Between being a mom of two, serving as executive producer for her family's hit Hulu reality TV show "The Kardashians" and co-founding the inclusive fashion brand Good American, Khloé Kardashian has a lot on her plate.
But that doesn't mean that you'll catch her slacking when it comes to gift giving around the holidays. (In fact, we doubt that word is even in her vocabulary.) We got the chance to hop on the phone with the star to talk about the holiday season and her partnership with Rakuten, and she clued us in on just how seriously she takes the job of shopping.
"I love giving gifts and I try to give gifts [that are] really individual and specific to each person, which I think is how you should shop," Kardashian shares during an exclusive phone interview with Shop TODAY. "But it's also torture because I'm literally shopping as soon as Christmas is over. Maybe I take two days of vacation and then I'm like OK, I've got to think for next year."
Of course, anyone who keeps up with her famous family can imagine that they're not the easiest crew to shop for. Of her sisters, she shares that they're all "really hard" to pick out presents for, though she adds that Kim and Kylie are the easiest of the four.
"They sort of just tell you what they want and I love that," Kardashian says. "Some people might think that's rude, but I'm like, no, just make it simple for me. They'll give me a list and I love that. Kourtney and Kendall, they don't give you any direction. So sometimes that's harder. I think they think it's easier, but I just want you to spell it out for me what you want."
Though she doesn't just take the art of gift-giving seriously for the holidays. Her sister, Kourtney Kardashian Barker recently welcomed a baby boy with husband Travis Barker, and Kardashian revealed to us the sweet baby gift that she gave her.
"It was a late baby shower gift, it was stuck in customs for so long. But I got her this really cute vintage Hermès wooden rocking horse," Kardashian shares. "It's really old school, but it's so her. I think it's more of a decor piece for the room, I don't really think it's something that you use ... it's ridiculous, but I know it's something that she loves."
Beyond picking out thoughtful gifts, the Kardashian family has plenty of fun traditions for the season. (We're already wondering what their much-anticipated holiday card will look like this year.) Though Kardashian says that their annual Christmas Eve party is her favorite.
"We look forward to it every year, we just dance the night away," she says. "I'm not a big drinker anymore, and so I love that it's my time, I have some glasses of champagne, I'm dancing, I'm with my family in this safe space."
For anyone looking for a little inspiration, we asked Kardashian to walk us through some of her top gifts for the holiday season. Some of these products will be on sale during Rakuten's “The 5 Deals Before Black Friday” event. You can learn more about it on the brand's site and follow along on Kardashian’s Instagram story from Nov. 18 through Nov. 22.
From the hair tool that makes her feel like a "professional" to a cute gift for kids, here are her picks.
Shopping Diaries: Khloe Kardashian
Roller Derby Unicorn 2-in-1 Roller and Inline Adjustable Skates
Shopping for kids? These cute skates, which are adjustable to fit kids' sizes 3 to 6 were featured as one of the picks on her list.
As for what her daughter, True Thompson, 5, is asking for this year, Kardashian jokes, "What is she not asking for?" Turns out, she's just like other kids her age. "She loves Bluey, it's a cartoon character, an Australian dog she loves. She's still so into slime. She's really into arts and crafts things, and so I'm all for that. But it's really messy — and fabulous. That, and she wants another cat."
Though Kardashian may not be totally sold on that last idea. "This is the first time I've owned a cat, so now having two? I just cannot be a cat woman. But we'll see what happens."
Fidus Large Motivational Water Bottle
Fitness is a big part of Kardashian's personal routine, so we had to know if she had any good ideas on what to get the fitness lover in your life — and of, course, she did.
She shares that was given a gallon reusable water bottle. "And it sounds ridiculous, but it makes me drink the whole thing through the day instead of refilling up my smaller thermos, like a 12-ounce thermos, every couple hours. And it sort of motivates me to drink my water." Kardashian adds, "My girlfriend gave me one for my birthday and she rhinestoned the whole thing, so it was really cute."
You also can't go wrong with some new workout apparel. "You could buy someone a great pair of sneakers or workout shoes or things like that," she says. "I think that I feel really good when I'm wearing a cute set of workout clothes or something. I just feel better in the gym. It might sound really cheesy, but it does motivate me."
If you're thinking that a fun reusable water bottle sounds like the perfect gift for your fitness-loving friend (or yourself), we picked out this top-rated option from Amazon.
Elemis The Pro-Collagen Cleansing Trio
When she doesn't know what to get someone, Kardashian says anything in the "beauty or home" space is a pretty safe bet. "I mean beauty, you just don't want it to be anti-aging or something because then you're sort of indirectly telling someone something," she jokes. "So just be careful with what the beauty [product] says on the outside if you don't want to be too specific ... people are curious about beauty and are willing to try new things, but sometimes people don't want to spend the money so it's always a good gift."
She included this set of Elemis cleansing balms in her gift list. The package comes with three of the brand's bestselling cleansing balms, the original, a fragrance-free version and one with rose oleo extract that's said to be perfect for sensitive skin.
Macy's Hotel Collection Lynx Faux Fur Throw
"Especially in the wintertime, I love really snuggly things, things that are just really soft and plush," Kardashian says. "And I love the look of the faux fur without it being fur. It looks really nice and it's cuddly, but it also, I think, adds the glamour and the drama to any room if you throw it on a chair or a chaise."
Good American Faux Leather Tube Mini Dress
"I love all my Good American dresses," Kardashian says. "We have such great stuff for the holidays, specifically, right now."
Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler
Kardashian says that the Dyson Airwrap is "so easy" to use. "I am not great at doing my own hair, and so the Dyson Airwrap really was a game changer for me, and how it sort of makes me look like a real hair professional and I'm not."
