My Holiday Wish List

photo by calmenda

This weekend, The Man and I took care of most of our list in one swoop at the mall. Yes, I went to the mall and walked from one end to the next in search of the perfect present. (Family, feel honored.) And, yes, I dragged The Man to the mall despite his begging and pleading—and kicking and screaming that only the crazies go to the mall during the weeks before Christmas. Once I finally talked him off of the ledge—you know, the one where he was whining that he now hates Christmas—we were pretty efficient.

But the biggest success was how my knees handled walking, more walking, and weaving through the sea of Christmas shoppers … all of whom walk much, much slower than this gimp, by the way. Sure, my knees were sore, but they didn’t get red hot and swollen. And the next morning, they were back to their pre-shopping spree feel.

Because I’m still in the Christmas spirit, I thought I’d share my wish list with you. You may get good gift ideas for health-minded friends and family. Or the injured gimp in your life.

Gaiam Teak Bath Stool
Because standing in the shower is a little too difficult for my 80-year-old knees. Really. Right now I use a cheapo plastic number The Man picked up at CVS for $15. It gets the job done, but this teak stool looks good, too. If you have the knee strength to stand in the shower (lucky you), this is also a great bathroom stool.

Manduka yoga mat
I’m not ready to take up yoga again, but I would love to do my physical therapy stretches on something other than my floor. This eco-friendly one is free of PVCs, chemicals linked to asthma, reproductive problems, and other health woes. Plus, it’s lightweight and comes in 11 colors. (My pick: Moss)

Nikon D90 Digital SLR camera
Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Brand spankin’ new iMac
Still dreamin’.

Sole flip-flops
After I got custom orthotics, I found it hard to wear my favorite summertime shoe: the flip-flop. Most are nothing more than a piece of foam with a plastic thong—not really the best support for aching knees. Then this August I learned that Sole, an orthotics manufacturer, also made supportive flip-flops with arch support. I have these in black, but I can always use another pair.

Asics running shoes
Experts recommend replacing your running shoes every 300 to 500 miles. I’m pretty sure mine have passed the limit—it’s been a while, OK?—so a new sneakers are going on my list. I’m an Asics loyalist, so this pair is perfect. It has good arch support, which will prevent my feet from overpronating (rolling inward). If you don’t have flat feet, play around on Asics’ site; it can help you pick a pair tailored to your foot type.

The Wire: The Complete First Season
To numb the pain of PRP, I like to medicate with a TV series on DVD. The first go-around, a full season of Bones kept my mind off of my throbbing knee. For my second PRP treatment, the fix was Fringe. I’ve heard The Wire is addicting, which is perfect for my next couch-bound weekend.

479° popcorn
Popcorn is probably my favorite snack because it’s high in fiber and doesn’t pack too many calories or too much fat into each serving. Oh, and it tastes pretty awesome. So I was excited to find a company that sells the stuff in outrageous flavors—fleur de sel caramel anyone?—in adorable, giftable containers. You can buy each flavor separately or try a five-flavor sampler box.

Container Store pill organizer
You know you’re an octogenarian when … you add a pill container to your Christmas list. This clear, stackable, seven-day pill container is great for keeping vitamins in order. I’d put a day’s worth of supplements into each cylinder so I’m ready to go for the week. Since there are two lids, I’d pack a single container to take at work each day.

Wusthof knife set
The more I cook, the more I wish my cheapo knives were sharper. Or sharp. My mother gave me a nice chef’s knife last year, and I appreciate it every time it halves a potato in one go. Still, my other knives could use a little a lot of help, which is why I added this set to my list.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve
Once upon a time I was addicted to this fragrant lip balm. Who am I kidding? I’m still addicted—I just ran out. So, this cheap salve is going on my list. It makes braving the cold weather much more bearable. Here’s a tip: For super dry lips, pile on a ton of the flowery balm overnight. Your cracked lips will soak it up like a sponge, I swear.

J. Crew metallic hat
So, no, I wouldn’t wear this on a run outside or during any type of physical activity. (It’s too pretty to gunk up with sweat.) I would, however, slip this on before work to shield my ears from icy temps. It’s elegant enough to wear pretty much anywhere—but expensive fancy enough that I wouldn’t buy this for myself.

You: The Owner’s Manual
Seeing as parts of me are quickly aging—ahem, knees—I thought I’d stop the rest of my body from catching up fast by reading this book by Dr. Mehmet Oz. (That’s the Dr. Oz to you.) It’s been around for years, but I always passed it up. Well, now that my body’s breaking I think it’s time to crack open an owner’s manual.

Art of Tea’s Tea of the month club
I love tea. I drink about five cups a day, partly because I love it and partly because my office is, oh, 25 degrees and the only way I can keep warm is by chugging my weight in hot tea. Either way, I’d love this tea of the month club, which would allow me to sample a bunch of flavors.