2025 Holiday Gift Guide / Save, Spend & Splurge

Ready or not, here it comes! The happy holidays are here, and a gift guide seems to be in order again. Here are some of my favorite picks for gifts, whether you are in the mood to save, spend, or splurge!

“Save” Gift Guide

• Offer to take your friend’s dog for a walk. They love to get out into the fresh air.
• Give them a break! Send some family or friends on a date night and babysit their children.
• Call someone you have not spoken to in a while. It will light up their day!
• Drop off a meal for a sick friend. We can all use a helping hand.
• Put a little treat out for the sanitation or postal service provider. They work hard for us all year long.
• Bring in your neighbor’s trash cans from the street. You can also offer to mow their lawn, pull some weeds, or prune their trees and shrubs for the winter.
• Write a letter to a service/military person who won’t be with their loved ones. Meaningful ways to contribute may be found at com.
• Drop off some cans of food or jars of peanut butter to a local shelter or food pantry.

“Spend” Gift Guide

• Give it forward—or backwards! Pay for the customer in the drive-thru that is behind you.
• Cozy PJ’s for the holidays are a tradition in my family. Irish plaid is in season all year round.
• Use a home delivery service to send a meal to an elderly person or couple for a great unexpected treat.
• For more of the unexpected…a hand-crank/solar charging emergency radio/flashlight/power bank is useful for when the electricity goes out.
• Buy a cozy blanket or socks for a homeless shelter.
• A gift card for an MDS facial or massage is a great stocking stuffer!

“Splurge” Gift Guide

• Get a change of scenery with a weekend escape to the mountains or the beach.
• Easy to make Meal Kit Subscriptions are delivered right to their door. There is one for every price range and dietary needs: vegan, keto, low carb, no-prep, you name it! So much fun to try new recipes.
• Take the family to a sporting event. Root, root, root for the home team!
• Or for something more festive, check out the Festival of Lights at the Historic Mission Inn Hotel in Riverside.
• The gift that makes all the neighbors happy…Pay for a service to put holiday lights on someone’s home.
• Pamper someone you love for the entire day! A massage is great, but a Holiday Package from MDS is even better!

Murrieta Day Spa was established 36 years ago in Historic Downtown Murrieta. MDS is famous for its signature massages, specialty facials, and nourishing body treatments. Guests can enjoy the outdoor heated pool while enjoying a handcrafted cocktail from the Abundance Bar & Café and being pampered from head to toe. Call (951) 677-8111 for reservations and to inquire about our memberships, holiday packages, gift cards, and group gatherings. Use code VBJ20 for $20 off a spa treatment of $100+ Monday through Thursday.