Recorded November 18, 2021
A good gift-giver and a not-so-good gift-giver record a podcast on gift-giving.... and it's pretty darned good. Listen in.
BUY BLACK!!
2021 Gift List
Self-care gifts
black card games
Shea butter
Journals
Candles
Crystals
Diffuser - aromatherapy
Loungewear
Meditation pillow
Gift card to their favorite self care activity (massage, nails etc.)
Bath products
Pandemic activities: for those who have started new hobbies
Plant related gifts: specialized plants, plant lights etc..
Make your own Hot sauce Kit
Beer brewing kit/supplies
Odds and ends
Personalized jewelry - especially great for unique names
Sonic Handheld Percussion Massage Gun
Cigars and bourbon
whiskey Stones Gift set
DNA test
Gift Links:
Masterclass - online classes with top experts
https://www.masterclass.com/plans
Sleep Headphones
Lounge wear - Black, female owner of a lounge wear and line of bamboo sheets
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug 2
10 oz, Stainless Steel, 1.5-hr Battery Life - App Controlled Heated Coffee Mug https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08GRHYKFT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ERW4QZ5MSKQWN9ZKD90S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Vitruvi Stone Diffuser
Ceramic Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser for Aromatherapy https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01N4BU9G6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ET8D0M9BZ8RQQX035X76?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Mentions:
url: S2_E80_ Spaces that feed your Soul. With Dara Segbefia
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Have a question or topic you want us to talk about? We want to hear from you!!
Rhumel (00:09)
Welcome back to our show.
Twanda (00:11)
Welcome back, everybody. This is Twanda.
Rhumel (00:14)
And this is Rhumel.
Twanda (00:15)
Hey, Rhumel.
Rhumel (00:16)
Hey, girl. Hey, what's going on?
Twanda (00:20)
I just have to tell you, it's a week before Thanksgiving for me right now, and everybody's excited. I am excited about the holidays and Thanksgiving. It's just as a little stressed with that. Getting ready, getting all the food ready, planning for all the people. And I'm feeling it right now.
Rhumel (00:41)
I think the holidays always sneak up on us. We always know it's like the last month of the year, right? But then it seems like wait a minute. Halloween just passed, and then it's boom. The time just evaporates. And next thing you know, we're doing, like, last minute shopping for the kids and whatnot?
Twanda (01:04)
And the news doesn't make it any better because they keep telling me how I'm not going to find things in the store if I don't go buy them right now, go buy now because turkeys won't be there and other stuff won't be there. So they're stressed. They're, like, stressing me out every morning.
Rhumel (01:23)
I know. And I usually do a little pre buying. I usually buy for a few months beforehand. Little things that I know. Don't shake your head at me.
Twanda (01:33)
Are you buying a few months ahead?
Twanda (01:36)
Are we talking about Thanksgiving or Christmas?
Twanda (01:42)
I was thinking of Thanksgiving right now, but you know what? What a great segue into what we're talking about today.
Rhumel (01:49)
We're going to be talking about holiday gift giving and maybe give some holiday tips for gifts.
Twanda (01:59)
Yeah, because Rhumel is full of great holiday tips. You should not look at me. Gifts. I was like, Rhumel, you sure you're going to do this episode? Because I don't really do the gift thing? I don't know. She keeps saying... She's going to tell you that I'm good at giving gifts.
Rhumel (02:16)
She is. First of all, you are good at gifts. You give gifts all year.
Twanda (02:21)
It's stressful. Then I guess that's what I'm saying.
Rhumel (02:25)
Well, we're going to try to maybe help alleviate some of the stress for our listeners and just kind of talk about gifts for this year before we actually get to the gifts. I want to know, what are your top gifts that you have gotten that were, like, the worst. The top of the worst. The worst of the worst.
Twanda (02:50)
Okay.
Rhumel (02:50)
Gifts that you've gotten.
Twanda (02:52)
Okay. One of the gifts? No. This was the worst gift that I ever received. It was clearly by someone who hated me. It was a puzzle set, and I love puzzles, but it was a puzzle set with nothing on it. It was a blank puzzle. So we had all the puzzle pieces. And no, I'm not saying that there was some way that I could put my picture on it. And I'm saying they gave me a blank puzzle piece. Everything was white. That was their way of saying, Screw you for Christmas.
Rhumel (03:39)
The level of disdain was high. Yes. Okay. Well, do you have any others?
Twanda (03:49)
I had one more, but I wanted to hear yours. Your top one.
Rhumel (03:53)
My top top one. Okay, I have two, but I'll tell one, and then we'll go back to you. So both of these were given to me by my husband. I do love my husband.
Twanda (04:06)
But does he love you, though?
Rhumel (04:08)
Okay.
Twanda (04:08)
I'm sorry. What did he say?
Rhumel (04:09)
He has had to learn. He's gotten so much better. But when we were fairly newly married, one of our first Christmases together, he gave me the same exact outfit that he bought for his mother. Now it was like a sweatsuit kind of thing. And I liked it. Fine. I was like, oh, okay. It wasn't necessarily my style, but I was like, I'll wear this, right. And then his mother opened her gift, and I was like, Seriously, dude, and I was pissed, and he had the nerve to say, The Lady at the store tried to talk me out of it.
Rhumel (05:03)
You should have listened to the lady.
Twanda (05:07)
I wouldn't even told you that the lady at the store tried to talk him out of it.
Twanda (05:12)
First of all, first and foremost, let me thank the lady at the store for trying to help dude out, like, Dude, do not buy your wife and your mom the same thing and then let her find out.
Rhumel (05:24)
It's the same color and everything he bought us, literally the same set, shirt, jacket, pants, same identical thing. Incredible!
Twanda (05:34)
If you are thinking about giving your spouse, now, let's say your wife the same thing that you give your mom. It best will better be diamond jewelry. Right?
Rhumel (05:59)
Okay. It's not going to be good. But no, that was that one. He's recovered from that idea. He understands that was bad, was poor decision making. But now I need to know what your next one is.
Twanda (06:15)
Well, this one, it wasn't the person's fault. They were very thoughtful and giving me something that they believed I could use. But it was very personal to me. I hate that color. I hate that color. I hate that color. And they bought me, like, a tote bag that was in that color. And it was like, okay, never going to use this. Never going to use this. Never, ever going to use this . So it wasn't their fault. It was just something. Yeah, they didn't know. And I guess I'm finicky like that.
Twanda (07:03)
And why would you have a color that you don't like? And so I guess they didn't know. I guess in a sense, that was because I'm weird like that.
Rhumel (07:14)
I got you.
Twanda (07:15)
What was yours?
Rhumel (07:16)
Okay, so then my next one. Thank you, Hubby. He's not going to listen to this. So anyway, the other thing he got me was an electric toothbrush. I think I've told you guys this before in a really early episode, but he bought me an electric toothbrush which honestly would not have been that bad of a deal. Except for it was a two pack, and he took the other one.
Twanda (07:52)
Well, I mean, he's been married a long time. You did not divorce him. He has clearly learned what not to do. But I swear he has made a lot of the commonly made mistakes by men when they're buying their wives gifts. I bet you if we asked our audience. Hey, ladies, what are the mistakes your husband made? What did he buy you? That was horrible. We could probably write a book for men. Men don't read a lot of books. We write a pamphlet for men. Here are the things that you don't do when looking to buy a gift for your wife, right?
Rhumel (08:30)
That probably do. Well, it would probably do. He just gave me the two, and he was like, oh, yeah, and I'll use the other one. I was like, what? Who does this? But the answer is my husband.
Twanda (08:54)
No, he did that. And he learned from his mistake.
Rhumel (08:58)
He did, although he thinks it's hilarious. I mean, actually, we laugh about both things now because it's so far back in our rear view until I can laugh at it now. But in that moment, I just was like, what in the world is going on here?
Twanda (09:16)
That's hilarious. I didn't have any other ones. Fortunately, I usually get pretty good gifts, and I like a lot of the stuff that I can appreciate a lot, except that doggone puzzle. That was horrible. They hated me.
Rhumel (09:34)
Oh, gosh, I've seen those puzzles, and I think you have to be a special kind of person to want to do a puzzle. That's all one color.
Twanda (09:44)
No, I think they were telling me they were like, I hate you, but I had to buy you a Christmas gift. So here! Now you know how I feel.
Rhumel (09:59)
That is so funny.
Twanda (10:01)
Now, some people complain about gifts. So if your husband bought you a vacuum cleaner, that might be offensive. So when my husband bought me a vacuum cleaner one year and he told somebody that they were like, oh, dude, you're in trouble. You bought a vacuum cleaner. But what the real scenario was that I had little kids in a minivan, and I wanted a little vacuum cleaner that I could keep in the car to just vacuum up all the crumbs, because kids sweat, crumbs and sand and stuff like that.
Twanda (10:43)
And it made me feel better to have some control. So it wasn't a "you domestic person, I know you need another tool to make you happy." It wasn't about that. I really wanted not to have to go somewhere and have to do vacuum just to really clean something up to make me feel better. So I was happy with it. The only time when I would approve of a husband giving a wife a vacuum cleaner as a gift at any point in time, because this is something I really wanted, and it improved my quality of life.
Rhumel (11:18)
No, I think that's thoughtful. I think that the intent has a lot to do with it, like, your desire for it. You wanted something that you felt like this is going to make me feel good. And so we got you something to make you feel good.
Twanda (11:32)
Yeah. It helped me address a pain in my life. And so I can think of a lot of things I like to do Besides vacuuming. But it was a daily problem. And so he helped me solve it. And that made it a good gift. Now, when it comes to gift giving, I may err on the side of giving people what I like it. So I think they should like it, too.
Rhumel (12:01)
And I think that's just the hardest part of it. It's like, I have trouble buying people things that I don't personally like. Now it doesn't mean that I don't want to get them something they like, I just have a problem actually doing it. And I need to get over it. But I'm just saying I can relate to what I think you're saying.
Twanda (12:25)
Yeah, I just lean towards, oh, I think this is nice. And so I have to walk back in my head, wait a minute. That's what you like. So I have this conversation in my head all the time. I go, wait will they like, I have to go back and think about that. It has to go back. So it is a process to buying gifts. I will say it's not my favorite process. Now, the thing is, I love it when I come up with something that I know somebody will like, I just don't want to wait till the holidays to get it for them.
Twanda (13:04)
It's like, oh, this is cool. I know such and such would like this. I'd rather just be like, buy it. Now. You could save it for a birthday or something if that's coming up. But otherwise, it's just like, you know what I was thinking about. You thought you would like this boom. And then I'm fine. Just don't look for me to buy you nothing for Christmas. I hate the pressure of everybody. Now I have to think of everybody to buy a gift for what they might like and then pay all of it at one time of the year.
Rhumel (13:33)
Do you ever work with gift list, like, do your kids or do you guys have that conversation of, like, what do you we want?
Twanda (13:44)
We used to do that. And the older they got, the more it was like, new clothes. Then it was like, money for clothes because they didn't want me to pick out the clothes. And then it was just like, give me an envelope of money and we just call it a day. And I was like, Well, I want to give you a gift. So I don't have as much problem with wanting to buy a gift for my kids. But they're even at the point where they're adults, and they're like, believe it or not, my kids are like, I don't really need anything.
Twanda (14:17)
It's a different place to be. And so I just rethink how to be thoughtful with them or how to do something thoughtful with them.
Rhumel (14:26)
I could see that my family is not there yet. My oldest is probably the most in line with that. But I still have, like, a College student, and I still have a high schooler at home. So they are still square in line with get me stuff.
Twanda (14:48)
So I've got the craziest thing. This is something I did not expect in my life. My middle child. I'll call him College age because he's not in school. But my middle child has given me Christmas gifts. Like, for the past year, I have accumulated all these gifts that my kid has given me because of his unique circumstance of being able to have access. Now it sounds like he steals things doesn't it? It sounds bad, doesn't it?
Rhumel (15:21)
I know.
Twanda (15:21)
Okay. He's won a lot of prizes and stuff. I just really feel like we're in a different scenario in life, and my kids are not all about giving right now. They're like, I kind of have all that I need. So I'm good. So I was really thinking maybe we would do an angel tree this year specifically, and so we could all shop for another family.
Rhumel (15:53)
That's nice. I would love to do that one day.
Twanda (15:57)
Yeah, I know. You probably get your hands full. I understand.
Rhumel (16:00)
I still have my hand full with this one. Yeah. I just sent out my request for the kids to send me their Christmas list. I'm not getting a whole bunch of stuff off of there, but I just want to know for the longest while, I fought against them, actually sending me a list of things that they really wanted because I wanted the opportunity to go out and buy. Don't look at me like I'm crazy.
Twanda (16:26)
I'm like the silliest thing. I can imagine.
Rhumel (16:30)
I wanted to think about it.
Rhumel (16:31)
Okay. Yes, I did. Oh, my gosh. I used to really enjoy this whole process.
Twanda (16:39)
That sounds terrible.
Rhumel (16:39)
You said, that sounds terrible?
Twanda (16:41)
Oh, my gosh.
Rhumel (16:43)
I loved it. I loved it. And then my kids would open their stuff during the holidays, and I would just be so happy because inevitably, I bought them stuff that they did like, I'm sure I bought them plenty of stuff they didn't like.
Twanda (16:57)
Yeah, they're like.
Rhumel (17:00)
But now, since my life is busier, the list really helped me, and so I can just shovel money out at it and let it be done. And so that's what we're doing this year. I'm picking out I have a budget for each of them, and so I'll get them when I can. But I wonder for this year. We went through 2020. Now we're in 2021. Like you said, you called 2021, 2020 with a wig on it with a wig.
Twanda (17:32)
Yeah. But then I heard this new thing. So I'm going to say at 2021 is like 2020 with a lace front.
Rhumel (17:43)
With a lace front, Okay I like that.
Twanda (17:45)
Maybe that'll be what 22 is like, I don't know. We'll figure it out. I'm sorry I took you off. I'm sorry.
Rhumel (17:55)
No. But, like, last year, we were all living very differently, right? We were in our homes more and we haven't learned how to do things differently. And I think especially with a lot of the loss that people have experienced in the last couple of years. I think we're kind of like looking at Christmas and the holidays a little bit differently. And gift giving probably a little bit differently, too, as I am going through the different publications and things like that or what the hottest gifts for the year are and things like that.
Rhumel (18:34)
They tend to be more like self care kind of gift.
Twanda (18:42)
That makes sense
Rhumel (18:42)
Yeah, it does,
Twanda (18:43)
Because we've all been extra stressed. Things are just... We're trying to find ourselves in this world and find comfort and safety right now.
Rhumel (18:53)
Yes. Absolutely. And so I just thought it would be great if we could talk about maybe some of the gifts that we have kind of pulled up for. Ideas for people for 2021, because, hey, we all need ideas for gift giving. And right now everything is like, can we even find it right?
Twanda (19:17)
Well, I want to say one of the things that I'm looking forward to this year is the gift of having my family all in one place for the holidays again, thanks to the advances in science with the vaccine and the booster and other treatments to help with COVID, we're at least starting to get back on track and feel more comfortable and we don't have to miss each other. I don't want to miss each other again. Anyway.
Rhumel (19:52)
Let'S talk about gifts. Well, first thing I want to say is I think one of the lessons that I've learned over the last year is how important it is to buy black.
Twanda (20:09)
Yeah.
Rhumel (20:09)
Support black businesses, support small businesses and local businesses and things like that. I would love to see us as a collective, just really support those small businesses, those black businesses that are out there get them through the holiday season.
Twanda (20:29)
Yeah. Most businesses have really suffered from everything the pandemic brought along with it. I recently discovered that there is a black farmers market in Raleigh, downtown Raleigh that I can have access to on the weekends. And I found a lot of products that Black people like, right. I've picked out some surprise. Some of you are going to get some shea butter because I found a really nice feeling, nice smelling shea butter and this black company that creates it. They've done a fabulous job. I'm so proud so I was going to buy shea butter for some of my friends and family.
Twanda (21:21)
I hope that doesn't offend anybody. Everybody needs shea better, right.
Rhumel (21:26)
Black people. We love some lotion, some shea butter, but I think it would be a rare person that would be offended by some shea better.
Twanda (21:41)
Okay. So I'm good there. That's good. Now this I hadn't planned to give away. I was going to buy it for myself. I know it's all my gifts, but I was thinking about how the family gets together and what can you do when we get together. So I have purchased over the pandemic black themed card games.
Rhumel (22:05)
Oh, yeah.
Twanda (22:06)
So I've got a card game that is basically the hashtag type of thing you see on Twitter and Instagram hashtag ABCDEFG. And you're like, what does that mean? What does that mean? And being able to guess that. So that was a really fun game, and because I'm talking about it, I can't remember the name of the game.
Rhumel (22:30)
Yeah, I know what you're talking about, too. We'll have to get that one.
Twanda (22:33)
Yes, that was good. There's a black Uno that I never haven't used yet, but I believe it has some black trivia as part of it. Okay. Which is a cool update. And there's a black taboo. So I love the game taboo. I love the game taboo, but it makes me feel excited to do something related to culturally, something that relates to us for a change. I'm so excited.
Rhumel (23:09)
I would be interested in that.
Twanda (23:11)
Yes, I'm getting it. And I plan to when I have people over for the holidays, we're trying to sit around and do something. We have some games that point towards.... Culture Tags, the hashtag game I was talking about. So yeah.
Twanda (23:32)
We did great. So buy black, I can really do that and support that.
Rhumel (23:41)
I'm so into it. Well, one of the things that I am going to well, personally that I would want. I can't say I don't know that everybody will want these things, but I know I want them. Is it okay for me to want that's what I was asking.
Twanda (24:00)
Surely everybody wants the same things I want.
Rhumel (24:03)
Right. Right. Everybody. Well, in the last year and, well, almost two years now, I have gotten into journaling, and I am probably the last person. If you had told me, January 2020. Rhumel, you're going to be journaling before the end of the year. I would have told you that you're alive and the true thing in you. But now I'm journaling and not only in my journaling a little bit, I'm going through journals. And so that's one of the things that I'm looking for. I think it's just part of this whole movement of trying to self love and self care.
Twanda (24:49)
Get to know yourself, exploring yourself, being curious.
Rhumel (24:53)
Yeah. Exactly. So for me, that's one candles. I wasn't really into candles, but here I am, 2021 into candles.
Twanda (25:04)
Is it the aromatherapy type of thing?
Rhumel (25:09)
Sometimes, but it's a tricky thing for me. Okay, because I am sensitive to sense. And so candles are like this double edged sword. I love to smell them, but they give me headaches. They tend to give me headaches.
Twanda (25:23)
So you are candles that don't have a smell.
Rhumel (25:26)
Who are they? I do want them to have a smell.
Twanda (25:30)
That's the fun part about candles.
Rhumel (25:32)
I know, but I know that there are certain kinds that I can smell them, but they don't give me a headache, and they tend to be complicated.
Twanda (25:43)
I know it's like I need candles, but only this kind.
Rhumel (25:47)
Yeah, I'll buy candles for myself.
Twanda (25:50)
Don't nobody buy candles for her because, please don't.
Rhumel (25:53)
Please don't. And another thing I'm into right now. Oh, my gosh. Crystals! I have so many crystals.
Twanda (26:01)
Can you say that again for the people in the back?
Rhumel (26:03)
Oh, my gosh. She's saying that because she knows she's seen pictures of my crystals.
Twanda (26:09)
Yeah. Every time somebody shines a shiny rock, her eyes glazed. And next thing you know, she's whipping out a credit card. She has a problem. Nobody, please, nobody get her anymore crystals. Put her in the corner. But still I get it. Pretty rocks. We had an episode where we had a home decorator. interior decorator. She would always put one in a room. At least one of the rooms should find a nice Crystal that served as a she didn't call it a centerpiece, but it was a wow piece.
Twanda (26:47)
It added to the room. She said it's always something that just makes a room. Now Rhu`mel has gone over the top. She has a million of them, but still, I love that idea of having a nice piece somewhere in the house.
Rhumel (27:06)
Yeah, I'm on punishment. So no more crystals for me for a while. Unless they are purchased for me, I will take gifted crystals.
Twanda (27:18)
I'm going to go back to scents because I wanted to talk about diffusers. One of my friends bought me a really beautiful diffuser that changes colors. And I guess you can say I'm into essential oils, so I like having them using them for all sorts of things. But of course, in the diffuser, that's perfect. And so I've got my essential oils that I like to put in my diffuser and just make the whole house smell good. My kids have certain scents that they like, and now they have diffusers.
Twanda (27:52)
And now we just tend to buy different oils so we can have different smells through the house. Ramel would die of a headache in my house, probably. But, yeah, I could.
Rhumel (28:06)
But essential oils are a little bit easier, but I can still get a headache, but it's all good.
Twanda (28:15)
I want to say something. I helped` somebody buy a gift for their husband. And again, I'll tell you, I hate I don't find gift buying easy. And she was like, Well, I sent you a text asking if you had any ideas for a man, a husband. And I was like, Girl, you asking the wrong person. Why are you asking me? Go ask somebody who's good at this. And then I said, Well, I got one idea that I think Rhumel gave me. I don't know.
Twanda (28:45)
Did you give me that idea?
Rhumel (28:46)
Yea. I did.
Twanda (28:48)
I took the idea Rhumel gave me and told her sister. And she loved the idea.
Twanda (28:59)
So your sister loves your idea. But your idea came out of my mouth. I got all the credit.
Rhumel (29:07)
She bought them, too. She went ahead and bought them for him. Yes.
Twanda (29:10)
So she bought some lounge wear for her husband because it looks really nice. It didn't look frumpy. It was very nice looking pajamas.
Rhumel (29:25)
Seriously, if you aren't taking a Zoom in some kind of lounge-wear these days, I mean, you're not doing it right!
Twanda (29:33)
Yeah, you're definitely not doing it right if you're not comfortable, you're not doing it right. Yeah. I'm waiting for the filter that makes it look like I'm wearing a collared shirt. Right? Zoom people if you're listening, could you please .... oh MS Teams at work I do Teams. I need a filter that makes it look like I've got on a collar, button down shirt when I'm actually wearing my fuzzy robe. Please. And thank you.
Rhumel (30:00)
Yes, please. And thank you. Well, I know we're talking a lot about things that we as women like. I mean, loungewear is a good thing for guys, too.
Twanda (30:11)
Yeah, I was actually thinking about a guy.
Rhumel (30:14)
Yeah, right. But one of the things my husband is into, and it turns out your husband has interest in is this whole cigars and bourbon or whiskey kind of.
Twanda (30:26)
Where does this come from? I just stumbled across that. To be honest, I looked at and I was like, Y'all COVID, lungs, wow are we really talking about smoking. Smoking. How is that a thing, right? No, I'm sorry. Do not take my black card. I realize this is a trend among us, so I'm not pushing against it. I'm just saying, I don't understand it, but I get it. I know that it's a thing, and I'm not hating. I'm just saying, I don't understand it. Yeah.
Rhumel (30:55)
No, I don't either. My husband has a shirt that says Smoke dog on it.
Twanda (31:01)
Really? We are serious.
Rhumel (31:05)
Yeah. I'm like what? I'm so glad he hasn't gotten, like, one of the they have these special boxes of Humidor, I think, is what they call it.
Twanda (31:17)
He hasn't gone that far yet.
Rhumel (31:20)
He hasn't gone that far yet. It does something with the humidity or something. But if your guy is into that or you're dating a person who is into that because it doesn't have to be guys. There are plenty of women.
Twanda (31:31)
Oh, there are plenty of women. I've learned that I've learned that I've gone to black events, and I realized, oh, actually.
Rhumel (31:46)
If you're into whiskey like they have these, this is going to sound terrible. They have these little whiskey balls is what they call them. That are metal that you put in the freezer instead of putting ice into the whiskey where it waters it down, you actually put it into the whiskey.
Twanda (32:06)
Okay. I love those.
Rhumel (32:09)
Oh, they call them stones right.
Twanda (32:13)
Yes, those and other types that I use for other things. And I don't want it to water down my drink, but make it cold. But, yes, originally, it was for, like, whiskey stones for alcohol. But, yeah, those are good gifts for your loved one who's interested in that type of thing. That's a good one.
Rhumel (32:34)
Yeah, I like that one. Now, this is something that so many people got into. I know it wasn't you.
Twanda (32:45)
Okay.
Rhumel (32:47)
So many people are into plants in this last year and a half.
Twanda (32:52)
It's kind of me.
Rhumel (32:55)
Well, outside, I stand corrected. You and your husband have done a fabulous job outside in your backyard.
Twanda (33:10)
We got plants.
Rhumel (33:11)
Yeah, lots of plants. It's just the inside. And.
Twanda (33:15)
Oh heck no. No inside plants.
Twanda (33:18)
I even have a fake Christmas tree. I hate doing nothing living in my house.
Rhumel (33:27)
Well, one gift that I got from my sister, who has probably more plants right now than she can count is a plant light.
Twanda (33:40)
I've seen those serious people about plants have a plant light, and it's like they're spoiling their plants is what it feels like.
Rhumel (33:52)
I just got it for as a random gift because she was home a lot and she was really into it. She really loves her plants. And she was so thrilled. I got her one that has, like, five arms to it.
Rhumel (34:06)
So it has, like.
Rhumel (34:07)
Five lights or something like that. And it was really easy. But if you have somebody who's really in the plants should really consider it right now.
Twanda (34:17)
That is a very smart one. People would appreciate that.
Rhumel (34:21)
Yeah. Do you have any other things that you might want to get somebody?
Twanda (34:26)
Well, last year, I was really pleased with myself for our book club. I bought everybody the same thing. I know it doesn't sound good, but I didn't buy my husband and my dad the same thing. So there's that. But what I mean is for our book club. I bought everybody the same necklace that had a representation of tribe, something like that. And I got it for all of us so that we could all wear it when we get together or not. And just kind of remember, we're part of a group.
Twanda (35:00)
We mean something to each other. So I felt really good about that one.
Rhumel (35:05)
That was a really good gift. And we all still wear our necklaces when we are together. So that's a good thing. And speaking of jewelry, as a black woman with a name that nobody else seems to have. Yeah,
Twanda (35:25)
I know you did. But I never met another Rhumel ever.
Rhumel (35:28)
I have a Facebook friend, so to speak. And I'm using air quotes. My friend who is a black Lady, I believe in California, who has the same name as I. So there's not that many of us. But let's just say this. We did not see our names on any key chains or necklaces or anything like that. But technology is such that people are able to make custom jewelry with their small businesses now. And so one of the things I got my kids last year because they all have fairly unique names as well was stuff that had their names on it, like jewelry that had their names on it. They really loved that.
Twanda (36:15)
Yeah. I can imagine that, because I know I learned very early to forget looking at those customized key chains and anything for tourism or anywhere. Just forget it. Twanda was not on the list. Ever.
Rhumel (36:32)
No.
Twanda (36:33)
Ever.
Rhumel (36:35)
Every time. Did you look every time?
Twanda (36:37)
No. I just remember the crushing feeling.
Rhumel (36:40)
Like, why couldn't I have been named Sarah? They get, like, two versions!
Twanda (36:46)
I remember feeling that right. And my mom was very proud that I didn't have a common name. And here I am, sobbing in a gas station because there's not a key chain with my name on it. So to be honest, I haven't thought of a lot of things with just you know what? I'm going to try that. I'm going to try to get something more things with my name on it. I just taught myself that I don't get things with my name on it. I hadn't thought about creating things with my name on it.
Rhumel (37:18)
What's your name on it?
Twanda (37:19)
Look at that. I just found me a good gift. Everybody gave me something with my name on it. It's not going to be easy. You have to customize that to give yourself a few weeks in advance. You can find nothing. But maybe that's it. I could do that for myself. I'll get something with my name on it.
Rhumel (37:34)
Yeah, absolutely.
Twanda (37:35)
And maybe other people have that need, like the Rhumels of the world.
Rhumel (37:40)
I know there's plenty of us. I'll tell you this really quickly. My daughter was inducted to, like, a group in school this past week. She's down in FAMU. They introduced all of the new inductees. Right. And usually everybody is sorted by last name first. Right. So Anderson would go probably towards the top. Right. But they sorted everybody by first name, which was interesting, because then you saw all of the ways that people spelled Amayia or all these other names. And it was really interesting to see the group of women who were there, and some of them had very similar names, but they were spelled very different.
Twanda (38:31)
Right. I can see that. I can imagine that.
Rhumel (38:36)
Yeah It was really interesting. And they could all use personalized jewelry. There were very few Sarah's in the group, so to speak.
Twanda (38:53)
Something you don't find on a keychain.
Rhumel (38:56)
And I think that's cool.
Twanda (38:58)
That's a good idea. Yeah.
Rhumel (39:02)
This is one thing that I want my parents. I want to get my parents.
Twanda (39:07)
Are you going to want to get them or are you just going to do it? You're going to get this for them.
Rhumel (39:11)
I should just get it for my dad. My mom already has it, but what it is is a DNA test. I don't know if that's more my gift than it is his gift.
Twanda (39:23)
You just want to know what it says and what it tells you.
Rhumel (39:28)
That's probably not what I'm going to get him.
Twanda (39:31)
But you should for him. In addition to something else he might want to know that my dad wanted to know. I did get him one for Father's Day because he said that he wanted to do one of those. And I'm curious what his would say. I've already done one. I'd be curious what his says just because I think that would be cool.
Rhumel (39:55)
Yeah, I think so. I think it would be neat. And a lot of places do holiday sales for that. They do for the DNA. So, like, ancestry. Com.
Twanda (40:08)
I'm not saying any names. Cause they aren't sponsoring us. Just know that there are some places you all can go find out.
Rhumel (40:19)
Almost all of them are on sale right now. There's one thing that I thought was a super good idea for people who are still at home. There's a number of people who are still spending a lot of time at the house. I found this one online and I've heard of it, but it's called Masterclass. Have you heard of that before?
Twanda (40:43)
I've heard of it. They use that term in front of a lot of things where usually like their celebrities or well known experts. I'm assuming they've given their blessing to or maybe they wrote the class and it is a class on anything, whatever topic, right?
Rhumel (41:06)
They have stuff on cooking, they have gardening. And like you said, I think part of it is that they're using very well established people in that arena, whatever that arena is. And I think like a class, I think to get into it, it's only like it's $150 or something like that. But you get access to a lot of these classes that are already prerecorded and things like that.
Twanda (41:36)
But you get access to education.
Rhumel (41:39)
Learning and stuff, and you can be at the house and do it and still take in things. So that was the one thing, one other thing that I wanted to mention there there are so many things out here, but I feel like this year and last year I just really want to focus on getting things that people really want to help, feel good about themselves and just feel grounded and feel like it's trying to get them in a better place. 2000 and 2021 have been the ultimate Instress, right?
Twanda (42:21)
So we're going back to, like, candles and aromatherapy or are we back in the bourbon and Beer of the Month Club. We could take this either way.
Rhumel (42:36)
But I hear what you're saying. And beer. The Month Club is definitely one on the list. But I think it is whatever makes a person really feel happy. And if a beer club makes you happy, then so be it. Buy them a beer club. Specialty beer every month. Yeah. I mean, they have all kinds of stuff. There's all kinds of unique things Besides, like electronics that we're used to seeing, like give to each other, making your own hot sauce kits.
Twanda (43:20)
What?
Rhumel (43:20)
Yeah
Twanda (43:20)
There's nothing wrong with Frank's hot sauce. There's nothing wrong with my Texas Pete. Don't nobody need to play with my hot sauce. Okay.
Rhumel (43:30)
My husband, those two are not hot enough. That's, like, catch up around our house. Seriously, that's not enough. So he would probably like something like a hot sauce kit where he could kind of play with the heat and the spices that go with it.
Twanda (43:52)
Okay. But don't buy me anything related to cooking, okay? I'm not going to do it. Nothing related to cooking. If you said about joy, forget the cooking. Maybe the Wine of the Month club. Some of therapy. Just stay away from the cooking supplies. Now, if I want it, I will buy it. But that is not what's going to bring me Joy. Okay.
Rhumel (44:17)
No, I feel you.
Rhumel (44:21)
I know that there's a lot of stuff we didn't even get to all the things because there are so many things. I'm going to get some of these links and put them in the show notes. Twada is looking at me like.
Twanda (44:36)
Are they supporting the podcast now?
Rhumel (44:38)
Yeah, absolutely. I'll do my thing. Don't worry.
Twanda (44:44)
I will put them in. I'll let them know. I think what was good about today is we know that we all have to get in our minds. What are some good gifts at that time? When this episode released, you should be in your gift purchasing mode, and we're hoping that some of our ideas and some of our ways of thinking about buying a gift helps you get what you need to get this even.
Rhumel (45:15)
Oh, you couldn't have said that better. Oh, my goodness, friend. You're good at that.
Twanda (45:21)
Thank you.
Rhumel (45:23)
Yes. So we hope we gave you a lot of ideas to kind of work with. So that's it. I'm so happy. Thank you so much for working with me on this one, because I know you were a little hesitant.
Twanda (45:36)
I don't give gifts.
Rhumel (45:42)
All right. Well, thanks to everyone for showing up. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season. We'll be back until next time.
Twanda and Rhumel (45:51)
Peace and blessing.
Rhumel (45:53)
Thanks for joining us today. Don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to this podcast. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at Girrrlpodcast.com
That's girrrl with 3 Rs.
Twanda (46:09)
Participate in our segment Ask your girlfriends email us at Girrrlpodcast@gmail.com.
Speaker 3 (46:16)
That's Girl with three Rs so until next time. Peace and blessings.