What’s on My Christmas List in 2026 as Someone Living With Chronic Illness
I had a look back at last year’s Christmas list before writing this one, and it made me smile. I did get the dosette boxes I’d asked for, along with a pair of slippers. My son bought me a new Kindle for my birthday, so this year I’d love a case to go with it.
A few things on this year’s list are easy to explain. I’d love some soft pyjamas, and I’ve been eyeing up a heated cushion. I hadn’t expected a bird feeder to make the list, though. The more I think about watching the birds from indoors with a cup of tea, the more I’d love one.
Living with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia and chronic pain does influence what I ask for. I think about what would make a long day more comfortable or give me a bit more choice when I’m out. But I also love beauty products, I’d like to make a few things with clay, and I’m quite taken with the idea of watching birds from my window. All of those things feel equally at home on my Christmas list.
A Heated Cushion
I really like the look of the heated cushions from Stoov. I haven’t tried one, but I can already picture where I’d put it. It would go on the sofa, right where I tend to settle with my Kindle, and I’d probably be a little reluctant to share it.
There are afternoons when I’m going to be sitting down for a while anyway, and I like the idea of making that time a bit more comfortable. A warm cushion tucked behind me while I read sounds lovely, especially on a winter afternoon when it’s already getting dark outside.
I’m still at the stage of looking at the different ones and thinking about which I’d choose. The trouble is, once I start looking at colours, I spend almost as much time on that as I do deciding whether I want the thing in the first place.
Another Pair of Slippers
I know. I got slippers last Christmas. They’re going on the list again anyway.
Slippers get a lot of wear in my house. I don’t save them for the end of the evening when everything else is done. Some days, putting my slippers on is one of the first things I do. If I’m going to be padding around the house in them for much of the day, I want a pair that feels soft, stays on my feet and is easy to slip into.
I’d happily have a pair by the bed and another downstairs. That feels perfectly reasonable to me, although I suspect I’d still end up wondering where I’d left both pairs.
A Folding Walking Stick
A folding walking stick is one of the more practical things I’m considering this year. What appeals to me is being able to take it in my bag on a day when I’m unsure how much walking I’ll manage.
I don’t always know how I’ll feel halfway through an outing. Sometimes the bit I’ve thought about is the walk there, and I’ve given much less thought to getting back to the car afterwards. I like the idea of having the option with me, without having to decide before I leave the house whether I’ll want it later.
I’d want to try one for size and see how the handle feels before choosing. It’s the sort of gift I’d be happy to pick out myself with whoever wanted to buy it for me. I’d rather get one I feel comfortable using than leave the choice to Christmas morning.
A Case for My New Kindle
My son bought me a new Kindle for my birthday, so this year it’s a case that’s going on the list. I love that he chose something that fits so well with what I enjoy doing. Reading is one of those things I can come back to in my own time, even if all I manage is a few pages.
I’m torn between a pretty cover that opens like a book and a case with a hand strap. I can see myself appreciating a strap when I’m reading in bed or when my hands are tired. Then I see a cover I really like and remember that I’ll be looking at it every time I pick the Kindle up.
If I can find one that does both and fits the model my son bought me, that would be lovely.
Soft Pyjamas With a Button Up Shirt
I’d like a soft, stretchy fabric, a comfortable waistband and a button up shirt with a proper collar pair of PJs. There’s something about that style that makes a fresh pair of pyjamas feel like a treat.
I spend enough time in comfortable clothes to know what bothers me. I don’t want a waistband I’m forever pulling away from my stomach or sleeves that tug when I move. I want to be able to sit with my feet tucked up and forget about what I’m wearing.
I’d be over-the-moon to unwrap a pair on Christmas Day. There’s a decent chance I’d have changed into them by the evening, especially if the slippers had made another appearance too.
A Candle, a Pillow Spray and Some Beauty Bits
I love anything beauty, so there was always going to be space for it on this list. A lovely hand cream, a body butter or a tinted lip balm would make me happy. I enjoy opening something and trying it straight away, which is probably why a new hand cream never stays in its box for very long.
I’d also love a candle or a room or pillow spray. I’d lean towards a scent I can enjoy without it taking over the whole room. If someone knows a fragrance I already like, I’m quite happy for them to buy me more of it. There’s a reason I keep going back to the same favourites.
Some things on my list take a bit of thought about size, fit or whether I’ll use them. A cream I’m excited to open is a much easier choice. I love beauty products and I’m happy to ask for them just because I enjoy them.
A Few Air Dry Clay Supplies
I’d also love a few bits for working with air dry clay. Some little cutters, a couple of tools or a few paints would be enough to get me started. I can imagine making a little dish for rings or trying some simple decorations and seeing how they turn out.
I like that I could sit down and do a small amount, then leave the rest for another day. I don’t have to have a whole afternoon free or know exactly what I’m making before I start. Sometimes the part I’m looking forward to is just getting the clay out and having a play with it.
I’d quite like to see what I can make with a handful of supplies before I get carried away looking at all the things I could buy. Browsing the craft bits is almost a hobby in itself for me.
A Bird Feeder for the Window
A feeder that hangs on the window might be the thing I’m most curious about on this year’s list. I like the thought of sitting indoors with a cup of tea and spotting a bird just the other side of the glass.
On a day when I don’t feel up to going out, it would give me something to look out for. I’d love to see which birds visit and whether I start recognising any regulars. I can also imagine glancing up from my book every time I catch a bit of movement at the window, then having to find my place on the page again.
I’d have to find the right window for it. I already know I’d want it somewhere I can see from a chair I actually use, because half the pleasure would be noticing who turns up while I’m doing something else.
What I’d Most Like to Unwrap
If I had to choose just one thing, I’d have a hard time deciding between the heated cushion and the window bird feeder. One would make my favourite spot on the sofa a little cosier. The other would give me something new to watch from it. Then again, I know I’d be pleased to open a pair of slippers and put them straight on.
Looking back at last year’s list made me smile. Some things, like the dosette boxes, were exactly what I wanted at the time. The Kindle arrived for my birthday instead, and now I get the pleasure of choosing a case for it. I’m glad I wrote the list down, because I probably wouldn’t have remembered all the little things I’d been thinking about otherwise.
I’d love to know what’s on your Christmas list this year. Is there something that would make your days a bit easier, or something you’d love simply because it would make you happy?
