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Let me start out this by saying, I love Target. I come from a small suburban town in Ohio, so when my friends and I would get bored, what would we do? Go to Target. One might ask, “Why would you choose to go to Target if you do not have a reason?” to which I say, “for fun.” With its ever-changing aisles and countless random-purchase possibilities, I think that one can never get bored in a Target store. So when they drop their holiday collection around Nov. 1 every year, you already KNOW I have to check it out. To make it easier for those who don’t essentially live in a Target store, I broke down the seven things that I think are quintessential holiday items that are being carried this year. Each one is different from the next, and I hope you get as much joy from hearing about these items as I did from researching them (very hardcore research occurs on the Target website, obviously).
- 15 days of socks advent calendar
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In high school, each year, I did this thing where every day in school after Thanksgiving break, I’d wear a different pair of holiday socks daily. Let me tell you—I was committed to this cause. It got to the point where it became a thing that people would ask me about or come see me each day to see what socks I had on. So what is the perfect Target holiday item for someone like me, who is weirdly obsessed with holiday socks? A set of 15 different pairs of holiday socks! Whether or not you open up this calendar one day at a time, or do not care enough to wait and just rip it all open at once, these socks are a fun little gift set to give to someone, or you can treat yourself. Either way, I am not judging, and you will probably find me at Target in the near future with this item in my hand. This retails at $15.
- Stars ABove Pajama Sets
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I am also a sucker for a good set of holiday pajamas, and I always scan the aisles of Target each year to see what new sets they have. Stars Above is a brand of women’s pajamas and loungewear that Target carries year-round, and this year, they dropped some super cute and simple holiday pajama sets! My personal favorite, which I determined after extensively looking through the entire collection online, is their Henley pajama set. It comes in 10 different colors, so you have tons of options. Their pajama sets usually retail around $25 to $30.
- Holiday Throw Pillows
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Three words: Target. Throw. Pillows. I do not care what season it is, you cannot tell me that Target does not have the cutest throw pillows for any occasion. Let me break down the ones they are carrying this holiday season into three categories. First, the Opalhouse collection is more boho chic, and their styles are very earthy and have some darker neutrals along with fun, non-traditional colors and tassels. Then, the Wondershop collection consists of your typical holiday pillows, which are all super cute and fun and wintery and all that good stuff. Lastly, the Threshold collection is a bit of a more modern take on the traditional holiday-style pillows, with more simple and muted versions of typical holiday décor styles. With these three collections to choose from, you are bound to find a pillow to “spruce” up your living space (pun intended). These have a large price range, but I would say the average pillow falls around $20.
- Tinsel animals from wondershop
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This collection of items comes with its very own personal backstory from me. A few years ago, I came down to this giant tinsel elephant set up under my Christmas tree at home. I am not joking, it was the size of a large dog, and I was quick to question what it was. Turns out, my dad (who I love very much) ordered this knowing I absolutely love elephants and thought it was a small, desktop sort-of decoration. Needless to say, we were both surprised when this was what it turned out to be. Now, it is one of my favorite decorations that sit in my room every year.
TL;DR—Wondershop carries a ton of varieties of animals and sizes of these tinsel creations at Target, and I encourage everyone to invest in their own holiday pet! They retail at $50.
- holiday hot cocoa bar kit
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If you are looking for a sweet treat for yourself or a gift to bring to a friend, the Holiday Hot Cocoa Bar Kit is a perfect choice. It comes with 5 jars of various hot chocolate mixes and add-ons to create your very own holiday cocoa. I know I would love to get this as a gift, and what an easy thing to gift it is! Pair it with your favorite Target holiday mug or mugs and you are set with the best gift at the party (or wherever else you share gifts). The kit retails at $10—literally, the easiest gift ever.
- Dash mini waffle Makers
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If you are a college student or gifting to a college student, the Dash mini waffle makers are the way to go. I personally own a little pink one of these and it is an incredible investment. They are super easy to use and the cutest and simplest way ever to make breakfast from your dorm or apartment. Seriously, could not recommend these more. I also gifted them to my close friends two years ago, along with waffle mix and some toppings, and they LOVED them! The holiday versions of these have 4 designs: gingerbread, dreidel, snowflake and Christmas tree. They retail for $10.
- Holiday Novels
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If you are looking to curl up by the fire—or if you are lucky enough to be somewhere warm for the holiday season, the beach—picking up a good read is a great way to relax and get yourself in the holiday mindset. I searched through the adult holiday novels at Target and picked up The Afterlife of Holly Chase, which is a modern spinoff of A Christmas Carol. The reviews seemed good, and so maybe I will have to write a follow-up article reviewing the book for myself? Maybe if you pick this book up too we can enjoy it together. The paperback version retails at $8.59, but if you are more of a hardcover book person, you can pick it up for $10.79.
So, there you have it. My seven top items, or categories of items, in this year’s Target holiday collection. Now, if you haven’t stopped reading this already to go to Target, I will kindly excuse you from reading this last sentence as you open a new browser tab or shut your laptop to run to the nearest Target and marvel in the holiday wonder. Happy shopping!
Disclaimer: As much as I wish this article was sponsored by Target, it is not. But, Target if you see this, you know where to find me.