Hannukah is late this year, ending on December 24th, so holiday gifting can also roll right into New Year’s Resolutions. Why not gift someone something to help them kick off their goals for the new year? Jeanette and I thought we’d find gifts that help teach something new and help you reach your New Year’s resolution goals.
Jeanette’s New Year’s resolution goals include personalized volunteer experiences, an exercise trainer, a photography class, public speaking like TED, cooking, and knitting. I love hers! How about you? Would you give gifts for someone’s New Year’s Resolution? And how do you figure that out?
Artistic New Year’s Resolutions
I’m trying to return to watercolor painting. I used to take a lot of art classes before kids and now I’m ready to start back up. This is my first attempt in nearly a decade. It took me a month to rebuy art supplies, set up my watercolor palette, and get myself to sit down and paint again.
Ideas to kickstart artistic aspirations might include membership to the local art museum, a gift certificate to an art supply store, and a dinner and art gallery outing.
My friend, artist Jenny Brown, also inspires me. Her pieces use antique paper with pen, ink, and gouache. They remind me of the sea.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Art with Kids on Pinterest.
Getting in Shape with Yoga, Boxing, or Both
Two years ago, my new year’s resolution was to learn to box. Since then, I’ve created a YogaBox™ class that combines the stretching and core work of Vinyasa Yoga with the strengthening and cardio of boxing taught by my boxing trainer, Marc Gargaro, and my favorite yoga instructor, Dawn Davis.
I’m loving this class and I’ve noticed some moms in the class are enjoying it too. For those moms new to boxing but ready to buy gear, I’d want them to skip the vinyl $30 gloves that wear out quickly and get leather gloves for the same price instead. There’s always a sale online for leather gloves somewhere! I’d tell them to get velcro closure and 14-ounce gloves.
The nice thing about boxing is that you don’t need much gear at all. $30 on sale 
For yoga, I’d recommend getting a nice, spongy and grippy yoga mat. I recommend my Jade yoga mat for that very reason. $75 
If you had these two items, you’d be all set to do YogaBox™!
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Quit Smoking New Year’s Resolution
My husband was a smoker before we had children. Running up and down two flights of stairs to smoke outside while the baby was sleeping was so stressful — we were first-time parents — that it caused him to make a serious effort to quit smoking but it was hard! His solution: Nicorette gum. It’s expensive. We used to buy it at Costco along with baby diapers! It really worked. He’s stopped smoking for nearly 15 years now! 
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Healthy Food Choices on Pinterest.
Improve Personal Finance New Year’s Resolution
I’ve read a lot of personal finance books from Suze Orman to The Millionaire Next Door to Rich Dad, Poor Dad and I have to say that … they are all good. I don’t think there is a bad personal finance self-help book out there and it is helpful to read different points of view to remind yourself of what to focus on.
I just received a copy of Rich Women Finish Rich by David Bach and again, it’s chock full of helpful and concrete suggestions.
I’ll give my copy away to anyone working on personal finance as their New Year’s resolution. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Personal Finance for Kids on Pinterest.
Learn A Foreign Language
I cheat and learn alongside my kids when we have a home tutor. It’s not easy to learn to converse in a foreign language so baby steps are necessary. I collect ideas to help learn Spanish and Chinese for my kids on these two Pinterest boards: Follow PragmaticMom’s board Teaching Kids Spanish on Pinterest. Follow PragmaticMom’s board Teaching Kids Chinese on Pinterest.
Step Up Your Personal Style
Are you living in athleisure also? Why not, they’re comfortable! While it’s challenging to reach a fashionista level of personal style while wearing sweats, it is possible. You just have to dress it up. Or so I’ve heard.
I can’t claim to help you with personal style but I have been collecting edgy cool looks that I’d want to emulate on my Aspirational Style Pinterest board.
Here are a few: Phoebe Philo of Céline can do no wrong.
My favorite fashion editor by far is Kate Lanphear of Elle Magazine.
Emmanuel Alt oozes French style. She’s also the French Vogue Editor in Chief. Her uniform translates well for moms!
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Aspirational Style on Pinterest.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Please share!
12 Days of Shopping with Jeanette of Tiny Rotten Peanuts
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
This might be my favorite post of yours in the series! I have been trying to get my wardrobe along the lines of a uniform for a while, and I love it! Just add a scarf or necklace or something for a punch of color and it’s easy to get dressed. I’m gonna go pin like mad from you fashion boards. I love that watercolor painting of yours, too- keep it up!
Thanks so much Jeanette! This has been such a fun series to do with you! And I love your resolution gifts too! I do really want to learn to knit; I’m a total beginner and I love the idea of being matched up for the perfect volunteer experience!
I agree with Jeanette, this is a very fun post!
Thanks MaryAnne!!
Enjoyed Jeanette’s gift suggestions — would much rather be gifted an hour with a personal trainer, offer to do volunteer work! So much more meaningful! I’d add massages, Reiki, cooking lesson to the list.
And, enjoyed the New Year’s Resolutions, especially challenging yourself to learn a foreign language. I’d add for anyone over 50, sign up for Posit Science Brain Exercises on the internet — I have been doing them since 2007 and they are like games. Great way to keep the mind sharp for just 90 min a week.
Agree, this has been a fun series.
Hi Patricia,
Thank you for the great recommendation of the Posit Science Brain Exercises!!! That sounds fun!! I like your ideas too! I just took a cooking lesson with a friend to learn to make Japanese Cheesecake and I forgot how fun a cooking class is! The people are always so nice and it’s very bonding plus you get to eat afterwards and it always turns out great when you have an instructor!!
Great list of gifts. I have been itching to read Rich Women Finish Rich by David Bach. It is so nice of you to give it away. I also love the yoga mat. That would be a great gift for my bestie.
Hi Megan,
Thanks so much! Glad you like the list!