Oprah's Favorite Things
Encyclopedia
"Oprah's Favorite Things" was an annual segment that appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show
from 2002 to 2010, with a one-year hiatus in 2009. In the segment, which was typically aired during the holiday season, Winfrey shared products with her audience that she felt were noteworthy or that would make a great gift. In addition, the audience members that were present during the taping of the episode receive items from that year's list for free.
The term is also sometimes used to describe a similar feature in O, The Oprah Magazine
, though that list is actually entitled "The O List". The two features are often coordinated.
, though its producers do not announce when the special episode will be taped. Furthermore, the audience members of these episodes are commonly selected based on a specific characteristic, which means tickets can be difficult to obtain.
. The listed items were:
in the Macon City Auditorium
on November 17, 2007.
The usual show aired November 26, 2008, one day before Thanksgiving; however, it did not follow the usual format of lavish gifts. Instead, owing to the nation's economic difficulties (Winfrey said that she could not in good conscience give away lavish gifts in such a time of economic trouble), this year's episode would be entitled "How to Have the Thriftiest Holiday Ever!" (described as Oprah's Favorite Things... with a twist!) All of the giveaways cost "next to nothing" and emphasized do-it-yourself craftsmanship. Because of the personal nature of many of these gifts, this was the first year that audience members did not receive many of the actual gifts, though they did receive the book and the album.
Gift ideas, many of which were submitted by viewers, included:
For additional gift ideas, viewers were directed to "The O List" in the December 2008 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine
. The list consisted of items that cost under $100.
The list of products given away in the "Ultimate Favorite Things" included:
The second day's Favorite Things list included:
2011
Oprah does her favorite things through her magazine O, The Oprah Magazine with Oprah on an extended cover wearing different coloured dresses.
The episodes have also met with controversy when businesses that were not featured on the episode made claims that they were. According to show insiders, this is one reason why the format was changed for the 2006 season.
The website the AV Club made fun of the uselessness and blandness of Oprah's 2007 list by posting a feature called 'Oprahs Favorite Thing or Symptom of Clinical Depression'. The 2008 decision to use inexpensive gifts drew jokes from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, including a mash-up that featured Winfrey supposedly giving away thumb tacks, to a much-dismayed audience.
Further criticism and satire have been directed at the reactions from the people in the audience, which typically range anywhere from cheering and screaming to crying from men and women alike. A memorable parody of this was featured on a "Saturday Night Live" skit, where the audience tore the studio apart in their frenzied anticipation of the freebies they would get.
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
from 2002 to 2010, with a one-year hiatus in 2009. In the segment, which was typically aired during the holiday season, Winfrey shared products with her audience that she felt were noteworthy or that would make a great gift. In addition, the audience members that were present during the taping of the episode receive items from that year's list for free.
The term is also sometimes used to describe a similar feature in O, The Oprah Magazine
O, The Oprah Magazine
O: The Oprah Magazine, sometimes simply abbreviated to O, is a monthly magazine founded by Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Corporation.-Overview:...
, though that list is actually entitled "The O List". The two features are often coordinated.
Episodes
The Oprah’s Favorite Things television episode is the most watched episode each year of The Oprah Winfrey Show. The episode has traditionally been aired around ThanksgivingThanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
, though its producers do not announce when the special episode will be taped. Furthermore, the audience members of these episodes are commonly selected based on a specific characteristic, which means tickets can be difficult to obtain.
2002
The items presented in the 2002 episode were included in one of four categories: food favorites; beauty and body care; books, music and home; and high-tech discoveries. The items included on the list were:- Key lime pieKey lime pieKey lime pie is an American dessert made of key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk in a pie crust. The traditional Conch version uses the egg whites to make a meringue topping. The dish is named after the small key limes that are naturalized throughout the Florida Keys...
- CroissantCroissantA croissant is a buttery flaky pastry named for its distinctive crescent shape. It is also sometimes called a crescent, from the French word for "crescent". Croissants are made of a leavened variant of puff pastry...
s - Fat Witch Baby Gift Tin
- Good Karmal Mini Crates
- Holiday tin from Garrett Popcorn Shops
- Mariebelle Hot Chocolate Powder
- Cranberry Creations by Nantucket Clipper
- Piper-Heidsieck Champagne
- Pillsbury Homebaked Classics
- BlissLabs Glamour Gloves and Glamour Gel
- Origins A Perfect World White Tea Body Cream
- Kiehl's Limited Edition Gift Box
- What to Wear
- DreamTime Foot Cozys
- J.Lo Velour Sweatsuit
- Karen Neuburger Pajamas and Socks
- Silver Ox Cuff Watch
- Tube Readers and Case
- Fashion Active Labs Perfect Tee
- Books, Music and Home
- Everyday Grace by Marianne WilliamsonMarianne WilliamsonMarianne Williamson is a spiritual activist, author, lecturer and founder of The Peace Alliance, a grass roots campaign supporting legislation currently before Congress to establish a United States Department of Peace. She is also the founder of Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that...
- Johnny MathisJohnny MathisJohn Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
The Christmas Album - The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
- Together Book and CD Collection
- Jay Strongwater Picture Frames
- O, The Oprah MagazineO, The Oprah MagazineO: The Oprah Magazine, sometimes simply abbreviated to O, is a monthly magazine founded by Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Corporation.-Overview:...
subscription - High-Tech Discoveries
- Four-in-One Camera
- SamsungSamsungThe Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
mobile phone/camera - Talking Photo Album
- Wafer-Thin CD System
2003
The 2003 episode had 350 people in its audience. The items featured in this episode included:- Frontgate’s Portable DVD Player
- Ralph LaurenRalph LaurenRalph Lauren is an American fashion designer and business executive; best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.-Early life:...
Black Label Cashmere Slim Fit Crewneck Sweater - Melted Chocolate Cake Batter
- Greenberg Smoked Turkeys
- Barefoot Dreams Robes, Adult throws
- Cliff and Buster Macaroons
- The Gingerbread Man by Philosophy
- Pure Simplicity Pumpkin Purifying Mask
- Davies Gates Allspice Cinnamon Powder Sugar Soak
- O, The Oprah MagazineO, The Oprah MagazineO: The Oprah Magazine, sometimes simply abbreviated to O, is a monthly magazine founded by Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Corporation.-Overview:...
- MAC CosmeticMake-up Art CosmeticsMake-up Art Cosmetics, better known as M·A·C or MAC Cosmetics, is a manufacturer of cosmetics founded in Toronto, Canada and headquartered in New York City, New York.-History:...
Carrying Case - NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Dri-FIT Workout Outfit - FoodSaver Vac 800 by Tilia, Inc.
- Cambio Jeans
- BlackBerryBlackBerryBlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
Wireless E-mail Device - Frederic Fekkai Crème Luxeuse, Apple Cider Clean
- Shampoo & Conditioner
- UGGUgg AustraliaUGG Australia is an American footwear company and is a division of the Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Goleta, California.UGG Australia footwear is manufactured in China....
Classic Short Boots - Judith Ripka Two Necklace
- Philip Stein Teslar Watch
- SonySony, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
DCR-DVD200 Handycam - The Neiman Marcus Cookbook
2004
The audience for the 2004 episode consisted of teachers. Items included on the list were:- Quilted Jacket and Cashmere Scarf by Burberry
- Dell 30” Wide-Screen LCD TV
- Bourjois Lip Products
- Eileen Fisher Waffle-Weave Merino Stretch Zip Cardigan and Pant
- Maytag Neptune Top-Load Washer and Drying Center
- Lollia Lifestyle Collection
- Hand-Blown Crystal Champagne Glasses by Deborah Ehrlich
- Dooney & Bourke Leather Duffle Bag
- Miraval Resort and Spa – Life in Balance
- Orbitz
- Apple Bottom Jeans by Nelly
- Museum Automatic Arte Watch by Movado
- Gourmet Florida Key Lime Bundt Cake by We Take The Cake
- VIETRI Water Garden Tea Service
- SpecialTeas Fine Tea Gift Certificate
- Williams-Sonoma Home Bedding
- The Magellan RoadMate 700
- Dell Pocket DJ
- OfficeMax Gift Certifiate
- Sony VAIO S260 Notebook computer
- BeBe WinansBeBe WinansBenjamin "BeBe" Winans is a gospel and R&B singer. He is a member of the noted Winans family, most members of which are also gospel artists.-The PTL Club:...
’ A Christmas Prayer CD & Starbucks Gift Card
2005
In 2005, the audience for the taping of the Oprah’s Favorite Things episode consisted of volunteers from Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. The listed items were:
- Philip Stein Teslar Diamond Watch
- BurberryBurberryBurberry Group plc is a British luxury fashion house, manufacturing clothing, fragrance, and fashion accessories. Its distinctive tartan pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks. Burberry is most famous for its iconic trench coat, which was invented by founder Thomas Burberry...
Coat - Burberry Purse
- UGG AustraliaUgg AustraliaUGG Australia is an American footwear company and is a division of the Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Goleta, California.UGG Australia footwear is manufactured in China....
's Uptown Boot - Tin of CaramelCrisp and CheeseCorn from Garrett Popcorn Shops
- The Apple iPod
- "The Oprah Sweater" by Ralph Lauren
- Pure Color Cords
- Lovely by Sarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
- BlackBerryBlackBerryBlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
7105T from T-Mobile - Brownies from Moveable Feast Geneva
- NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Free 5.0 iD - Kashwere Shawl Collar Robe
- Croissants from Williams-Sonoma
- Hope in a Jar from Philosophy
- "Grace" Basket from Philosophy
- Oatmeal Cookie Dough from Fox & Obel Market
- The Oprah Winfrey Show 20th Anniversary Collection DVD
- Sony VAIO FJ Notebook
2006
In 2006, the Oprah’s Favorite Things episode took on a different slant as the audience members each received a credit card valued at one thousand dollars. Each audience member also received a camcorder and was given instructions to use the money to do something kind for someone else while using the camcorder to videotape the good deed.2007
The Favorite Things show aired November 20, 2007. It returned to the original format in previous years. The 2007 episode was filmed in Macon, GeorgiaMacon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
in the Macon City Auditorium
Macon City Auditorium
The Macon City Auditorium is a historic structure in Macon, Georgia that has hosted performances, meetings, and events for the community since 1925...
on November 17, 2007.
- SamsungSamsungThe Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
HD Camcorder (SC-HMX10C) - UGG AustraliaUgg AustraliaUGG Australia is an American footwear company and is a division of the Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Goleta, California.UGG Australia footwear is manufactured in China....
Classic Crochet Boots - ToyWatchToyWatchToyWatch is an Italian designer wrist watch company that specializes in offering luxury style watches.ToyWatch's American subsidiary, ToyWatch USA, is based in Chicago and is owned by Randy Gordon....
Crystal Watches - Perfect Endings Cupcakes by Williams-SonomaWilliams-SonomaWilliams-Sonoma, Inc. is a high-end American consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares, furniture and linens, as well as other housewares and home furnishings, along with a variety of specialty foods, soaps and lotions...
- Melamine Bowls by Williams-Sonoma
- KitchenAidKitchenAidKitchenAid is a home appliance brand owned by Whirlpool Corporation. The company was started in 1919 by The Hobart Corporation to give restaurants a countertop alternative to their industrial sized mixers. The first model weighed 69 lbs. Each unit is still assembled by hand in Greenville, Ohio...
Artisan Mixer - Planet EarthPlanet Earth (TV series)Planet Earth is a 2006 television series produced by the BBC Natural History Unit. Five years in the making, it was the most expensive nature documentary series ever commissioned by the BBC, and also the first to be filmed in high definition...
DVD Set by The Discovery Channel - Kai Body Butter & Buffer
- ClarisonicClarisonicClarisonic, or Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, Inc., is a private company based in Bellevue, Washington that produces the Clarisonic line of skin care products.-Availability:Clarisonic products are available to spa owners, physicians and consumers...
Skin Cleansing System - Claus Porto Soaps from Lafco New York
- "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett
- Breville Ikon Panini Press by Williams-Sonoma
- Ciao Bella Sorbetto
- Rachel Pally Swing Turtleneck and Sailor Pants
- ScrabbleScrabbleScrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
Premier Edition from HasbroHasbroHasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States... - United ArtistsUnited ArtistsUnited Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
90th Anniversary Prestige DVD Collection - Shaklee Get Clean
- O's Guide to Life
- Josh GrobanJosh GrobanJoshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
's NoëlNoël (Josh Groban album)Noël is a Christmas album by singer Josh Groban that was released on October 9, 2007. In the United States, the album is available as a single CD release in most retail stores...
CD - LGLGLG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
HDTV Refrigerator
2008
Winfrey, in addition to the regular show, held an "Oprah's Favorite Things for Summer" episode in May 2008, apparently against her wishes and at the behest of the production staff.The usual show aired November 26, 2008, one day before Thanksgiving; however, it did not follow the usual format of lavish gifts. Instead, owing to the nation's economic difficulties (Winfrey said that she could not in good conscience give away lavish gifts in such a time of economic trouble), this year's episode would be entitled "How to Have the Thriftiest Holiday Ever!" (described as Oprah's Favorite Things... with a twist!) All of the giveaways cost "next to nothing" and emphasized do-it-yourself craftsmanship. Because of the personal nature of many of these gifts, this was the first year that audience members did not receive many of the actual gifts, though they did receive the book and the album.
Gift ideas, many of which were submitted by viewers, included:
- Gratitude boxes, filled with notes of gratitude from various people
- "Oprah's Holiday Hits" compilation album (given away for free on the show Web site)
- Treasure boxes filled with mementos
- Hot chocolate cones
- RegiftRegiftRegifting or regiving is the act of taking a gift that has been received and giving it to somebody else, sometimes in the guise of a new gift. One example of a formalization of this activity are the white elephant gift exchanges, in which items can be regifted from year to year.In the USA,...
s (a.k.a. "swap parties"), exchanging unwanted used items of your own for others' used items you would be more likely to use - Gift baskets that include fruits and vegetables from your own garden
- Time with a loved one
- The Story of Edgar SawtelleThe Story of Edgar SawtelleThe Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel is the first book by American author David Wroblewski. It became a New York Times Best Seller on June 29, 2008, and Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club on September 19, 2008...
, a book by David WroblewskiDavid WroblewskiDavid Wroblewski is an American novelist whose first novel was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.-Early life:David Wroblewski was born in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, near Milwaukee. He earned his master's degree from the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers.-Career:David Wroblewski started his...
For additional gift ideas, viewers were directed to "The O List" in the December 2008 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine
O, The Oprah Magazine
O: The Oprah Magazine, sometimes simply abbreviated to O, is a monthly magazine founded by Oprah Winfrey and Hearst Corporation.-Overview:...
. The list consisted of items that cost under $100.
2009
The Huffington Post broke a story in November 2009 that, for the first time in several years, there would be no Oprah's Favorite Things episode. This turned out to be true; no reason was explicitly given for the cancellation, though the recession that had been taking place the year prior and that had served as the impetus for the low-budget Favorite Things that year was still ongoing at the time. However, Oprah held a sweepstakes in December 2009 that gave away prizes from past Favorite Things collections. The sweepstakes winner was announced and posted on the Oprah website.2010
Oprah Winfrey's biggest Favorite Things show to date, entitled Ultimate Favorite Things, aired on Friday, November 19, 2010. A second edition aired the following Monday, November 22. It was the final Favorite Things in its current format, since The Oprah Winfrey Show ended its run in May 2011, and the only time Winfrey has done the program back to back in any season of the show. Several of the Favorite Things were products that had been given away in previous Favorite Things episodes.The list of products given away in the "Ultimate Favorite Things" included:
- A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever, a book by Marianne WilliamsonMarianne WilliamsonMarianne Williamson is a spiritual activist, author, lecturer and founder of The Peace Alliance, a grass roots campaign supporting legislation currently before Congress to establish a United States Department of Peace. She is also the founder of Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that...
, published by Hay HouseHay HouseHay House is a New Thought and Self-help publisher. It was founded in 1987 by author Louise Hay, when she self-published her books Heal Your Body and You Can Heal Your Life... - Hair care products from Andre Walker, Oprah's hairstylist
- Baker's Edge lasagna and brownie trays with Ghiradelli brownie mix
- Beecher's "World's Best" macaroni and cheeseMacaroni and cheeseMacaroni and cheese, also known as "mac and cheese", "macaroni cheese" in British English, or "macaroni pie" in Caribbean English, is a casserole consisting of cooked macaroni and cheese sauce...
- BrevilleBrevilleBreville is a maker of small kitchen appliances, founded in Sydney, Australia, in 1932. They created the original sandwich toaster, a small household appliance that makes toasted sandwiches. The product was a huge success upon its launch in Australia in 1974, selling 400,000 units in its first year...
panini press from Williams-SonomaWilliams-SonomaWilliams-Sonoma, Inc. is a high-end American consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares, furniture and linens, as well as other housewares and home furnishings, along with a variety of specialty foods, soaps and lotions... - Decoded, a book by Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
- Elfa Customizable Closet System from The Container StoreThe Container StoreThe Container Store is a specialty retail chain that sells storage solutions for home and office.On July 1, 1978, The Container Store opened its doors in a small, retail space in Dallas...
- A five-year membership to NetflixNetflixNetflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
- Judith Ripka Eclipse Earrings
- $100 gift card for KivaKiva (organization)Kiva Microfunds is an organization that allows people to lend money via the Internet to microfinance institutions in developing countries around the world and in the United States, which in turn lend the money to small businesses and students...
- KyoceraKyocerais a multinational manufacturer based in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded as in 1959 by Kazuo Inamori and renamed in 1982. The company has diversified its founding technology in ceramic materials through internal development as well as strategic mergers and acquisitions...
Advanced Ceramic knifeCeramic knifeA ceramic knife is a knife made out of very hard and tough ceramic, often zirconium dioxide . These knives are usually produced by dry pressing zirconia powder and firing them through solid-state sintering. The resultant blade is sharpened by grinding the edges with a diamond-dust-coated grinding...
2 piece knife giftset - LafcoLAFCOLAFCO may refer to:* Los Angeles Filmmakers Cooperative* Local Agency Formation Commission...
House and Home Collection Candle Set - Limited edition "25th Anniversary" Oprah watch by Philip SteinPhilip SteinPhilip Stein better known as "Estaño" , was an American painter and muralist.- Biography :...
- Ralph LaurenRalph LaurenRalph Lauren is an American fashion designer and business executive; best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.-Early life:...
Cashmere Sweater & Cashmere Blanket - Lululemon relaxed fit pants
- Four pairs of NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
running shoes - NikonNikon, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
D3100 digital camera - 7-day cruise on the Allure of the Seas from Royal Caribbean InternationalRoyal Caribbean InternationalRoyal Caribbean International is a Norwegian and American cruise line brand based in Miami, Florida and owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.. With 42 ships in service under 5 different brands and one more under construction, it controls a 25.6% share of the world cruise market...
- Round-trip flight on United AirlinesUnited AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
to and from the cruise - A "25th Anniversary" Oprah shirt
- Sony Bravia 52-inch 3D television3D televisionA 3D television is a television set that employs techniques of 3D presentation, such as stereoscopic capture, multi-view capture, or 2D-plus-depth, and a 3D display – a special viewing device to project a television program into a realistic three-dimensional field.- History :In the late-1890's,...
and blu-ray player - The BeginningThe Beginning (The Black Eyed Peas album)The Beginning received generally mixedreviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 47, based on 19 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews."Monica Herrera wrote for...
, an album from The Black Eyed PeasThe Black Eyed PeasThe Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide... - Tory BurchTory BurchTory Burch is an American fashion designer, business woman and philanthropist who was born, raised and educated in the Philadelphia metropolitan area....
"Silver Anniversary" tote bag and flat shoes
The second day's Favorite Things list included:
- iPadIPadThe iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, with ScrabbleScrabbleScrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
app - UGG AustraliaUgg AustraliaUGG Australia is an American footwear company and is a division of the Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Goleta, California.UGG Australia footwear is manufactured in China....
sparkle boots - A Coach satchel
- Magaschoni tunic and leggings
- Hope in a Jar moisturizer by Philosophy
- NordstromNordstromNordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
lingerie and $500 NordstromNordstromNordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
gift card - Prepara Herb Saver Prepara
- Chicken pot pie from Centerville Pie CompanyCenterville Pie CompanyThe Centerville Pie Company is a pie company located in Centerville, Massachusetts. It gained fame when it was mentioned on Oprah Winfrey's Favorite Things episode in 2010. Furthermore, their pies were sold through the Harry & David corporation.-History:...
- "Oprah's Favorite Things" tin from Garrett Popcorn Shops
- Le CreusetLe CreusetLe Creuset is a French cookware manufacturer best known for its colorful enameled cast iron casseroles, which the company calls "French Ovens", or "Dutch Ovens"...
cookware - Miraclesuit blue jeans
- A jewelry box from Pottery BarnPottery BarnPottery Barn is an American-based home furnishing store chain with retail stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Since September 1986, when it was purchased from GAP, Inc, Pottery Barn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma, Inc....
- Jessica Leigh Diamond earrings from Dana Rebecca Designs
- A gift card for DonorsChoose.org
- Mini croissants from Williams-Sonoma
- Talbott Teas holiday assortment
- The Book of Awakening, a book by Mark NepoMark NepoMark Nepo is a poet and philosopher who has taught in the fields of poetry and spirituality for over thirty years. Nepo is best known for his New York Times #1 bestseller, The Book of Awakening. He has published twelve books and recorded six audio projects...
- IlluminationsIlluminations (Josh Groban album)-Commercial reception:The album debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200, selling 190,000 copies in its first week and was certified Platinum by the RIAA for shipping over a million copies. The album has since sold over 800,000 copies in the US...
, an album from Josh GrobanJosh GrobanJoshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country... - Let It Be Me, an album from Johnny MathisJohnny MathisJohn Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
- A 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, due for delivery May 2011
2011
Oprah does her favorite things through her magazine O, The Oprah Magazine with Oprah on an extended cover wearing different coloured dresses.
Controversy and criticisms
After being featured on the Oprah’s Favorite Things segment, businesses typically experience a large boost in their website traffic and in visits to their stores. For small businesses with limited resources and a small staff, the resulting boost in customers can cause the business to become overwhelmed and unable to meet customer demands. According to Scott Schroeder, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Garrett Popcorn Shops, being featured on the episode resulted in over 100,000 hits to the website on the afternoon the episode was aired and sales increased in December by over 100%. This caused the business to go from "making popcorn eight hours a day to 24 hours a day."The episodes have also met with controversy when businesses that were not featured on the episode made claims that they were. According to show insiders, this is one reason why the format was changed for the 2006 season.
The website the AV Club made fun of the uselessness and blandness of Oprah's 2007 list by posting a feature called 'Oprahs Favorite Thing or Symptom of Clinical Depression'. The 2008 decision to use inexpensive gifts drew jokes from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, including a mash-up that featured Winfrey supposedly giving away thumb tacks, to a much-dismayed audience.
Further criticism and satire have been directed at the reactions from the people in the audience, which typically range anywhere from cheering and screaming to crying from men and women alike. A memorable parody of this was featured on a "Saturday Night Live" skit, where the audience tore the studio apart in their frenzied anticipation of the freebies they would get.