Are you a last minute gift shopper? Here are some options for the Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) in your life - or for SLPs to add to your list as a request from the SLP lovers in your life :)
I'm conscious of being a bit of a consumerist, and in our capitalistic society I still want to leave room for non-commodity gifts. So let me start by saying that some of my absolute favourite things to receive at Christmas are kind words, or Christmas cards from people, or handmade gifts. But I have never felt more pressed for time than I do this year, this month - so if a small (or large!) gesture is warranted, here are gifts for SLPs of any age, gender or ethnicity...
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Stickers - I promise you, any speechie you know has some use for stickers in their work! Maybe not an SLP who primarily works with adults... but then again, they could use the stickers to decorate their diary, planner or notebook. I know I would!
Splurge:
Tatcha moisturisers - I've used a lot of these and feel confident in my recommendation: last year, my skin went through a little bit of trouble following way too many "actives" (I have now sworn off Vitamin C and other popular skincare serums!) but going down the route of Tatcha's Indigo Calming Cream really helped. Once my skin was sorted, I switched to the Dewy Skin Cream, and now in preparation for the hot Australian summer ahead I've switched to the Water Cream. I think I ultimately prefer the Dewy Skin cream for everyday all-year usage, though -- and I recommend the Indigo Calming cream for night use or winter time. Even though a lot of SLPs fall into the makeup/no makeup camp - I think we can all agree on the importance of good skincare!
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Pens - Okay, I may be biased as a self-confessed stationery nerd, but one can NEVER have too many pens. Go for a classic ballpoint, or even better - a thick-barrel gel pen which helps reduce finger/muscle strain by gliding more smoothly across the page: the thicker barrel helps to reduce finger cramps, too! This was a recommendation made to me by at least three different OTs, so I feel confident passing it on :)
Splurge:
Longchamp Bag (link to old reel) - This is still my favourite brand and style of bag for work. It's classic and sturdy, making it the perfect workhorse. Here's an old reel showing how much I fit into mine!
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Tea - show me a speech pathologist, and I'll show you a person who seeks tea at least once a day/a week. There are so many amazing brands of tea, and as a good friend pointed out - even black tea has so many more variations than that old stalwart, "English Breakfast". Why not try a Darjeeling or Assam blend, or (lesser favourites, but still with their place) Lapsang Souchong or Orange Pekoe? Personally, I like the Tea Centre and Tea Tonic (both of which sell more than black tea of course). Alternatives to black tea include my favourite: peppermint. However, as an Indian, I feel honour-bound to let you know there are some potential health benefits of black tea!
Splurge:
Aesop hand lotion and handwash - Too expensive to buy for yourself, but always a solid gift idea!
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SLP For Kids resources - It would be remiss of me not to mention some of the very affordable speech therapy resources you can get at my site, SLP For Kids. There are a variety of digital downloads for speech and language therapy, most of which are $5, and the most expensive of which is $44. One of my holiday goals is to add more items to my store - I have so many half-finished resources that I use daily in my clinical work!
Splurge:
Gift vouchers to your favourite restaurant - I love vouchers and experiences as it lets the person have a little more choice, but if you'd like to support some local Sydney restaurants, then here are some of my personal favourites: Mark + Vinny's, Little Turtle, NOMAD, Delhi 'O' Delhi, Rubyos Newtown, and Alba Salentinian Restaurant.
Save and Splurge:
Books! These fall under the "Save" AND "Splurge" categories, because you can buy secondhand books, or find cheap paperbacks... but equally, books can cost a bit - as I know from having picked up a hardback history non-fiction book for a dear friend just this morning!
Since I prefer novels, here are my recommendations for the best novels to gift this Christmas:
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee - this was my favourite book of last year, and it still stands out as a fantastic read. Well worth gifting to the reader in your life! (I may re-read it these holidays, in fact)
Any book by Ann Patchett - all of her books are amazing, but Tom Lake is her latest.
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa - this is my favourite book of this year, a slim but moving sketch of people and books.
Any book by Penelope Janu - Penne is a dear friend of mine, and has written so many fabulous novels with strong, smart female characters at their centre. Her latest book is Sunshine Through the Rain (released just this month!), but if you're in a Christmas mood she has a novella in A Country Vet Christmas, and she actually wrote a book with a Speech Pathologist as a main character - On the Right Track. Perhaps the dearest and nearest to my heart is On the Same Page, which Penne started writing when we were both at UTS together, studying creative writing.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi - John Scalzi writes fantastic fiction, and this was the most recent book I read. I also loved reading this blog post of his many years ago, in which he talks about privilege in a way that felt accessible to those people who want to understand who has it, and who doesn't.
Oh -- one thing I never do is ask someone whether they've read the book I gave them. That puts added pressure on the person, and in my view gifts shouldn't come with that kind of pressure. These things take time, and to each their own -- but the BEST gifts I give and receive are usually books.
Phew, that was a LONG post! Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and best wishes for the new year to everyone reading this. Thank you for your visit to my blog, website, instagram or facebook - however you found this list!
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