order one. I’m so glad I did! I had tried another brand that was made the traditional way, and it was not great. These African Net Sponges are a game-changer for my skin. They are hand-knotted and are fantastic for exfoliating. I promise, you’ve never felt as clean as you will after taking a shower with one of these!
The face masks from Biodance have been my favorite skincare routine this year. These masks can be worn for a few hours or overnight and they make my skin so soft and glowy!
A Solar-Powered Candle and Lantern
Another candle-themed gift, and I was excited that this one could be put outside on our porch. It is solar powered, and the candlelight flickers like a real candle. I already have it on our porch, and it is so pretty!It would be so pretty hanging from an outdoor hook or tree, too! These are sold in a pack of 2 and come in several different finishes. You can find them here.
Battery-Powered Taper Candles and an assortment of thrifted candle holders
We received a set of 6 real wax battery-powered candles! I knew I would love these because I own a few already and was excited to add more to my collection. The added thrifted candlesticks were such a fun surprise! Each of us got a different set: some glass, some metal, and some wooden. What a creative and useful gift idea!
Find these battery-powered taper candles here
A festive soy candle and a dozen free-range chicken eggs from her own little farm!
This candle scent might be the perfect holiday combination! It has a nice pine scent, but there is also orange, eucalyptus, and other scents that blend so nicely. When she announced that she also brought a dozen eggs for each of us, I may have cheered a little too loudly. Her chickens’ eggs are not only beautiful, but they are so much better than store-bought eggs! What a great gift!
A GIANT Bag of Nerds Gummy Clusters and a Colorful Puzzle
Our one friend has completely ruined our lives by introducing us to NERDS gummy clusters this year (we are all now addicted to them!), so she gifted each of us a GIANT bag! She also gave us each the same exact puzzle that she owns. She loves doing puzzles and says that this one is especially satisfying and fun to work on while listening to an audiobook to unwind.
I hope you can get a few friends or family members together and have your own Favorite Things Party this year! It really is a fun way to share something that brings you joy with people you love. When I look around my home, I see little items here and there that each of my friends has loved. It’s fun knowing that there are 4 other friends who have and use some of the same items in their homes, too.
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