Christmas is just around the corner, and I thought it was about time I compiled a list of things you can ask for or get for that Primal person in your life. I know, Christmas isn’t about consumerism and gifts, but we can’t escape the fact that people will still be buying gifts, so why not point people in the right direction of some gifts we can give and receive that will improve our lives and the lives of those around us?
The list is developed so that you can think of the kind of people in your life that you’ll be getting gifts for. There’s that person in your life that you know needs better sleep or hates waking up or maybe you just want to help someone out on their Paleo journey and get them started with a simple Paleo cookbook. The items below are to spark ideas and most of them I already own and can attest to their ability to help with the things I point out. Enjoy!
For those who have a hard time waking up
Phillips Wake-Up Light – Amazon
I have the older version of this, but the concept is the same. It emulates the sunrise so that you can wake up naturally as your circadian rhythm is designed to wake you up. This wake light will start to emulate light 30 minutes before you set your designated wake up time, and will gradually increase brightness over the next 30 minutes. No joke, this has helped me wake up better and deters you from that cycle of your phone going off and hitting snooze over and over – which has been proved to not improve the quantity or quality of your sleep.
For those who wanna do something fun in the backyard
Slackline – Amazon
Maybe getting home from work and plopping down in front of the TV or computer is your thing, but maybe you should change what your thing is – or maybe you know someone and that’s their thing. Slacklines are a fun thing to do right in your backyard. I’ve been begging my wife to get one for me for a couple years, but our problem is we don’t have big trees and our ground is really tough to put an anchor in the ground – but I have hope that maybe this is the year I look out the backyard Christmas morning and I see a beautiful taught slackline spanning my grass…
For those who love water
Nalgene – Amazon
I hate going to a restaurant and asking for water and they end up bringing a tiny dixie cup full of water. I’m not sure what part of “I’d like water to drink” means “I want a smaller quantity of liquid to drink than somebody who orders a Coke to drink”. As you can tell I’m passionate about bringing my own water to everything: restaurants, movies, weddings, Disneyland – just about everything. I like to drink water and I hate when I get handed a tiny cup when I forget my Nalgene and have to ask for water.
For those who don’t want to wait all day for pulled pork
Instant Pot – Amazon
Here’s another thing I don’t have yet but I would love one. Nom Nom Paleo always touts their ability and I would love to have one so I don’t have to wait 24+ hours for her Kalua Pig recipe. These would even be great for speeding up bone broth a little bit. A definite must for those of us who are always pressed for time in the kitchen but want the benefits of a slow cooked meal. It’s like a cooking time machine (except it doesn’t contain a flux capacitor).
For those who want to make homemade chips
Mandolin Slicer – Amazon
No matter how great of a cook you are, slicing a sweet potato with a Chef’s Knife thin enough to make chips is a little difficult. You might end up hurting yourself. Having a mandolin slicer in the kitchen is always a nice thing to have, especially if you’re trying to make some homemade sweet potato chips fried up in coconut oil.
For those who love to poop
Squatty Potty – Amazon
This thing is no joke. You need to watch this commercial then come back to reading this.
Ok now that you watched that I want to let you know that this thing really works. My poops get done in less than 30 seconds. I got one last year for my birthday from my brother and sister in law. At the time they made fun of me but bought it for me anyway. They ended up breaking down and bought one for themselves and now they swear by it. If you don’t buy anything else on this list but this, your poop life will be revolutionized. I promise. Money back guarantee.
For those who love to track everything
Moov Now – Amazon
There are a bunch of fitness trackers out there and there will continue to be more as the years go on but this one is one of the best ones out right now. It doesn’t need to be charged, it runs on a watch battery. Also, it seems to be the only tracker other than the Misfit Shine Speedo that tracks swimming, down to speed of flip turns! Pretty amazing tech in this fitness tracker other than just tracking steps, it also has a built in fitness coach. If you’re in the market for a fitness tracker for either you or someone else I suggest getting them a Moov Now or the Misfit Shine Speedo.
For those who want their everyday carry to open cans
Swiss Army Knife – Amazon
Everyone should carry around a pocket knife. I use it for all sorts of things but primarily opening cans of tuna at lunch. Early on going Primal I didn’t have a pocket knife and I forgot can openers when I would bring my lunch to work. It led to afternoons where I was starving! Now that I bring this with me everywhere I go I no longer worry about not having a way to open my protein at lunch.
For those starting out on Primal
Quick & Easy Meals – Amazon
This is the book my wife bought a few years back that got me hooked on Primal, but it also got me hooked on cooking in general. The meals are so easy to prepare and cook that even if you’re new or someone you know is new to the kitchen, will help them feel comfortable preparing tasty and nutritious meals for them and their family.
For those who start diets in January
21 Day Challenge – Amazon
Everyone starts a new diet in January. It’s the thing to do, but it rarely sticks. That’s why the gyms are packed in January and eventually taper off near February – because people start a diet but don’t follow through. This book will help those who normally fail at a diet – follow through. This book helped me lose 30 lbs 3 years ago and I still keep off the weight, all the while eating copious amounts of fat, meat, veggies, fruit, dark chocolate and nuts.
There it is folks. The first That’s So Primal Christmas Guide. Hopefully some of these ideas can jumpstart your gift giving and point you in the right direction of how to spend your hard earned cash on things that will help you live a healthier and more Primal lifestyle.
