Today marks exactly one week until Christmas Day and the first night of Hanukkah — and if you don’t feel like braving the shopping crowds this weekend to get presents for the rest of your list, we have just the gift guide for you. This year, Nice News rounded up a list of experiential presents that can help your recipient learn a new skill, practice self-care, or forge priceless memories. The best part: Most of the items don’t have a shipping deadline (and don’t require wrapping).
Must Reads
Wicked: Part 2has a newtitle — and we only have to wait 11 months for its release
Invited to a white elephant gift exchange this year? Here’s how to play
Humanity
Make New Friends, But Keep the Old: How Friendships Change as We Age
Jacob Wackerhausen/ iStock
You need but watch one episode of Golden Girls to understand the value of close friendships in older age. Indeed, research has found that age is an important factor in how people choose to socialize. “As people age, their perspective on the future changes — they have less time to live, essentially,” psychologist Katherine Fiori explained to the BBC. “Their priorities shift, and they tend to be focused on socioemotional goals.” Those shifting priorities lead many older adults to tighten their social circles until only the closest ties remain, hence the outlet’s assertion that “later life can be a golden age for friendship.” Young people tend to focus on building new relationships, rather than deepening existing ones, and that contrast with their elders is a phenomenon called the socioemotional selectivity theory. Still, there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to friendships and aging — digital technology has allowed older people to stay in touch with loved ones like never before, perceptions of old age are becoming more positive, and there’s been an increased focus on the importance of friends in addition to family in recent decades. Read more about the changing landscape of friendships across generations.
Together With Incogni
Remove Your Personal Data From the Internet
Lots of people have security systems for their homes, but what about protecting your data online? Personal information like Social Security numbers, contact details, and addresses are commodities for many companies, putting you at risk of scams, fraud, and identity theft. Thankfully, Incogni can help. Incogni is an automated service that removes your personal information from databases, helping ensure that your private details don’t wind up in imposter profiles or on people search websites. You can get 58% off right now with code NICENEWS, but act fast — this offer is only available for a limited time.
DOT Announces Enhanced Protections for Air Travelers Using Wheelchairs
YakobchukOlena/ iStock
The Department of Transportation issued a final ruling this week that seeks to improve air travel for those with disabilities. “Every passenger deserves safe, dignified travel when they fly — and we’ve taken unprecedented actions to hold airlines accountable when they do not provide fair treatment to passengers with disabilities,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. Right now, about 1 out of every 100 wheelchairs or scooters is damaged, delayed, or lost during transportation on domestic flights. The new rule, effective Jan. 16, aims to address that problem, requiring annual training for airline workers who assist passengers with disabilities and handle wheelchairs. Airlines will now also be required to follow a stricter set of actions in the event of a damaged or misplaced wheelchair. “We’re establishing a new standard for air travel — with clear and thorough guidelines for airlines to ensure that passengers using wheelchairs can travel safely and with dignity,” Buttigieg said. See what else is included in the rule.
Health
Woman With Kidney Failure No Longer Needs Dialysis After First-of-Its-Kind Transplant
Joe Carrotta/NYU Langone Health
Towana Looney selflessly donated one of her kidneys to her mother in 1999. Years later, after developing high blood pressure during pregnancy, she was diagnosed with kidney failure in the remaining organ and began dialysis in 2016. But now, thanks to a pioneering surgery performed at NYU Langone Health last month, the 53-year-old Alabama resident is finally free from the frequent treatments. Looney volunteered to be the first patient to receive a kidney from a pig with 10 gene edits, an innovation that doctors hope will eventually help alleviate the organ shortage that leads many to spend years on transplant waiting lists. “When you really think about what we just did it’s pretty amazing,” lead surgeon Robert Montgomery told NPR after the Nov. 25 operation. “Putting a pig organ in a human being and having it work right away? You know, it’s like Star Wars stuff, right?” The surgery went well and Looney is recovering at an apartment near the hospital so she can continue to be monitored. “I feel like a whole new person — like I got a second chance in life,” she said, adding: “No weakness. No tiredness. No fatigue. No swelling from fluid intake. I can eat more. I can drink more. I can walk longer distances. It’s amazing. It’s life-changing.”
In Other News
An unpiloted spacecraft “packed with science” returned to Earth from the International Space Station (read more)
Merry wishes from the Mountbatten-Windsors! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared their 2024 holiday card (read more)
1,200 goats were hired to graze on dry vegetation in Colorado to help prevent wildfires (read more)
A New Hampshire ski hill is offering free lift tickets and trail access all season long thanks to a donation (read more)
ShirleyChisholm, the firstBlack congresswoman, was posthumously honored with a Congressional Gold Medal(read more)
Something We Love
Mill Food Recycler Mill’s food recycler is a true innovation when it comes to at-home waste management. The state-of-the-art system transforms food scraps into nutrient-rich grounds, which you can use in your garden or send to local farms via Mill’s pickup service. The odor filtration means no food smells, and the grinding system means you don’t have to empty it for weeks on end. – Sean Devlin, Founder and General Manager
RJ is the first student in a wheelchair to be admitted to Canada’s Dalhousie Medical School, and recently participated in his first surgical procedure thanks to a standing wheelchair the school helped him get. “I think everyone was very surprised by how smoothly it went,” he said. “And I think that instilled more confidence in a lot people, too, that ‘OK, this is going to work and this is possible.’”
Photo of the Day
Spencer Platt/ Getty Images
If you think this tablet doesn’t look like much, you’re not alone. Dated to somewhere between the third and eighth centuries, it’s the oldest known tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments — but wasn’t recognized as historically significant until 1943, three decades after its discovery. Today, the 155-pound slab of marble will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s in New York, and it’s expected to fetch $1 million to $2 million.
Nike Gifts for Every Athlete on Your List
This season, give more than just a gift — give sport. In Nike’s curated holiday collection, you’ll find gear, sneakers, and sportswear designed to inspire every athlete on your list. Whether your loved one is lacing up for a new challenge or simply aiming to stay active through the winter, Nike’s bestselling products are ready to help them move, grow, and achieve.
