The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Apple has had a stellar year. The company not only unveiled the new iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, but it also revealed the new MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and Apple Watch Series 4. And for Cyber Monday, you can get your hands on many of these new products for much cheaper than usual.

Whether you’re shopping for a new Apple Watch or a powerful new Mac, here are the best Apple-related Cyber Monday deals around — but make sure to act quickly, as many of these deals are live right now and will end at midnight tonight.

Apple iPhone

The Apple iPhone is Apple’s flagship product and represents all the latest and greatest innovations from the company. With Apple’s much-loved iOS, the iPhone is arguably the best choice for smartphone users — and you can find a range of sweet deals on the iPhone today.

• T-Mobile: Get up to $750 off the iPhone XR when you add a line and trade in an eligible device.
• eBay: Get the refurbished 64GB iPhone X with Space Gray or Silver for $549.
• Walmart: Get the iPhone 8 for $499.99 ($99.01 off) on Straight Talk.
• Walmart: Get the iPhone 8 Plus for $599.99 ($99.01 off) on Straight Talk.
• Metro by T-Mobile: Get AirPods for free when you switch to Metro and buy the iPhone 6S for $49 or bring your own iPhone.
• Verizon: Get the iPhone 6S for $5 per month. 

Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is by far the best choice for a smartwatch. Not only can you get notifications on your wrist, but with the Apple Watch you can also track your fitness, access Siri, and more.

• Amazon: Get the Apple Watch Series 3 for up to $80 off.
• T-Mobile: Get a free Apple Watch Series 4 when you join T-Mobile with two eligible lines.
• B&H: Get the Apple Watch Series 3 (38mm, GPS plus Cellular, Gold Aluminum Case, Pink Sand Sport Band) for $319 (save $60).
• B&H: Get the Apple Watch Series 3 (42mm, GPS, Silver Aluminum Case, Pure Platinum or Black Nike Sport Band) for $259 (save $50).
• B&H: Get the Apple Watch Nike+ Series 3 (42mm, GPS plus Cellular, Space Gray Aluminum Case, Black or Pure Platinum Nike Sport Loop) for $309 (save $100).

Apple iPad

The iPhone may be Apple’s smartphone, but if you want an iOS experience on a larger display, then the iPad is the way to go. The iPad comes in a range of variants, so there are a number of sweet deals on the device.

• Amazon: Get the Gold 32GB, 9.7-inch iPad for $249 (save $80).

• Amazon: Get the 128GB, 9.7-inch iPad for $379 (save $50).

• Walmart: Get the 32GB, 9.7-inch iPad for $249 (save $80).

• Walmart: Get the 5th-generation 128GB iPad for $349.99 (save $79.01).

• B&H: Get the 128GB, 9.7-inch iPad for $379 (save $50).

• B&H: Get the 32GB, 9.7-inch iPad for $285 (save $44).
• B&H: Save up to $130 on the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.

Apple MacBooks

The MacBook Pro is Apple’s most powerful laptop — so if you need a device for work, photo or video editing, and so on, then it’s worth looking into getting a MacBook Pro. There are quite a few variants of the MacBook Pro available.

• B&H: Get the 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2.9GHz CPU, 32GB RAM, 2TB storage, Radeon 560X GPU) for $4,199 (save $500).
• B&H: Get the 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2.9GHz CPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB storage, Radeon 555X GPU) for $3,349 (save $450).
• B&H: Get the 2017 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2.9GHz CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, Radeon Pro 560 GPU) for $2,149 (save $250).
• B&H: Get the 2017 13.3-inch MacBook Air (1.8GHz CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage) for $849 (save $150).
• eBay: Get the 2017 13.3-inch MacBook Air (1.8GHz CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage) for $749.99 (save $250).

Mac Mini

The Mac Mini is a great way to experience Apple’s macOS operating system without the need for a laptop or all-in-one like the iMac. While the device is new, it is still getting a few discounts.

• Amazon:Get the Mac Mini (3.6GHz CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage) for $749 (save $50).

Apple TV

Apple is bringing its ecosystem into the living room through its Apple TV device, which is a great way to enjoy your iTunes content, Apple Music subscription, and more, on your TV.

• B&H: Get the 32GB Apple TV 4K for $169 (save $10).
• B&H: Get the 64GB Apple TV 4K for $169 (save $10).

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

The best deal roundups

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A sleep expert explains what happens to your body and brain if you don't get enough sleep

• President Donald Trump seemed ready to escalate the trade war with China in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Monday.
• Trump said it is "highly unlikely" that an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit will yield a deal to prevent a forthcoming increase in tariffs.
• Trump also said he is prepared to hit another $267 billion worth of Chinese goods with tariffs — and he is not afraid to impose duties on consumer goods like iPhones.

President Donald Trump is ready to escalate the trade war with China even further as a crucial meeting with  Chinese President Xi Jinping nears.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Monday, the president said it is "highly unlikely" that the US and China will reach a deal to prevent the 10% tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from increasing to 25% on January 1.

In addition, Trump told The Journal that if weekend talks with Xi at the G20 summit in Argentina do not go well, more tariffs could be on the way.

"If we don’t make a deal, then I’m going to put the $267 billion additional on," Trump said.

Trump first announced tariffs on Chinese goods in March, ostensibly to punish the country for the theft of US intellectual property.

After failed negotiations on a trade deal with China, the first round of tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods went into effect in July.

A second round of tariffs on another $200 billion of goods went into effect in late September, and Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose a third round on the remaining imports not subject to tariffs.

While Trump said the third round would hit another $267 billion in goods, some reports peg the remaining amount at $257 billion.

After mostly avoiding consumer goods in the first two rounds of tariffs, Trump said he is also willing place tariffs on items such as Apple's iPhone and laptops imported from China. The administration backed off plans to impose tariffs on some Apple products as part of the previous round after the tech giant lobbied the president.

Economists warn that tariffs on consumer goods would drive up prices for Americans, curtail consumer spending, and eventually hurt US economic growth. Trump disagreed with that assessment, instead suggesting that a low tariff rate on such goods would go unnoticed by consumers.

"I mean, I can make it 10%, and people could stand that very easily," he told The Journal.

In addition to the tariffs, the Trump administration is employing a suite of other measures to crack down on China's economic practices. For instance, the Department of Commerce is considering stricter rules on what types of technology can be exported to China, and the Justice Department has brought charges against Chinese companies and individuals for economic espionage.

While there were hopes that the Trump-Xi talks could deescalate the trade tensions, recent moves by the administration seem to point to a sustained trade war.

Perhaps most significantly, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer last week released an update to the investigation into Chinese intellectual property theft that kicked off the tariff battle. It found China had not changed any of the practices that precipitated Trump's tariff decision.

SEE ALSO: The US and China are giving off bad signals ahead of a crucial meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This top economist has a radical plan to change the way Americans vote

• Nancy Pelosi is consolidating support as she mounts her unopposed campaign to be the next speaker of the House.
• Several members of the anti-Pelosi group that were opposing her as party leader have flipped in recent days.
• Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton, one of the members leading the opposition to Pelosi, is reportedly shifting his strategy against the leadership team.

WASHINGTON — Just several days after releasing a letter to state their opposition Nancy Pelosi becoming speaker of hte House and retaining her top spot in the caucus, that group of House Democrats has virtually collapsed.

Despite initially having an uncertain future in the wake of an election brought forth by a surge of outsider, anti-establishment candidates, opposition to the longtime California Democrat has dwindled and some of the hardline anti-Pelosi Democrats have completely flipped their positions.

Read more: 16 Democrats release letter opposing Nancy Pelosi as next speaker of the House

"The candidates who said that they will vote for new leadership are going to uphold that promise," Moulton said in an interview with the Boston Globe days after the midterm elections earlier in November. "They’re not going to go along with what the party wants them to do if it’s not the right thing for the district or country."

And since then, Moulton has expressed confidence the votes are there to sink Pelosi's unopposed campaign to become speaker of the House when the new Congress takes form in January.

Moulton, alongside 15 other Democrats and incoming freshmen, released a letter detailing their opposition to Pelosi.

More anti-Pelosi Democrats are flipping by the day

In the days that followed, names have started to drop from that list of 16.

Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, who had been mulling a challenge against Pelosi, removed her name from the letter before it was made public. Fudge then swiftly backed Pelosi just before Thanksgiving in exchange for restoration of a House Administration Subcommittee on Elections, of which Fudge would become its new chairwoman.

The dealmaking did not stop there either. Rep. Brian Higgins removed his name from the letter and flipped his position to back Pelosi after receiving assurances that a couple of his policy priorities would top the list for Democrats in 2019, with him being "the lead person on the Medicare buy-in," according to an interview with The Buffalo News.

On Monday, Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch bailed on his colleagues who signed the letter opposing Pelosi. In an interview with WCBV-Boston, Lynch said that while he still wants a change in leadership, "If it becomes a choice between a Republican and Nancy Pelosi, I'll obviously support Nancy Pelosi."

The number of Democrats opposed to Pelosi has shrunken because of her superior dealmaking ability, but also due to fear of survival if they remain defiant toward such a powerful figure in their party.  

With such a massive turnover in the House, there are many new committee spots needed to be filled by Democrats, meaning there are deals to be made and positions some members want to keep for themselves. 

Sensing the new mood on Capitol Hill, Moulton changed his tune, according the Washington Post.

Moulton is reportedly shifting his focus away from the fight against Pelosi and instead looking at the rest of the senior members of the leadership team.

But Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn — who are respectively running for Majority Leader and Majority Whip — are mounting their campaigns unopposed. Further, those positions do not require 218 floor votes to secure their positions, making the likelihood of a win that much stronger.

Whether that means Moulton is conceding defeat or looking for an easier challenge is unclear, though he remained adamant he wants a change in the leadership structure that has been in place for more than a decade.

"Leader Pelosi wants to boil this down to a personal argument, but this is so much bigger than her," Moulton told the Washington Post in a statement. "It’s about the entire, stagnant three-person leadership team and having a serious conversation about promoting leaders who reflect the future of our caucus."

SEE ALSO: Lindsey Graham is now poised to take over as chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This top economist has a radical plan to change the way Americans vote

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Some of the best deals you'll find on Cyber Monday are on big-ticket items — think mattresses, televisions, and other expensive tech. But sometimes, it's the little things that really matter — and these Cyber Monday deals are no exception. 

If you don't need a new mattress or don't want to buy any pricey new electronics, you're in the right spot. We searched the web for some of the best affordable deals of the day.

Ranging from quirky holiday gifts to practical kitchen gadgets, we've covered all the bases. Whether you're shopping for yourself or someone else, we think you'll find something you love — and can get for $25 or less.

You can also browse our picks for the best Cyber Monday deals under $50 and under $100 if you're willing to stretch your budget.

To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's 10 best Cyber Monday tech deals — if you have only $100 to spend

1. Echo Buttons 2-pack, available at Amazon, $13.99 (originally $19.99) [You save $6]
2. Echo Dot (2nd generation), available at Amazon, $19.99 (originally $39.99) [You save $20]
3. WeMo Mini WiFi Smart Plug, available at Best Buy, $19.99 (originally $29.99) [You save $10]
4. Echo Dot (3rd generation), available at Amazon, $24 (originally $49.99) [You save $25.99]
5. JBL Go 2 Portable Speaker, available at JBL, $24.95 (originally $39.95) [You save $15]
6. Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, available at Amazon, $24.99 (originally $39.99) [You save $15]
7. Google Home Mini, available at Best Buy, $25 (originally $49) [You save $24]

1. PopSockets Collapsible Grip, available at Amazon, $4.99 (originally $9.99) [You save $5]
2. Incipio Octane Pure Translucent iPhone XS Max Case, available at Incipio, $17.99 (originally $29.99) [You save $12]
3. Echo Shell (only fits 2nd generation), available at Amazon, $17.99 (originally $29.99) [You save $12]
4. Mophie Wireless Charge Pad, available at Amazon, $22.99 (originally $59.99) [You save $37]
5. Incase Slim Sleeve for MacBook Pro, available at Incase, $24.98 (originally $49.95) [You save $24.97]

1. Topman Muscle Fit Roller T-Shirt, available at Nordstrom, $9.99 (originally $20) [You save $10.01]
2. Adidas Originals Relaxed Baseball Cap, available at Nordstrom, $11.98 (originally $24) [You save $12.02]
3. Bombas Snowflake Calf Socks, available at Bombas, $12 (originally $15) [You save $3]
4. Everlane Cotton Crew, available at Everlane, $14 (originally $20) [You save $6]
5. Bonobos Yarn Spun Tee, available at Bonobos, $16.25 (originally $25) [You save $8.75]
6. Fossil 'Maddox' Leather Braid Belt, available at Nordstrom, $17.49 (originally $35) [You save $17.51]
7. Calvin Klein 3-pack Boxer Briefs, available at Nordstrom, $23.70 (originally $39.50) [You save $15.8]
8. Everlane Merino Wool Scarf, available at Everlane, $22 (originally $55) [You save $33]
9. Pact Thermal Long Sleeve Crew, available at Pact, $25 (originally $35) [You save $10]

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Cyber Monday is one of the best days of the year to buy excellent products on sale. We've pored over thousands upon thousands of deals to find the best ones.

Luckily, many of the top-rated products from our ~800 buying guides are on sale for Cyber Monday.

In the slides below, we've broken down the best deals in every category from home and kitchen to tech and travel. We've also highlighted several excellent style deals this year.

Looking for more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

SEE ALSO: 7 Cyber Monday deals on headphones that are still going on — from Bose to Beats

DON'T MISS: 53 cool and useful Cyber Monday deals under $25 that make great stocking stuffers

Amazon device deals

1. Echo Dot (3rd generation), $24 (originally $49.99) [You save $25.99]

We love Amazon's Echo Dot and consider it to be the best small smart speaker with Alexa onboard.

2. Echo (2nd generation) $69 (originally $99.99)[You save $30.99]

Amazon's Echo is the best smart speaker you can buy and it's also a great deal this Cyber Monday.

3. Echo Show, $179.99 (originally $229.99) [You save $50]

The new Show combines the speaker quality of the Echo and Echo Plus with a 10-inch HD screen and eight mic array. We recommend the Show as the best Alexa-enabled smart speaker with a screen.

4. Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet, $69.99 (originally $99.99) [You save $30]

The Fire HD Kids tablets are a great buy, and we recommend them as the best for kids. The 7-inch model has a 1,024 x 600 (171 ppi) pixel resolution, built-in Alexa function, 16 GB storage, eight-hour battery life, and a mono speaker. You also get one year of FreeTime Unlimited, two-year worry-free guarantee, and a kid-proof case.

5. Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote, $34.99 (originally $49.99) [You save $15]

Amazon's Fire TV Stick plugs into any TV's HDMI port and has an antenna design optimized for 4K Ultra HD streaming. It's one of our top picks for the best streaming stick.

6. NEW Kindle Paperwhite and six months of Kindle Unlimited, $129.99 (originally $189.93) [You save $59.94]

The new Paperwhite is thinner, lighter, and longer battery life than the first-generation model, waterproof, and has 8 GB storage. It's one of the best ebook readers you can buy.

7. Kindle Paperwhite E-reader (Previous Generation - 7th), $79.99 (originally $119.99)[You save $40]

Although this is the previous generation model of the Paperwhite, we still recommend it. Just know that this is NOT the waterproof version.

Google device deals

1. Google Home Mini for $25 at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart(originally $49) [You save $24]

The Google Home Mini is an adorable, bite-sized smart speaker that'll fit in any room of the house, which is why it's the best small smart speaker for Google fans.

2. Google Home for $79 at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart (originally $129) [You save $50]

The Google Home is great for anyone who's all-in with Google and doesn't have Amazon Prime in their lives. It's our favorite smart speaker for Android fans.

3. Chromecast Ultra for $49 at Best Buy, Target, and Walmart(originally $69) [You save $20]

The Google Chromecast Ultra is quick to set up, easy-to-use and works great, but best of all, it costs just $50, making it the best Chromecast in our guide.

4. Nest Cam Indoor for $129 at Best Buy, Target, The Home Depot, and Walmart (originally $199) [You save $70]

The Nest Cam has long been one of the best security cameras you can buy. The Nest Indoor Security Cam is both stylish and functional, especially considering the well-built app that makes using multiple cameras easy.

5. Nest Learning Thermostat for $179 at Best Buy, Target, The Home Depot, and Walmart (originally $249) [You save $70]

The Nest Learning Thermostat is the best smart thermostat you can buy, thanks to its super easy setup, energy savings, and excellent learning capabilities.

6. Nest Thermostat E for $139 at Best Buy, Target, The Home Depot, and Walmart (originally $169) [You save $30]

The Nest Thermostat E is well-designed, easy to use, and extremely intelligent — plus, it only costs $169, making it the best affordable smart thermostat.

7. Nest Protect for $99 at Best Buy, Target, The Home Depot, and Walmart (originally $119) [You save $20]

With the Nest Protect Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm, you can use your smartphone to get alerts if there are hazardous conditions in your home or if your detector's battery is getting low. That's why it's the best smart smoke detector you can buy.

8. Google Home Hub for $99 at Best Buy, Target, Jet, and Walmart (originally $149) [You save $50]

The Google Home Hub is a smart speaker with a screen. It's the best one for people who love Google's apps and can't get enough YouTube.

Phone and tablet deals

1. Apple iPad (6th generation), $299 at Amazon (originally $329)[You save $30]

The 6th-gen iPad is our top tablet and iPad pick because it is so affordable. On Cyber Monday, it's even more affordable at Amazon.

2. iPhone X, $499.99 at Verizon (originally $899.99)[You save $400]

The iPhone X is still a great buy, although the XR and XS have replaced it as our top picks. Since you can get it for $400 less than normal at Verizon, you definitely should.

3. iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max $300 off when you add a new line on a device payment plan, or get $100 when you upgrade and trade in your phone at Verizon [You save $300]

If you want a new iPhone XS, XR, or XS Max, you can get them for $300 off when you add a new line on a Verizon device payment plan. Verizon also has a $100 offer to sweeten any trade-ins you want to do for a new iPhone. We love the XR for most people, though the XS and Max are technically superior.

4. Samsung Galaxy S9, $519.99 at Amazon (originally $719.99)[You save $200]

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus have sleek bodies with curved screens, heavy-hitting cameras, and lots of AR and AI goodies. We highly recommend them.

5. Samsung Galaxy Note 9, $799.99 at Amazon (originally $999.99)[You save $200]

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will be recommended in an update to our smartphone buying guide soon. Buy it now while you can save $200.

6. Google Pixel 3, $399.99 at Verizon (originally $799.99)[You save $400] or save $200 at Best Buy

Google's Pixel phones are the best Android phones period. Verizon's deal is a good one because it doesn't require a trade in. This is the smaller version.

7. Google Pixel 3 XL $529.99 at Verizon (originally $929.99)[You save $400] or save $200 at Best Buy

Google's Pixel phones are the best Android phones period. Verizon's deal is a good one because it doesn't require a trade in. This is the bigger version.

8. OnePlus 6, $429 (originally $529)[You save $100]

The OnePlus 6 is a superb phone and an amazing deal at $429 today. It has all the high-end specs of the Pixel, Galaxy S9, and iPhone for so much less money.

9. Moto G6, $199.99 at Best Buy (originally $249.99)[You save $50]

The Moto G6 is the best budget phone for most people with its low price, solid camera, and clean Android software.

• A host of top Democratic donors say they won't donate to or raise funds for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's potential 2020 bid after she pushed to oust fellow Democratic Sen. Al Franken last year amid sexual misconduct charges. 
• Gillibrand hit back on Monday, suggesting that her critics would rather silence the voices of women who spoke out against Franken than hold him to fair standards.
• But some of Gillibrand's supporters worry the criticism from powerful donors will scare off other Democrats and undermine the senator's higher ambitions. 

When Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand led the charge in pressuring former Sen. Al Franken, the Minnesota Democrat, to resign last year amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct, many hailed the move as both moral leadership and smart politics. 

As a majority of Democratic senators followed her call, Gillibrand's cemented her status as an unapologetic defender of women's rights and boosted her credentials on the progressive left. 

But nearly a year later, many Democrats — including some of the party's wealthiest donors — remain convinced that Franken's ouster was unjust — and more than a dozen party patrons told Politico on Monday that that they blame Gillibrand and, as a result, will never donate to or raise funds for her potential 2020 bid.

Gillibrand fought back against the criticism on Monday, reasserting her argument that the women who accused Franken of groping, forcible kissing, and other alleged wrongdoing deserve to be believed. 

"Silencing women for the powerful, or for your friends, or for convenience, is neither acceptable, nor just," she wrote. 

The senator's fans insist she made the right move, but it remains to be seen whether she'll survive the political blowback.

'We love blaming women' 

Many of Gillibrand's allies see the attacks on her — and the eight women who made allegations against Franken — as gendered. 

"We love blaming women," said one progressive Democratic donor, who asked for anonymity to protect relationships with other Democrats, told INSIDER.  

Shuan King, a writer and civil rights activist, called the criticism "dumb and sexist." 

While critics say her advocacy for the victims was largely strategic, her supporters say there can be no equivocating on an issue like sexual misconduct. 

"What KG is being maligned for is believing women," Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, tweeted Monday. "We have nothing that resembles due process for these claims and we saw with Kavanaugh that survivors coming forward incur serious consequences. KG has always shown that survivors have somewhere to turn." 

Gillibrand's spokesperson, Glen Caplin, also issued a defense of the decision, arguing that morality should always take precedent over political expediency. 

"Leadership means standing up for your values when it's hard. Kirsten has never been afraid to stand up for what she believes in and never will be. You can disagree with her views, but holding her accountable for someone else's behavior towards women is wrong, and her values aren't for sale," Caplin said in a statement to Politico.

The progressive donor argued that the criticism of Gillibrand isn't coming from any of her longtime supporters, but rather from those, like billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who supported Franken and never had skin in the game for Gillibrand. 

"This very aggressive posturing is trying to scare off support and trying to convince her not run," he said. "It's not reflecting a deeply-held position other than hard-nosed politics."

'His voice is missed' 

While Gillibrand remains broadly popular among Democrats (she was re-elected this year with 66% of the vote — and received nearly 400,000 more votes than New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo), it's clear that many in the party hold a grudge against her over Franken.  

The former "Saturday Night Live" star remains beloved among many on the left. 

"His voice is missed, people liked him," the progressive donor said. "I think a lot of good, solid progressives … liked Al Franken and all they remember is Kirsten Gillibrand pushed him out and it wasn't even that bad."

Mitch Draizin, a New York hedge fund founder and Democratic donor, doesn't think Franken deserved to be pushed out, but added that he wouldn't base his support for Gillibrand on that single decision — and would back her in 2020 if she's the strongest contender. 

"Perhaps she had no other choice given the women’s movement," Draizin told INSIDER. "I think she could have gotten caught up in the moment — you don't know what counter-veiling forces were there." 

It's likely too early to know whether the ongoing backlash against Gillibrand will undermine her 2020 chances. And some argue a strong grassroots campaign could overcome resistance from a few powerful voices. 

"I would hope that the voters would decide and not the donors," Jeff Gural, a New York real estate developer and Democratic donor, told INSIDER. "I don't think raising the most money is the most important thing anymore."

SEE ALSO: Mississippi's Republican Senate candidate is feeling the heat after it's revealed that she attended a 'segregation academy' and celebrated the Confederacy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Fox News' Harris Faulkner is the only black woman in cable news with a daily show: 'It's a tremendous amount of responsibility'

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Brooklinen is having its biggest and only sale of the year right now.
• Now through November 26 (Cyber Monday), the more you spend, the more you'll save — up to 20% off orders of $450 or more.
• We ranked Brooklinen as the makers of the best luxury sheets, the best sateen sheets, and the best duvet cover on the internet. Find the startup's seven best-sellers below.
• To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

Brooklinen is one of our favorite brands to cover — from its core and luxe bedsheets to its latest Brooklittles line for babies and toddlers. However, it's not known for holding sales. Prices are usually low enough to warrant what is essentially a year-round sale in itself.

But Black Friday and Cyber Monday are exceptions; Cyber Week is its biggest and only sale of the year.

This year, the popular startup is offering steep discounts. Now through November 26, you can take advantage of the following deals:

• Spend $250 or more and get 10% off your order.
• Spend $350 or more and get 15% off your order.
• Spend $450 or more and get 20% off your order.
• Plus, get a free $50 gift card on orders of $150 or more.

SEE ALSO: Allbirds has dropped a limited-edition sneaker for Cyber Monday

Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle

The queen-size Luxe Hardcore Sheet Bundle is $213 before a discount is applied

Available in 15 colors. 

• Luxe Core Sheet Set (one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, two pillowcases)
• Luxe Duvet Cover
• Luxe Pillowcases (an extra pair)

Find a full review of the sheets here. We also ranked them the #1 best luxury sheets and the #1 best sateen sheets in the Insider Picks Buying Guides. 

Classic Hardcore Sheet Bundle

Super-Plush Complete Towel Set

The Super-Plush Complete Towel Set is $189 before a discount is applied

Available in four colors. 

• Two "Bath Sheets"
• Two bath towels
• Two hand towels
• Two washcloths
• Bath mat

Find a full review here.

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Over the weeks leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Insider Picks team spends countless hours combing through hundreds of thousands of deals to bring you the very best of the bunch.

So far, we've written about everything from the best deals you can find on Amazon to the best tech deals on the internet— we've even covered men's and women's fashion sales, and what to buy from Wayfair if you need some new furniture. 

But we thought it might be fun for you to see what we, the human beings behind all these articles, are buying for ourselves — especially after spending so much time getting to know what has felt like every deal on the internet.

If you're interested in knowing how we're spending our money right now, look no further — here's what we've bought so far. 

Want more deals? We've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals on the internet.

To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

A year-long subscription to Hulu

Annual Hulu Subscription

I’ve been using a friend’s Hulu account for about a year. Especially in the last few months since I got rid of cable, I've noticed myself using Hulu more and more in conjunction with my Netflix subscription. I finally decided to get my own Hulu account because $1 a month for a year is an amazing deal. -Breton Fischetti, Director of Commerce Insider Picks

This deal was simply too good to pass up. Altogether, it'll save me $60+ over the course of the year. — Mara Leighton, Insider Picks reporter

Hotels for a vacation to Italy

Mulino di Firenze, from $118 per night, available on Hotels.com

My partner and I booked a week's worth of hotels on Hotels.com, which is currently offering 11% off anything you book with the code BIGDEAL11.

This hotel in Florence is the one we're most excited about. It has a beautiful pool, and it's right on the river. We'll have to pay for cabs to get around since it's a bit further out from the center of town, but the fact that we saved a bit while booking evens things out. I mean, look at that view! -Sally Kaplan, Insider Picks editor

A set of illustrated Harry Potter novels

Harry Potter: The Illustrated Collection (Books 1-3 Boxed Set), $56.50 at Amazon (originally $120) 

As odd as it sounds, I actually don’t ever shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday — I'm more of a Small Business Saturday and Giving Tuesday kind of person. I didn’t buy anything this year, either, though I did find something I wanted for Christmas and asked my mom to get it for me: the 3-book boxed set of Harry Potter illustrated novels.

I’m a huge HP fan, and I’ve wanted the illustrated versions ever since they came out. At more than half off, they’re a crazy good deal, so I couldn't resist asking for them. I'm pretty sure these books will be under my Christmas tree this year in a lovely package from mom to me. -Malarie Gokey, Insider Picks guides editor

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Leesa has extended its Cyber Monday sale. 
• Right now through November 29, you can take up to $235 off a Leesa mattress with the code "BUSINESSINSIDER" at checkout.
• We ranked Leesa's Sapira Mattress and Leesa Mattress the best mattresses you can buy overall because they suit all sleeping styles. So did The Wirecutter.
• The deals: Get $160 off a Leesa mattress and get a free pillow ($75 originally) or $235 off a Sapira mattress and a free pillow ($75 originally) with the code "BUSINESSINSIDER" at checkout.
• Find reviews of the Leesa mattress here, and the Sapira here.

Thanks to the increasing number of people who want to be able to shop online in their pajamas, there is no shortage of direct-to-consumer digital companies, and a healthy percentage of them are mattress startups. Why? Because you don't have to go lay down on 15 beds while someone follows you around trying to sell you upgrades, there's usually no exorbitant delivery fee, and you get to try it out in your home without any pressure for 100 nights (as the new industry standard goes). So really, why not?

There are a lot of great direct-to-consumer mattress options to consider, and Leesa Sleep is one of them. We ranked Leesa's Sapira Mattress and Leesa Mattress as the best mattresses you can buy overall because they suit all sleeping styles. So did The Wirecutter.

They also happen to be running an extended Cyber Monday deal right now — making their already accessible prices even better. Right now, you can get a new Leesa mattress for up to $235 off its original price. You'll also receive the classic Leesa Pillow ($75) that took them a few years and hundreds of prototypes to make for free.

Leesa's extended Cyber Monday deals:

• Take $160 off a Leesa mattress and get a free pillow ($75 originally) [use code "BUSINESSINSIDER" at checkout]
• Take $235 off a Sapira mattress and get a free pillow ($75 originally) [use code "BUSINESSINSIDER" at checkout]

If you need a new foundation, too, you can also get $75 off the Leesa Platform Bed (now $720 for queen size) and $100 off the company's adjustable base (now $945 for queen size). You can find a review for the adjustable base here.

We've reviewed both their newly updated classic Leesa mattress as well as their luxury Sapira option, but the break down is pretty simple.

• The Leesa Mattress: engineered with three premium foams for cooling, body contouring, and pressure-relieving core support. Queen Size: $835 (normally $995) [You Save $160 + get a free $75 pillow]
• The Sapira Mattress: combines Leesa's premium foam layers with pocket-spring coils for superior support. Queen Size: $1,360 (normally $1,595) [You Save: $235 + get a free $75 pillow]

Leesa has done so well in a saturated direct-to-consumer mattress space thanks to its excellent customer service model and a universally comfortable mattress. The company claims its mattress can comfortably accommodate all body shapes and types of sleepers, and that because of its unique design, you don't have to choose between either plush or firm. In person, we liked them so much we ranked the Leesa mattresses best in our comprehensive Buying Guide, and we have similarly positive views of the Hybrid Pillow ($125) and Leesa blanket ($149), which reporter Lulu Chang called one of the most well-made, comfortable blankets she'd ever used after testing.

It's also a certified B Corp that has donated more than 30,000 mattresses to those in need and plants one tree for every mattress sold.

Skip the awkward showroom, get your mattress delivered to your door, and spend 100 nights risk-free trying it out. No pressure. If you're looking for a new mattress, you might want to check out Leesa's options right now considering how heavily they're marked down.

Shop the Leesa Mattress and get $160 off plus a free $75 pillow here with the code "BUSINESSINSIDER"

Shop the luxury Sapira Mattress and get $235 off plus a free $75 pillow here with the code "BUSINESSINSIDER"

To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

Join the conversation about this story »

• The keto diet is a low-carb routine that involves eating about 70% to 80% of daily calories from fat, and nearly zero from carb and sugar intake.
• Ideally, this primes the body for a fat-burning state called ketosis, wherein fat is burned as fuel.
• But it can be difficult to know whether you're in the fat-burning metabolic state. 
• A new breathalyzer test aims to help people figure out if they're doing the diet right.

For ages, dieters have had essentially one tool for measuring their success: the brutal bathroom scale.

Progress there is measured out in full pounds, and it can take weeks or months to know if a new eating plan is working.

For the increasingly popular low-carb, high-fat keto diet, there's another method: determining if your body is in the desired fat-burning keto state, called ketosis. A new breathalyzer, called the Keyto, could help.

Ketosis is the body's natural starvation mode, when people burn fat stores for fuel. But ketosis can also happen when we eat very few carbohydrates, which act as a quick-burning, sugary energy source. Starved for starchy foods like bread, pasta, and beans, the body reaches for fat to burn instead.

Some keto dieters use acid-measuring urine strips to figure out if they're in fat-burning mode, but the pee tests are inexact, and not always reliable. Other keto dieters pick up pricier diabetic blood testing machines, which are more accurate, but also more painful. 

Increasingly, people are discovering that you don't really need blood or urine to figure out if you've achieved a desired keto state. Instead, you can harness the body's natural reaction to going keto: bad breath.

Read More: A cancer researcher who's been on the keto diet for 6 years explains how he does it

One of the ketones a body produces in a state of ketosis is the chemical acetone. In addition to being a very popular nail polish remover ingredient, acetone is one of the basic byproducts that a body converting fat into fuel excretes in a state of ketosis.

Simply re-jigger an alcohol breathalyzer test, which typically measures for ethanol on the breath, into one that measures for acetone, and you can have instant keto diet feedback.

At least that's what San Francisco cardiologist Ethan Weiss, who's lost 20 pounds on the keto diet, recently told Business Insider. Weiss is behind the new Keyto breathalyzer. 

Weiss says the breathalyzer test produced some shocking results for him, and he wasn't even trying to go keto.

"I didn’t… try to lose weight or think about losing weight. I was just trying to see if I could get my breath score to go up. And after about a week or so, I'd lost five or eight pounds," Weiss said. "By the end of a month, I was buying new clothes." 

The new breath test isn't completely foolproof. It can give false readings after a person drinks alcohol (since most alcohol has a fair amount of sugar in it, keto dieters can't have too much to drink anyway.) Keyto certainly isn't the only keto breathalyzer on the market, either.

Weiss is confident that paired with the company's new app, his breath test will have the edge over competition. In addition to giving breath readings, the app includes meal planning ideas, and a library of about 10,000 foods so dieters can look up whether or not the food they're about to eat is keto-safe. 

But most importantly, it gives dieters feedback quickly and painlessly. For example, one morning after Weiss inadvertently ate breaded chicken for dinner, his breathalyzer score plummeted. Weiss quickly knew the chicken wasn't keto-safe. 

Devices aren't ready to try just yet, but should be available in early January to those who support the company's crowdfunding campaign, at $99 a pop.

In 2019, the Keyto team plans to start mass marketing the device on the company website at the steeper price point of $150. 

SEE ALSO: A cancer researcher who's been on the keto diet for 6 years explains how he does it

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This is why LeBron James is in such good shape

• President Donald Trump unleashed a tweetstorm Tuesday against the special counsel Robert Mueller and the Russia investigation.
• Trump accused Mueller of treating people "viciously" and "ruining lives for them refusing to lie."
• Trump's tweets came after the far-right conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi said he would reject a plea offer from Mueller in which he would have to plead guilty to one count of perjury. Corsi said he "will not lie to save my life."

President Donald Trump unleashed a torrent of tweets attacking the special counsel Robert Mueller and the Russia investigation on Tuesday, shortly after a far-right political commentator said he would reject a plea offer from Mueller.

"The Phony Witch Hunt continues, but Mueller and his gang of Angry Dems are only looking at one side, not the other," Trump tweeted. "Wait until it comes out how horribly & viciously they are treating people, ruining lives for them refusing to lie."

On Monday, the conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi told reporters he would not accept a plea deal the special counsel had offered him, in which he would have pleaded guilty to one count of perjury related to statements he made about WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.

"They want me to say I willfully lied. I'm not going to agree that I lied. I did not. I will not lie to save my life," Corsi said.

Corsi was subpoenaed by Mueller's team in September and has predicted that he will be indicted for lying. Meanwhile, later Monday, Mueller's office filed a court document which said former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort had violated his plea agreement by lying to investigators.

"Mueller is a conflicted prosecutor gone rogue," Trump tweeted. "The Fake News Media builds Bob Mueller up as a Saint, when in actuality he is the exact opposite. He is doing TREMENDOUS damage to our Criminal Justice System, where is is only looking at one side and not the other."

Mueller is investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 US election and whether members of the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to sway the race in his favor. So far, he  has indicted 33 people and secured seven guilty pleas. He has also gotten the cooperation of Michael Cohen, Trump's former longtime lawyer who pleaded guilty to tax evasion and bank fraud as part of a separate FBI investigation.

Trump tweeted on Tuesday that "heroes will come of this, and it won't be Mueller and his ... terrible Gang of Angry Democrats. Look at their past, and look where they come from. The now $30,000,000 Witch Hunt continues and they've got nothing but ruined lives. Where is the Server? Let these terrible people go back to the Clinton Foundation and 'Justice' Department!"

Mueller started out with 17 career lawyers on his team, though that number dwindled down as attorneys left after wrapping up the cases they were assigned. PolitiFact found that at least 12 members of the special counsel's team are registered Democrats, while Mueller himself is a registered Republican.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Lindsey Graham once warned there would be 'holy hell to pay' if Trump fired Jeff Sessions

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Bombas has extended its big Cyber Monday sale.
• All socks are 20% off at Bombas — from hiking pairs to gift sets — using code "BIGHOLIDAY20".
• The successful "Shark Tank" alum uses design features like its distinctive Honeycomb Arch Support System to set its socks apart and give your feet more support. 
• Another reason to remember the brand is that it donates a pair of socks to a homeless shelter for every pair bought. 
• To potentially save more during Cyber Week, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

The holiday season is here and finding meaningful gifts is top of mind for pretty much everyone, even if it's just stocking stuffers you're looking for. While everyone has given or received socks as a gift at one point or another, the praise "Oh, you shouldn't have!" can become quite literal with the wrong pairs. Bombas socks, on the other hand, will evoke the complete opposite response.

Founded in 2013, Bombas sought to solve all your sock problems by creating the perfect gym sock. Since then, the company has expanded to hiking socks, dress socks, knee-high socks for women, socks for kids, and more. Each pair of Bombas socks includes key comfort features like the Honeycomb Arch Support System, Performance Footbed, Y-Stitched Heel, and Invisitoe.

Everyone deserves comfortable, supportive socks in stylish colors and Bombas is making it a lot easier to refresh your sock drawer this month. Right now, you can save 20% off the entire site with promo code "BIGHOLIDAY20". 

On top of saving big on great socks, you can simultaneously help those in need. For every pair of socks you buy, Bombas will donate one pair to a homeless shelter, where socks are the number one most-requested clothing item. Since its launch, Bombas has donated more than 11 million pairs to shelters. These specially designed donation pairs have an anti-microbial treatment, reinforced seams, and darker colors for longer-lasting wear. 

SEE ALSO: Wildly popular startup Leesa has extended its Cyber Monday sale — get up to $235 off a new mattress with our exclusive promo code

Men's Holiday Sock 4-Pair Gift Box

Men's Holiday Sock 4-Pair Gift Box, $52 (originally $65) [You save $13] 

Women's Gripper Sock 4-Pack

Women's Gripper Sock 4-Pack, $42.56 (originally $53.20) [You save $10.64] 

Men's Lightweight Performance Ski and Snowboard Sock 4-Pack

Men's Lightweight Performance Ski & Snowboard Sock 4-Pack, $72.96 (originally $91.20) [You save $18.24] 

• Paul Manafort, the former chairman of President Donald Trump's campaign, reportedly met in secret with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in March 2016.
• Four months later, WikiLeaks dumped the first batch of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
• Days later, on August 2, Manafort met with the Russian military intelligence operative Konstantin Kilimnik and later said they discussed the Trump campaign and the DNC hack.
• The special counsel Robert Mueller has already been probing what Manafort knows about the campaign's links to WikiLeaks and will be keenly interested in the timing of his reported meeting with Assange.

Paul Manafort, the former chairman of President Donald Trump's campaign, secretly met with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange shortly after he joined the campaign, The Guardian reported Tuesday.

Sources told The Guardian Manafort had previously interacted with Assange in 2013 and 2015. His most recent visit reportedly came in March 2016, right around when he was brought onto the campaign to help shape delegate strategy going into the Republican National Convention that summer. The meeting reportedly lasted around 40 minutes and was not logged.

Assange is currently seeking asylum inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

In 2013, Manafort was reportedly listed in an internal document by Ecuador's Senain intelligence agency as one of several well-known guests who visited the embassy while Assange was there. The document also mentions "Russians," The Guardian reported.

When Manafort first visited Assange, he was working for the former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, who is known to be a pro-Russian strongman and has been living under the Kremlin's protection since he was ousted from the presidency in 2014.

Assange and WikiLeaks are at the center of the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The DOJ has been investigating Assange since 2010 for his role in obtaining and disseminating sensitive information pertaining to US national security interests. It recently surfaced that the DOJ is preparing to indict Assange.

In a recently unsealed court filing in an unrelated case, assistant US attorney Kellen S. Dwyer asked a federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia to keep the matter sealed.

Kellen wrote that "due to the sophistication of the defendant and the publicity surrounding the case, no other procedure is likely to keep confidential the fact that Assange has been charged," adding that the charges would "need to remain sealed until Assange is arrested."

Dwyer was reportedly also working on the WikiLeaks case, and people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post that what Dwyer had revealed in the filing was true but unintentional.

WikiLeaks published thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign at the height of the 2016 election. The US intelligence community believes the breaches and subsequent dissemination of emails were carried out on the Kremlin's orders.

WikiLeaks dumped the first batch of hacked Democratic emails on July 22, 2016. Days later, on August 2, Manafort met with the Russian military intelligence operative Konstantin Kilimnik and later said they discussed the Trump campaign and the DNC hack.

Kilimnik said they did not discuss the campaign but talked about "current events" and "unpaid bills," believed to be a reference to Manafort's financial debt to the Russian-Ukrainian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

Manafort was the chairman of the Trump campaign at the time, and legal experts say Mueller will be keenly interested in the timing of his meeting with Assange, which came just months before WikiLeaks' first document dump. Indeed, Mueller has already been probing what Manafort knows about any links between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks.

He denies any involvement in the DNC hack.

Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction in September and has been cooperating with Mueller since.

But things between the special counsel and Manafort have reportedly been rocky for a while. Earlier this month, ABC News reported that talks between the two sides had broken down.

Since pleading guilty, Manafort had met with prosecutors nearly a dozen times, and though members of Mueller's team have been asking him about a wide range of topics, they're "not getting what they want," a source with knowledge of the discussions told ABC News.

On Monday, Mueller's office said in a new court filing that Manafort had breached his plea deal by lying to investigators.

Mueller's office asserted that "the nature of the defendant's crimes and lies, including those after signing the plea agreement," freed them of any obligation from the plea agreement.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Fox News' Harris Faulkner is the only black woman in cable news with a daily show: 'It's a tremendous amount of responsibility'

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• People have been constructing gingerbread houses for hundreds of years.

• Make this classic holiday decoration an enjoyable part of your family's tradition by using a great kit like our top pick, the Wilton Petite Gingerbread House Kit.

• It comes with everything you need to build a festive little candy cottage that will look and taste great.

The history of gingerbread stretches back thousands of years, with verifiable accounts of ginger-flavored cakes dating back to Ancient Rome. Ginger made its way to the western world as crusaders returned from their campaigns to the Middle East in the late 11th Century and throughout the 12th and early 13th Centuries. The sweet, spicy root added flavor and preservative qualities to foods and was soon a prized staple used in myriad foodstuffs.

Gingerbread houses, too, have a long history. Bakers were making stylized edible houses not unlike those known in the modern era as far back as the early 1800s. Figurines made from gingerbread arrived as much as 500 years before that. Medieval bakers mastered various types of gingerbread shaping, and even in centuries past, this tasty bread was often associated with the Christmas holiday.

In my family, the making of gingerbread houses has a relatively long history, too, though one often fraught with woe. For every great-looking gingerbread house made in my home, there have been two that ended up collapsed and consumed before ever taking shape. See, while my wife tends to take her time carefully constructing a solid base house and allowing the icing to dry and such before she starts decorating, I traditionally rushed through the construction part, eager to get to the decorations. This usually results in a house that is structurally unsound and prone to catastrophic failure.

Our young son has also yet to master the patient art of proper gingerbread house architecture, and his also often break apart. But that's really not the worst thing ever, as a fallen gingerbread house is nothing more than candy and cookies.

If you and your family (or you and your friends or coworkers or your cats) want to make a great gingerbread house this holiday season, I can't help you be a meticulous, cautious builder, but I can recommend a few great gingerbread kits that will at least give you the materials and some of the tools needed to create a charming candy cottage. What you do with the stuff is up to you. And for the record, eating it is a fine option, especially after the roof caves in for the second time.

Here are the best gingerbread house kits you can buy:

• Best overall: Wilton Petite Gingerbread House Kit 
• Best affordable kit: Candyland Gingerbread House Kit
• Best kit for kids: Wilton Gingerbread Cookie Kit
• Best DIY kit: Juvale Gingerbread House Silicone Mold Kit
• Best Hanukkah kit: Chanukah House Cookie Kit

Updated on 11/27/2018 by Steven John: Added three new kits and updated prices and formatting.

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks. 

The best gingerbread house kit overall

Why you'll love it: The Wilton Petite Gingerbread House Kit is a compact classic that's easy to make, looks lovely, and tastes great, too.

The larger the gingerbread house, the harder it is to make. And that's not because larger gingerbread houses require more decorations than their smaller counterparts, but rather because larger sheets of gingerbread tend to crack quite easily. If you and the kids want to build an edible holiday decoration that won't break apart during the construction phase, then smaller is always better.

And while the finished house you'll get from the Wilton Petite Gingerbread House Kit lives up to the adjective in its name, it's such a lovely little structure that you won't mind the diminutive size a bit. Besides, at 5.25 inches wide, 5.75 inches deep, and 4.5 inches tall, this tasty holiday house is the perfect size to serve as a centerpiece on the dining room table, to perch on a deep windowsill, or to rest on a countertop or shelf, adding charm and cheer and without taking up too much room.

The kit comes with colorful gumballs, gumdrops, hard candies, colored fondant, icing, and more, including, of course, panels of sweet and spicy gingerbread. Building the house shouldn't take more than a half hour and kids and adults alike can have a hand in the process.

The Wilton Petite Gingerbread House Kit scores a four out of five-star average rating on Amazon. One customer named Dana called it a sturdy "fun family Christmas project," while a customer named Joyce admitted that she and her family "had a blast building it" and then they "ate it."

A video reviewer with Disney Toy Wishes demonstrated the ease of building a Wilton gingerbread house using just the materials included in her kit, and the result was indeed lovely.

Pros: Easy to build, solid and sturdy design, great selection of decorations

Cons: Smaller than most other options

Buy the Wilton Petite Gingerbread House Kit on Jet for $26.76

The best low-cost gingerbread house kit

Why you'll love it: The Candyland Gingerbread House Kit comes with everything you need to make a lovely and delicious little cookie house.

You remember the beloved game Candyland from your childhood, right? Well, now you can relive the joys of moving a little game piece up that sweet, colorful road by building a Candyland-themed gingerbread house and then eating it!

OK, to be honest, nothing about this gingerbread house kit has anything to do with Candyland other than the fact that it's marketed as such and that you can cut a few characters out of the box itself to use as "scene setters."

But here's the thing: You're not buying this gingerbread house kit out of nostalgia for childhood game night, you're buying it because it costs less than fifteen bucks and comes with everything you need to create a lovely little holiday decoration that you can also, should you choose, consume.

In the kit, you'll find four walls, a roof, a chimney, an icing packet, and four kinds of candy. And of you choose to cut out the Candy King, Candy Fairy, and the two kids on the back of the box, you can add them to the festive tableau, too. Just don't eat them — they're made of cardboard.

A lady named Elizabeth who built a gingerbread house using the Candyland Gingerbread House Kit called the kit "perfect, cute, and cheap," though she did add that "there's nothing really Candyland about it."

But hey, $14.99, right? And you're going to eat it eventually, anyway. Or throw it out, so you'll get over the lack of classic game resemblance.

Pros: Low cost, multiple candies included, easy construction

Cons: Bares little relation to stated theme

Buy the Candyland Gingerbread House Kit at Bed Bath & Beyond for $14.99

The best gingerbread kit for kids

Why you'll love it: Building a gingerbread house is the hard part, and decorating it is the fun part, so skip the house and instead decorate cookies with the Wilton Gingerbread Cookie Kit.

Let's be honest, while decorating gingerbread houses is lots of fun, building the base gingerbread house can be time-consuming, painstaking, and overall frustrating. And if you think sticking together those walls and the roof with icing well enough that the structure actually stands is tricky as an adult, just imagine a kid trying to do it!

So skip the house building but don't skip the holiday gingerbread decoration by using the Wilton Gingerbread Cookie Kit. It comes with eight pre-baked and ready to decorate (and/or eat...) gingerbread cookies in classic "gingerbread man" shape and includes green and white ready-to-use icing, red fondant, and multiple kinds of candies in classic Christmas colors. Kids can be as detailed or as basic as they'd like with the decorating, and there's no worry about a roof cave in or wall collapse.

Oh, and by the way, Wilton also throws in an extra bag of multicolored jawbreaker candies, so use those on the cookies or just eat 'em.

An Amazon reviewer named Barbara raved about the Wilton Gingerbread Cookies Kit, calling it a "great item and price" and saying they were "easy to do," as well. However another shopper reported that many of the cookies in three kits she ordered arrived broken, so order with enough time to request replacements and/or be ready to do some surgical repair work using medical grade icing.

Pros: Very easy project, comes with multiple icing colors, extra candy bag included

Cons: Rather expensive, some cookies may arrive damaged

Buy the Wilton Gingerbread Cookie Kit on Amazon for $25.46

• Christmas tree vendors always pop up around New York City after Thanksgiving.
• The Gilmartins are an Alaskan family who spend the holidays selling evergreens in Manhattan, and have for 21 years.
• They sleep in a camper and shower at a nearby hostel, taking 12-hour shifts to sell trees around the clock.

'Tis the season in New York City, which means miniature evergreen forests have sprouted up every few blocks. The Christmas tree-sellers have come to town.

Despite a coniferous tree shortage, vendors have come from all around North America to make some extra cash and brave the crowds and the cold. Newsday reported the market is open to practically anyone — you don't need a license to sell Christmas trees on the city sidewalks.

Business Insider spoke with the Gilmartins, an Alaskan family running a stand on 22nd Street and Ninth Avenue.

Back in 2015, AP reported they sell about 500 trees a season, earning around $14 an hour.

Married couple Tom and Michele have sold trees in Manhattan for 21 years, and their son Rory has accompanied them on the journey since he was a baby.

"What an adventure, right?" Tom told Business Insider. "We feel like we're part of this place, for sure."

This story was originally published in December 2017.

SEE ALSO: What the biggest 'War on Christmas' controversy gets wrong about history

The couple hails from Nikiski, Alaska. Both work in the commercial fishing industry. Tom caught the Christmas tree bug from his sister, who sold trees in Manhattan for 30 years.

Tom said there was a lull in business at the fisheries at the time. "There was nothing to do," Tom said. The couple had a rough time during their first year, but they just kept coming back and got used to the work.

When Rory was little, Michele would carry him on her back or put him in a baby swing attached to the stand. He grew up playing in the stacks of trees — climbing up on the pile or crawling between the rows.

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Smart jewelry brings fashion and tech together in the perfect marriage of beauty and brains.

• We've tested all the smart jewelry out there, and the Bellabeat Leaf Urban is the best piece of smart jewelry for most women.

Wearables don't have to be ugly or super masculine to be high tech and helpful. A number of small startups and a handful of big companies are finally making wearables for women. One of the most exciting new categories is smart jewelry. 

Smart jewelry is turning the fitness tracker into a work of art. Some of these gorgeous pieces of jewelry use high-end materials like stainless steel, leather, and wood.

We've tested a lot of smart jewelry, and these are our favorite pieces. Every item in this buying guide offers special smart features, including fitness tracking, notifications, silent alarms, and even mindfulness reminders. Whether you want a smart necklace, bracelet, or watch, we've got you covered.

Here are our picks for the best smart jewelry:

• Best smart jewelry overall: Bellabeat's Leaf Urban
• Best hybrid watch: Fossil Q Neely hybrid watch
• Best smart necklace: Bellabeat Leaf Chakra
• Best smart ring: Motiv Smart Ring
• Best fitness tracker: Misfit Ray fitness tracker

Updated on 11/27/2018 by Malarie Gokey: Added the Leaf Chakra and Motiv smart ring. Updated prices and formatting.

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best piece of smart jewelry overall

Why you'll love it: You can wear Bellabeat's Leaf Urban as a bracelet, necklace, or brooch to track your activity, stress level, mindfulness, and sleep.

Bellabeat's original Leaf Nature was the first piece of smart jewelry I ever tried, and I've been a huge fan of the company ever since. I've worn some version of the Leaf almost every day for the past two years, and the Leaf Urban is my favorite piece of smart jewelry — period. 

The Urban has a more modern and durable design that's water resistant and eco-friendly. The leaf-shaped body is made out of recycled wood composite that mimics the look of stone. It's encased in a metal clip that you can get in rose gold or silver. The metal part looks like the abstract veins of a leaf, and it opens up slightly to act as a brooch or a clip.

At either end of the Leaf Urban, the metal curves out into a loop so you can use it as a pendant on a necklace chain or wear it with a bracelet. Bellabeat includes a necklace and leather bracelet in the box along with your Leaf Urban and a tiny screwdriver for when you need to change the battery inside. The tracker is so popular that you can also find a number of handmade bracelets for it on Amazon.

The little wearable tracks your active minutes, calories burned, distance traveled, sleep duration, and sleep quality automatically. Just tap twice on the Leaf Urban to sync it with your companion app and see all the data.

You can also follow guided meditation sequences in the app and set silent alarms to wake up more peacefully in the morning. The app even has period and fertility tracking for those who are interested. 

Using an algorithm, Bellabeat can predict your resistance to stress on any given day. For example: Say you didn't sleep well, you haven't exercised, and you've fallen behind on your meditation exercises — you may be more susceptible to stress on that day. 

The Leaf aims to improve your well-being so you can live a more mindful, healthy life, and it does exactly that — with style.

Pros: Versatile design, eco-friendly materials, great mindfulness features, fitness tracking, and you never have to charge it

Cons: No notifications and replacing the battery after six months requires removing small screws

Buy the rose gold Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Amazon for $99.99 (originally $138)

Buy the silver Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Amazon for $99.99 (originally $139)

Buy handmade bracelets for the Leaf Urban on Amazon $13 and up

Buy 10 batteries for your Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Amazon for $4.35

Read our full review of the Bellabeat Leaf Urban on Insider Picks

The best smart analog watch with a classic style

Why you'll love it: Fossil's Q Neely looks like a slim classic analog watch, but it can track your activity, buzz with notifications, and more.

If you want an analog watch with smarts, look no further than Fossil's line of hybrid watches. My personal favorite is the new Q Neely with a rose gold casing and tan leather strap. Its subtle design is classic Fossil, and it fits in with any outfit.

The hours are marked by simple lines instead of numbers, giving it a minimalistic look. The Q Neely is also one of the slimmest hybrid watches Fossil has made yet. It's much less bulky than the original Q watches, making it perfect for smaller wrists. The Neely is even water resistant up to 5 ATM, so you can get even swim with it if you want, though water will obviously ruin the leather strap.

The Q Neely comes in three different color combinations, including the aforementioned rose gold and tan color palette, a lovely purple-red cabernet color, and silver and black leather.

You can easily swap the 16mm straps with any other compatible watch bands — all you need is the same spring mechanism. Fossil offers a huge selection of straps for about $25 each.

One of the best things about the Q Neely is the way Fossil uses the watch face to communicate information in a subtle way. There’s a small sub dial in the center of the watch face where you can see how close you are to meeting your fitness goals. When you meet your goals, the watch hands do a celebratory dance around the screen as your watch vibrates.

You can also program the hands to alert you when your most important contacts text you. When my mom texts me, the watch hands go to 1. The three side buttons can also be set to open the selfie camera on your phone, control your music, or call your phone to help you find where you put it.

Even though it has all these high-tech features, you don’t have to charge the Q Neely, and the simple watch battery inside is easy to replace after your six-to-12 months of battery life runs out. 

Fossil has many other Q hybrid watches in different styles, so if this one isn't your cup of tea, you can also check out the other options. Related brands like Skagen and Kate Spade also have great hybrid watches

Pros: Gorgeous design, great activity and sleep tracking, notifications, an easily programmable smart button, and you never have to charge it

Cons: You have to replace the watch battery every six months

Buy the rose gold and tan leather Fossil Q Neely on Amazon for $108.50 (originally $155)

Buy the silver and black leather Fossil Q Neely on Amazon for $108.50 (originally $155)

Buy a 4-pack of batteries for the Fossil Q Neely on Amazon for $5.85 

Shop all Fossil Q hybrid watches

The best smart necklace

Why you'll love it: Bellabeat's Leaf Chakra is a beautiful piece of smart jewelry that uses real onyx or rose quartz in ts design.

Bellabeat also makes a very pretty piece of smart jewelry called the Leaf Chakra. It does all the same things as the Leaf Urban and original Leaf Nature. There are two main differences: The Leaf Chakra uses onyx and rose quartz stones in the pendant and it can't be worn as a bracelet.

The Chakra has a durable design that's water resistant and eco-friendly. The leaf-shaped body is made out of recycled wood composite that mimics the look of stone. In the center, you can have either onyx or rose quartz. The onyx is for the power chakra, while the rose quartz is for the love chakra.

The Leaf Chakra is encased in a metal clip that you can get in rose gold (with onyx) or silver (with rose quartz). You can wear it as a clip or a necklace.

 Bellabeat includes a necklace in the box along with your Leaf Chakra and a tiny screwdriver for when you need to change the battery inside. 

The little wearable tracks your active minutes, calories burned, distance traveled, sleep duration, and sleep quality automatically. Just tap twice on the Leaf Chakra to sync it with your companion app and see all the data.

You can also follow guided meditation sequences in the app and set silent alarms to wake up more peacefully in the morning. The app even has period and fertility tracking for those who are interested. 

Using an algorithm, Bellabeat can predict your resistance to stress on any given day. For example: Say you didn't sleep well, you haven't exercised, and you've fallen behind on your meditation exercises — you may be more susceptible to stress on that day. 

The Leaf aims to improve your well-being so you can live a more mindful, healthy life, and it does exactly that — with style.

Pros: Versatile design, eco-friendly materials, great mindfulness features, fitness tracking, and you never have to charge it

Cons: No notifications and replacing the battery after six months requires removing small screws

Buy the Bellabeat Leaf Chakra on Amazon for $139.99

• A luxury cruise ship will take passengers on a 140-day journey that spans all seven continents and costs up to $240,000 per person.
• The cruising company Silversea says the ship, Silver Whisper, will be the first to cruise to all seven continents.
• The cruise is set to kick off in 2020 and visit 62 ports in at least 32 countries.
• It will begin in Florida and end in Amsterdam, stopping at ports including Singapore, Mumbai, Rome, and Antarctica.

If a typical seven-day cruise that stops at only a few ports isn't appealing, then maybe a new ultra-luxurious world cruise is for you.

In 2020, the cruising company Silversea is set to kick off a 140-day cruise making stops on all seven continents — for $62,000 to $240,000 per person.

Dubbed "Legends of Cruising," the trip will begin in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 6, 2020, and stop at 62 ports in at least 32 countries before ending up in Amsterdam on May 25. Up to 382 guests will be aboard.

"Unlike any other world cruise ever conceived, Legends of Cruising takes you on a journey that lets you set foot on all seven continents," Silversea's website says.

"There are those who believe they belong to the 1%, and those who actually do. And then there are those who are part of the 1% of the 1%," the website says. It's those people Silversea envisions embarking on its Legends of Cruising trip.

Here's a look at the super-luxe ship for the cruise, Silver Whisper:

SEE ALSO: This cruise ship is full of apartments that were designed to look like luxury condos in NYC and London — and wealthy people are dishing out up to $36 million for them

DON'T MISS: What it's like living in Monaco, the glamorous city-state on the French Riviera that's home to a glitzy annual yacht show and where an estimated 1 in 3 people is a millionaire

Silversea says Silver Whisper is its "world-cruisers preferred ship" with "the amenities of a grand resort" and "the charms of a stylish boutique hotel."

Source: Silversea

The 2020 world cruise on Silver Whisper will last 140 days and be the first to visit all seven continents, according to Silversea.

Source: Silversea

The ship is set to stop at 62 ports in at least 32 countries.

Source: Silversea

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• One of our favorite denim startups is known for making under-$150 jeans that look and feel a lot more expensive.
• During Cyber Week, the pairs have become even more affordable.
• Now through November 27, Mott & Bow is offering 25% off sitewide for new customers, and you can save up to 35% off if you spend $300 or more.
• To potentially save more during Cyber Week, you can visit Business Insider Coupons to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.

SEE ALSO: 'Shark Tank' alum, Bombas Socks, is running an extended Cyber Monday sale — get 20% off everything

DON'T MISS: Wildly popular startup Leesa has extended its Cyber Monday sale — get up to $235 off a new mattress with our exclusive promo code

Mom Jean

Mom Jean in Benson, $88.50 (originally $118) [You save $29.50] 

The waist-defining and comfortable Mom jeans were a hit among the women of Insider Picks, and we bet they'll be for you, too. 

High Rise Skinny

High Rise Skinny in Bond, $96 (originally $128) [You save $32] 

Flattering on all body types, the skinny jean is made from a power stretch fabric that also resists fading. 

Mid Rise Skinny

Mid Rise Skinny in Grove, $96 (originally $128) [You save $32] 

This mid-rise fit in a dark blue is an equally sleek skinny jean choice.

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

UPDATE (Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. ET): The limited-edition 'SF Grey' Wool Runners for men are mostly sold out, save but for a couple of sizes, but the limited-edition 'SF Grey' Wool Runners for women are still available in most sizes. 

• For Cyber Monday, Allbirds, the popular online shoe startup, has released a new limited-edition color of its best-selling Wool Runner sneaker.
• The new "SF Grey" upper features different colored soles, laces, and eyelets.
• Allbirds doesn't offer discounts — according to the company, it's because it already offers the best possible price — but the limited-edition drop is sure to please fans of the footwear brand.
• Limited-edition colors often sell out quickly, so if you're a fan, you should act fast.

Allbirds— the popular shoe startup that makes ultra-comfortable sneakers from sustainable materials like wool and eucalyptus tree pulp — is known to announce limited-edition colors of its shoes from time to time. To celebrate Cyber Monday, one of the biggest online shopping days of the year, the company just dropped its latest.

The limited-edition colored shoes, which Allbirds described as "SF Grey" uppers, are available now, and only while supplies last. There are a variety of different colored soles, laces, and eyelets available, all with the SF Grey upper, which Allbirds describes as "a fan-favorite."

Allbirds claims it doesn't offer discounts — including on Cyber Monday — because it has "already committed to providing customers with the highest quality product for the best possible price," the company explained in an e-mail to Business Insider. However, the Cyber Monday release of a limited-edition color offers a cool opportunity to get something exciting while you're doing your holiday shopping — or snagging discounts for yourself (no judgement — I'm planning to pick up a pair of the SF Greys today).

Allbirds originally started with its iconic Wool Runner sneaker, which have been popular with everyone from celebrities to bartenders to office workers, but has since expanded into Wool Loungers, Tree Runners, Tree Loungers, Tree Skippers, and the new Tree Toppers.

While Allbirds' classic colors like black, white, and dark gray are excellent options, the company's limited-editions have proven incredibly popular, and tend to sell out quickly.

If you're a fan, be sure to grab your pair before they're gone.

I'm personally a huge fan of Allbirds. In addition to wearing them regularly at home, they've become my #1 go-to travel shoe, whether I'm trying to get comfortable on a long flight, or need a comfortable, supportive shoe as I spend a day walking on cobblestone city streets in Europe.

Although you can't get a Cyber Monday discount on Allbirds, be sure to check out the rest of our Cyber Monday coverage to get the best possible deals.

Click here to buy the men's limited-edition SF Grey Wool Runners.

Click here to buy the women's limited-edition SF Grey Wool Runners.

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