As Thanksgiving nears and I sit back to count my blessings, I can’t help but notice that— among the friends and family, hearth and home—several consumer products make the list. There are just so many little material things to be grateful for.

Here’s some stuff I could probably live without, but wouldn’t want to:

Burt’s Bees beeswax lip balm ($2.69). Because my lips tend to dry up like the Crypt Keeper’s in the winter, I’ve always been dependent on products like Blistex, Carmex and ChapStick.

But last year, my husband put some Burt’s in my stocking. It was as if I had been waiting my whole life for that moment. The stuff feels like heaven on my ouchy, hurty lips. It’s not greasy or waxy, and it lasts forever.

Dental floss sucks. It hurts my fingers, snaps between my very tight teeth and makes for a slobbery, way-too-intimate experience. Those little disposable plastic flossers are an improvement, but not by much.

Enter the Reach Access Daily Flosser ($2.29). It’s like a toothbrush handle with a replaceable, plastic floss head, which makes flossing as easy as brushing.

Thanks to this little godsend, I went from telling my dentist I floss every day to actually doing it!

The Puppia Soft Vest beats other dog collars and harnesses paws down. It’s soft and fits snugly around my Boston terrier’s front legs, chest and back. Because it’s a vest consisting of a wide swath of material rather than strips of nylon or fabric, I can direct Olive without choking her as she learns to walk on a leash.

The best part is that the vest distributes pressure evenly. So if a big dog comes along wanting to make a meal out of her, I can quickly lift her off the ground by the leash without hurting her. At $25 (Elmwood Pet Supplies), it was a worthy splurge.

Febreze NOTICEables alternating scented oil warmer in Lavender Comfort and Gentle Vanilla ($7.49). This plug-in air freshener is named all wrong, but everything else about it is all right. I hate air fresheners that you NOTICE, because it makes it seem like you have something stinky to hide. Instead, this stuff just makes everything smell pleasant, without drawing attention to itself.

Watch for coupons on starters and refills—they show up in the Sunday paper often, which is how I first tried it.

Certain Dri ($4.99). I’ma nervous person and this ultra-powerful antiperspirant makes life slightly less embarrassing.

You roll it on before bed, endure a few seconds of searing pain as the active ingredient aluminum chloride seals up your sweat glands, then marvel as it keeps you dry for a full three days. Pair it with Dove Ultimate Clear deodorant ($3.89) each morning and you’ll smell nice, too!

Ithaca Beer Co.’s Apricot Wheat beer ($9.49 for a six pack). It makes me very, very happy.

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