Morning Brew - ☕️ Big blue

TOGETHER WITH

Hi again! Today is the Winter Solstice (the first official day of winter) and the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. For Co-Star fans, this is a moment you’ve been waiting for for years. I’m not really sure what this means for me as an Aries, but if you know anything about zodiac signs and this new astrological epoch, please share your observations, wisdom, and speculations with me.

— Rachel Cantor

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Hot Topic

Giphy

The best thing I’ve read all week is this NYT piece about the history of Bed Bath & Beyond’s infamous 20% off coupon (hidden gem: the Broad City skit about 75% of the way through the article). But we all know BBB doesn’t have a monopoly on coupons. From the TLC show Extreme Couponing to automatically applied rebates, here are my fave ways to save a buck when shopping online:

Honey: With one click you can unlock the internet’s best deals. Honey automatically finds, tests, and applies the best coupon code for your purchase. The cherry on top: You earn rewards for your purchases.
Lolli: Earn free bitcoin when you shop. I’ll admit it—I’ve been making my most recent holiday purchases based on whether or not the store has a Lolli discount.
Milled: A search engine for email newsletters. I get WAY too many promo emails, so now I just peruse this site to find major sales and new product launches.

Brain Food

Read

If your partner’s love language is “receiving gifts,” then you might feel the pressure of finding the perfect holiday present. But, in reality, there’s a much deeper meaning to gift-giving.
The answer to the question no one says aloud but we’ve all been wondering: How much should you tip your food delivery driver?
20 hilarious ways to respond to a ghoster. My personal favorite (gotta love the professional language): “I hope this finds you well. I just wanted to circle back, per our last message exchange.”
I had no idea Pez was originally created as an anti-smoking tool. Here’s the history of the collectible candy dispenser brand.

Listen

Grapefruit soda: a playlist of sunny tunes for kickstarting your work week.
Tune into forests from around the world. And if you’re feeling generous, you can even gift a tree through the site.
Arguably the world’s favorite professor, Laurie Santos, on simple ways to live a happier life, on Trained.
Ed Sheeran’s new single: “Afterglow.”

Watch

I regret not taking an Excel class in college, but with the help of Miss Excel’s spreadsheet hacks and awkwardly cute dance moves, I’m on my way to becoming a pro.
At some point in your life, I’m sure you’ve wondered what a 15-foot piano would sound like.
Alrighty, I’m in need of a new show for holiday break. Hit reply with your best recs.
The New York Times Cookie Week playlist.
An oddly satisfying video of avocado slicing, strawberry chopping, and tomato dicing from Headspace.

Good Eats

KucherAV / Getty Images

Everyone knows the Instant Pot is a magical kitchen tool, but I did not realize its true potential until I threw together this Cauliflower and Butternut Thai Curry recipe. It’s a simple, vegan weeknight dinner that everyone can enjoy.

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These earbuds can run for up to six hours on a single charge, have adjustable noise cancellation, and boast a comfortable fit that stays in place.

With crisp, clear sound, you’ll hear every beat, every instrument—everything but your philosophizing roommate on the other side of the living room.

Click here to hear more with Bose.

Try It, Buy It

Try It

Bake: Find fellow focaccia friends, sourdough starter parents, and Friday night challah bakers on Breadwinner: a community for bakers and their starters.
Read: Break out of your literary bubble with a tool that helps you find books you are statistically unlikely to read.
Nuke: No need to settle for soggy Trader Joe’s frozen veggies with this easy trick for crisping them up nicely.
Gift: If you’re strapped for time and wrapping paper, swipe through these creative ideas for using kraft paper to wrap gifts. Bonus points: Use a paper bag.

Buy It

Safety first: As a gal with anxious energy, an over-packing problem (you gotta have options), and a fear of natural disasters, my Judy Safety Kit makes me feel prepared for all of life’s emergencies—no matter how big or small. Throw it in your car, tote bag, or basement closet, because you never know when you’ll need it.
Chocolate fix: Sourse dark chocolate vitamin bites solve two problems: 1) when you need to nibble on something sweet before going to sleep, and 2) when you always forget to take your B12 vitamin.

Sidekick's 2020 Gift Guide

Will Varner

T-minus four days until Christmas, and if you’re sick of scouring the internet for the perfect gift idea, don’t worry—I did all the work for you.

Check out the 2020 Sidekick Holiday Gift Guide here.

P.S. In the extremely rare case that none of these gifts interests you (it won’t happen), email sidekick@morningbrew.com with some deets about your giftee, and I will hand-select a few gift options. This is your last chance.

Eye Candy

@thejoshuatreehouse on Instagram

The slow, desert lifestyle—sunrise hikes, prickly pear margs, and photography walks—is the perfect snowbird option for this Chicago native. Sara & Rich Combs share pics of their earthy, wood-beamed getaway in Joshua Tree, where it’s perpetually golden hour. You can rent their spot on Airbnb, but good luck scoring a booking.

Catch you on Christmas Eve.

Your internet Sidekick,
Rachel

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