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#ChronicChristmas Gift Guide Day 6: Comfort, a Message, a Statement

Description: A mug with the message “keep calm and drink coffee” stands on a table. Image has the number 6 in a hexagon and the hashtag #ChronicChristmas

This is my daily Advent calendar of gift ideas for people with chronic illness, running from December 1-25. Some entries will contain affiliate links.

We all drink, right?

By which I mean we all drink liquids — not necessarily alcoholic — and therefore need a receptacle for said liquid. Carrying around a 2L carton of milk or a garden hose can get cumbersome, so we usually downsize to mugs.

And that’s where the fun starts.

Most of us have a favourite mug. Maybe it’s because it has a particularly beautiful design on the outside, and sometimes it’s because that design reflects our personality. Whether it’s a Wonder Woman mug, a mug with a statement that is us in a nutshell, a mug given to us by someone special, or even one that’s hand-painted by chubby little hands, there is usually one we always have in our hand. The one that feels extra comforting, extra supportive, just … extra.

It’s also wonderfully versatile — a mug can be enough, even meaningful, on its own or you can place is something inside of it. A pair of funky socks, a small bag of chocolate truffles, some delicious tea, or even sparkly jewelry. Or maybe it’s the perfect place to put a collection of colourful pens and pencils.

In other words, a mug is the perfect present.

Even better, mugs are usually not terribly expensive, available for $20 or less. And they are everywhere.

Now, it’s no secret that I’ve been having fun with mug design for a while and I’ll included a couple of examples below that can be particularly relevant to that person you know who has a chronic illness. If one of them works, then there is still time to get it before Christmas and, as I have several myself, I can attest to the quality. But if you know just the store, or would rather go trawling Etsy, then that works just as well.

The key is that a mug could be the perfect gift to show support.

I use this one myself throughout December. It’s perfect for hot apple cider with a couple of cloves and a cinnamon stick or hot chocolate with marshmallows.

 

You can never say this too often. This message will make your friend cry — the good tears.

And this mug will make that opinionated person on your list laugh when they open it, and smile every time they use it.

You can see the rest of my mugs and other gift ideas in The Seated View Shop.

1 Comment

  1. Rick Phillips on December 6, 2018 at 8:05 pm

    My current favorite mug reads:

    “Running on imported insulin since 1974”

    I love it. I might get one that says,

    “My joints are replaced but my heart is genuine”