The 2023 Well+Being gift guide: Ideas to help you live better

Giving the gift of well-being doesn’t necessarily mean wrapping up a box of lotions, bubble bath and candles. While we enjoy all those things, we asked The Washington Post’s Well+Being team to share what items made life better this year. If your goal is to help someone live well every day, consider these gift ideas.

1. Book club membership

The 2023 Well+Being gift guide: Ideas to help you live better

Last year, my family got me a year-long membership to Book of the Month club. It suggests several new books each month in different genres. You choose the one you want, and it’s delivered to you. The club has introduced me to so many authors and books. Because I know a new one is coming each month, it encourages me to read faster, but I can also pause it or skip a month at any point. $59.99-$199.99. — Chelsea Conrad, news designer

2. A meal-kit subscription

I was never excited about meal kits until I tried those offered by Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, which felt like a cooking class with Martha herself. These weekly deliveries included exact portions of all the produce, spices, proteins and other ingredients I needed for a meal, saving me a trip to the store and cutting back on food waste. More important, I became a better cook, started eating healthier meals and shared them with family and friends. While caring for my father, who had been ill, I served up a dish of salmon, rice and snap peas. “It’s too pretty to eat,” he said. He ate every bite. $63.95-$125.87 a week for two people. — Tara Parker-Pope, editor

3. Mindfulness dice

If you’re looking for a way to add more mindfulness to your day, try these pretty dice from Chronicle Books. Roll the colorful dice to discover meditations and exercises to help you feel calm and reflect. My daughter gave me these dice as a holiday gift, and they have since become a great way to take a mental health break during my workday. A recent roll gave me six mindful options to choose from: cultivate courage, stretch my neck, let go, take two breaths, find joy and be silent. $18.95. — Tara Parker-Pope

4. Pull-up bar

My new favorite stress reliever and strength builder? My portable pull-up bar. Simple, cheap and convenient, it fits in almost any doorway. I hang from the handles, which rapidly builds grip strength and limbers up my often-tight lower back without schlepping to the gym. I may even manage a full pull-up soon. $34.99. — Gretchen Reynolds, Your Move columnist

5. Microbiome test kit

Why not give someone the gift of learning about their gut microbiome? Zoe is a health-service company that gives people insights into the vast communities of microbes that live inside their gut, along with information about how they can optimize their diet to improve their metabolic health. I tried Zoe and had a lot of fun learning about my own personal gut microbes. Zoe isn’t cheap. It costs about $300. But if there’s a biohacking health nerd in your life, this unique and helpful gift will brighten their day. Test kit: $294; membership: 1 month at $59 per month. — Anahad O’Connor, Eating Lab columnist

6. Touch-free soap dispenser

Cooking can be a messy process. We can spread bacteria and viruses by touching surfaces in our kitchen with unclean hands, particularly when working with raw meat. The touch-free Simplehuman soap dispenser has a sensor that detects your hands and dispenses soap directly onto them, so you don’t have to handle any bottles or bars while preparing meals this holiday season. The nine-ounce dispenser, which comes in several finishes, is also rechargeable, so it does not require batteries. $70-$80. — Lindsey Bever, reporter

7. A great sun hat

The Columbia Bora Bora hat has been among my best purchases this year and made outdoor activities such as hiking and beach time much more pleasurable. Among many other helpful features, it has a three-inch full brim that protects my face, especially my eyes, from the sun; UPF 50 shielding; moisture-wicking technology; and a mesh vent panel. But the two things I love most about this hat are the toggle that makes it fit my small head and the drawcord that keeps it in place. Even a fierce wind off Lake Michigan did not make it fly away! $30. — Anjuman Ali, deputy editor

8. A tumbler for iced drinks

Reusable cups and straws can help reduce waste. If you’re also hoping to cut back on plastic, the Betty Boba Tumbler features a glass cup and a glass straw. Plus, it comes with a straw cleaning brush. It’s a great gift for a bubble tea fan like me, but would be perfect for those who enjoy smoothies and iced coffee and teas, too. $30. — Kelyn Soong, reporter

9. Robot vacuum and mop

If you’re shopping for parents of small children or anyone with furry pets, look no further than the robot vacuum. I recently splurged on one that can vacuum and mop, and it’s made cleanup so easy — a godsend since my toddler loves to throw his food. After dinner, I scoop up the big chunks by hand, press a button and walk away. In a matter of minutes, a clean kitchen floor awaits! For those looking to splurge, the Roborock Q Revo Robot ($899) even empties and refills itself. — Emily Codik, assignment editor

10. A water filter pitcher

Nearly half of U.S. tap water contains at least one form of “forever chemicals,” or PFAS — manufactured substances that can persist in nature and in the body for years. If you’re concerned about the ways in which you’re taking in these compounds, experts say the best place to start reducing your exposure is at the tap. I bought an Epic Pure Pitcher, but it’s popular and can be out of stock. Any pitcher that’s independently certified to reduce PFAS, such as Zero Water, will do the job, too. $70. — Teddy Amenabar, reporter

11. Ear plugs and eye mask

For the past few years, I’ve been wearing ear plugs almost every night when I sleep. I no longer hear the sometimes jarring, often disruptive sounds of the city, and my sleep has never been more peaceful. Wearing ear plugs has also allowed me to enjoy more concerts without worrying about hearing loss. Similarly, I always pack an eye mask to help me sleep when I travel; it blocks out any ambient light that can hamper sleep. $14.99-$19.99. — Richard Sima, Brain Matters columnist

12. Illustrated cards

I’m trying to be more conscious about showing gratitude to the people who are important to me, and one of my favorite ways to do that is through unique cards given on birthdays, holidays or just because. As an illustrator, I also know it means the world to artists when you buy their products instead of something more generic from the card aisle. These card sets would make great gifts: motherhood set from Abbey Lossing (the Well+Being newsletter illustrator!); woodblock-printed floral cards from Paper Mirchi; and thank-you cards from Dear Wild. $15-$37. — Chelsea Conrad

13. Smart mug

This Ember smart mug gave me back the joy of a morning ritual. With two kids under 2, I started my day by pouring myself a cup of coffee and promptly leaving it to get cold on the counter during the chaos of getting everyone ready. My husband gifted me this mug that keeps my coffee at the perfect temperature for an hour and a half, so now each sip I take is hot and feels as delightful as the first — even if it’s 45 minutes later and I’m covered in pureed baby food. It’s a small thing that I hadn’t realized could be so comforting and luxurious. $129.95-$179.95. — Trisha Pasricha, Ask a Doctor columnist

14. A vertical mouse

As someone who spends most of their day typing and clicking on a computer, I rely on really good ergonomic gear to avoid repetitive strain injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome. I switched to a vertical mouse while working on my grad school thesis and haven’t had any of the wrist pain I used to struggle with before. It takes a little getting used to, but the vertical mouse mimics a handshake position that reduces the wrist pressure I had always felt when using traditional mice. I opted for the Logitech MX Vertical Advanced Ergonomic Mouse, but they also offer a smaller Lift Vertical Ergonomic Mouse for a slightly different feel. $69.99-$99.99. — Caitlin Gilbert, data reporter

15. Egg cooker

I love hard-boiled eggs, but I never felt like I had time to cook them in the morning (I mean it takes forever just for the water to boil!) until I heard about this nifty egg cooker. The GreenLife Qwik Egg Maker cooks hard-boiled eggs quickly — and I don’t feel like I have to stand and watch the whole time. I can just put the eggs in, turn on the cooker and then come back when they’re done. I add the cooked eggs to my salads or just eat one whole for breakfast. $28.99. — Amanda Morris, disability reporter

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