With the holiday season officially in full gear, it’s time to think about gift buying. Coming up with holiday gift ideas for IC patients isn’t quite as difficult as it might seem. Of course we are all different, but there are some things we’d all be pretty happy to have. This list of 20+ more holiday gift ideas for IC patients will give you some inspiration this season or be something you can send to your friends and families to give them ideas for you! And if you buy some items for yourself, we won’t judge you one bit!

(For even more holiday gift ideas, check out this list of holiday gift ideas for IC patients from 2020.)

1. Educational reading material

The best way to take care of yourself is to know your body and what’s going on with it. Understanding IC is tricky for doctors, so having a good understanding of IC and its treatments is a must for patients. Some of our favorites resources include the following:

2. Kitchen items

Another great holiday gift idea for IC patients is cookware. The IC diet often does best with food patients prepare themselves and can monitor the ingredients. A new set of pots and pans or bakeware can make time in the kitchen go smoother. I’m personally a fan of Rachael Ray cookware and bakeware. But even one or two kitchen items or fun gadgets and utensils make great gifts for cooking at home.

And cooking items pair well with IC cookbooks like Delicious with IC, the IC Chef Cookbook (print or PDF) or Confident Choices.

3. IC Friendly Treats

The IC diet can feel limiting. The holiday season amplifies that feeling when everyone else is enjoying treats that bother your bladder. IC friendly treats are great gifts by themselves or along with other gifts. The ICN Shop offers a wide array of IC friendly foods and beverages that go nicely with other IC friendly treats, including the following:

4. Cozy socks

For those living in colder climates, cozy socks are a great holiday gift. You can find fun prints and some more subdued ones at most clothing retailers from Target to Amazon to dollar stores! Give them by themselves or with other items from the list. Either way, cozy socks are great for relaxing and taking it easy during cooler weather without having frozen tootsies!

5. Snuggly blanket

When you don’t feel well or just want to rest, nothing is better than a snuggly blanket. I keep a throw blanket next to me under my end table at all times to have on standby. Comfy, cozy throw blankets abound this time of year just about everywhere you look in person or online. Think about kicking it up a notch and go for a heated throw blanket to stay extra warm and help soothe painful parts.

6. Food delivery gift cards

Especially during flare times, making food can be difficult for IC patients. Being on our feet for long amounts of time can cause more pain. But ordering food for delivery is often a challenge to the budget, so food delivery gift cards are a great option. Rather than picking a particular restaurant to buy a gift card from, food delivery service gift cards are a great holiday gift idea for IC patients because we can pick food from restaurants we know won’t bother our bladders. You can pick up the cards at various locations in person, on the delivery service websites or through a retailer like Amazon.

7. General gift cards

Managing a chronic health issue is expensive and can often eliminate more fun items from the budget of IC patients. Gift cards are a great way to give a patient permission to splurge on themselves. Gift cards from a favorite store, a movie theater or even just major retailers are the perfect gift any time of year!

8. ICN membership

The ICN offers various memberships that are more affordable than you might realize and give you lots of great IC resources. With memberships ranging from $25 to $100 per year, you get magazines, various helpful guides, fact sheets and a medical record file. ICN membership is a great way to support the mission of the IC Network as well as learn more about the latest in IC-related news.

9. Grocery delivery service membership

Grocery shopping is such a physically wearing task. While grocery pick-up is available from most retailers these days, having groceries delivered to your door is even better during flare times. Paying for a year of grocery delivery service is an ideal holiday gift. Give a year subscription to delivery service from a favorite grocery store to avoid paying delivery fees. And think also about stores your IC patient can get the most from. For example, with a subscription to delivery service at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco or Super Target, he or she can get groceries and other household essentials all delivered together.

10. A journal and nice pen or pencil

I know I’m a writer and LOVE notebooks, but I think they’re great for anyone. Use a journal to write about your thoughts and feelings, make notes about doctor’s appointments, keep track of to-do lists, organize ideas or just about anything. Include a nice pen or pencil  for a more complete gift. You can find journals that fit just about any interest. As a mom, I love personalized journals that have photos of my kiddos on the cover.

11. A caddy for comfort products

A shower caddy is ideal for moving needed items around the house with you or keeping them organized during a flare. Something like this mesh caddy or this plastic caddy can hold medication, phone chargers, lotion, heating patches or whatever you need to transport around the house. It also looks nicer than just having multiple items strewn across an end table or nightstand.

12. A neck pillow

Neck pillows can be great for traveling, but they’re also great for home. I love my neck pillow for napping in the recliner when I don’t feel well. It saves my neck and shoulders from getting stiff and painful, and it allows me to rest easier. A neck pillow really is an awesome gift!

13. IC Awareness items

IC isn’t a very well known medical condition. Any chance we get to spread the word, we’ll take it. Check out this car magnet IC Awareness ribbon. You can find a variety of other IC Awareness apparel online through various retailers like Etsy, Zazzle and Amazon.

14. Cups or water bottles

Drinking water is a necessity for IC patients. Staying motivated to drink water can be challenging, but having great water cups or bottles really helps. Insulated tumblers are a great holiday gift idea for IC patients because they keep water cold for hours upon hours. And they come in a variety of fun colors and patterns as well. Insulated water bottles are another great option since they often seal well enough they can be tossed into a bag or purse for on-the-go. You can find great choices for personalizing insulated tumblers and water bottles on both Etsy and Amazon.

15. A cool pill organizer

We may have to take medication and/or supplements and keep them organized, but that doesn’t mean it has to be in a boring case. A neat pill organizer can be a great gift. Check out some of these options that all include at least AM and PM pill spots:

16. Help at home gift certificates

Give the gift of help at home. Gift certificates for cleaning or handyman services or homemade gift certificates offering services like vacuuming, cleaning windows, cleaning the bathroom or whatever you can think of are awesome. This can be a basically free gift that only takes your time to make the certificate (or purchase a template for one) and then your time to complete the task. And I can assure you that it will be much appreciated!

17. IC friendly vitamins and supplements

A number of vitamins and supplements can help with symptoms, sometimes even more than prescription medication. But these items aren’t covered by health insurance, so the expense can add up. Not all vitamins and supplements are made equal, though. Definitely start with the vitamins and supplements offered in the ICN Store for ones that are both IC friendly and trustworthy.

18. Dry shampoo

While this might seem like an odd holiday gift idea for IC patients, it really isn’t. Dry shampoo can be a lifesaver on days when taking a shower is just too difficult to manage. Consider going for a dry shampoo that is more salon quality as a special treat.

19. An adult coloring book

Watching movies and reading books aren’t the only things you can do from the comfort of your couch. Adult coloring books paired with colored pencils, markers or crayons are great gift ideas that can ease anxiety and distract from pain. You’re never too old to color!

20. IC wellness coaching

The IC Network offers both 30-minute and 1-hour coaching sessions related to IC, PFD, pelvic pain and wellness. By talking over the phone, on Zoom or on Skype, you can spend time with an IC seasoned professional who can help you learn more about IC and its related conditions. The coaching sessions are designed to help you become your own best health advocate in order to have the best quality of life possible.