I spent Friday evening downtown, taking my kid trick or treating. Saturday morning, I woke up to find the world transformed. It was now November and everything – homepages, streaming services, commercials – had been changed to holiday mode overnight. Then it hit me, I haven’t even started my list! Usually, I have made a few purchases by now but not this year. I spent the rest of the weekend trying to wrap my brain around all of the things I need to get in the next 7 weeks.
Since I am a rather organized person, I started a spreadsheet. One whole tab is dedicated to my daughter. Cassidy is way too easy to buy for so I always have a ton of ideas for her. When it comes to everyone else on my list, things get a little more difficult.
My dad has always been the toughest to buy for. He has never been into the stereotypical “dad stuff”. All of the tools and golf accessories you find on those hard-to-buy-for lists would not work for him. Our For Him list includes some great options. 
He already received the Island Shadow Crew for Father’s Day so I will probably get him something other than gear this time. He does love a good mug and has a few from local artisans. Our Nantucket Pottery mug might be the perfect thing.
My nephews are my next toughest decision. They are both teenagers now so a little too old for many things in our Future Farmers collection. They’ve received the lounge pants and various styles of hats before. And, while gift cards are always a good go-to, I really like to get them a physical gift. 
Thankfully, I think we have the perfect thing this year – the Bartlett’s Carhartt. Pretty sure that is a totally acceptable brand for a teenager. At least, I hope so.
I also need to think about all of the other gifts I’ll need. Between teachers, neighbors, and friends, I feel like I am always scrambling. Our For Anyone list has quite a few things that I like to stash, just in case. I find it helpful to have some beautiful soaps or candles in the house. They are great for last-minute hostess gifts and usually work for someone I may have forgotten.
While I have started getting organized, I still have a long way to go. As I continue my own holiday shopping, I would love to help our customers with theirs. Between now and the holidays, we’ll add some more in-depth gift guides to our site. People often shop our online store for Bartlett’s garb they forgot to grab over the summer but we have so much more.
~ Kate O’Brien
Gift & Website Manager