The most celebrated holidays of the year are upon us so I decided to share a holiday gift guide with those of you who haven’t finished holiday shopping (for other ideas, you can consult last year’s guide here).
An update: I still don’t own a 93″ teddy bear despite dropping non-subtle hints to family members over the last year. I got thisclose to just buying it for myself (home delivery became an option this year) but the bear sold out during my indecision (story of my life).
Fret not: bigger and better things are on the horizon.
This year’s I-Found-Ten-Million-Dollars-In-My-Backyard-And-I-Am-Going-To-Spend-It award goes to the Cluster Bomb Drinks Cabinet, an eight-foot, 600-pound drinks cabinet with an estimated retail cost of $100,000.
Okay, so even with a windfall I probably wouldn’t buy this because 1) I have no room for it 2) it would be a waste on me, who drinks moderately and never at home. But I thought we could all take a few seconds and marvel at this marker of capitalism.
On to something with slightly more practical use: a bag that also serves as a charging station for your phone. While gimmicky, this bag still has a certain appeal for people who often forget to charge their phones. Of all the designs from this Kate Spade/Everpurse collaboration, I liked the clutch (pictured below) best. Although this mostly-business tote might be a better option for those in the market for something like it.
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| Everpurse x Kate Spade New York Quentin Wristlet Pouch |
A number of my friends will receive a copy of the Notorious RBG, as they are all fans of the RBG meme and even bigger fans of this Supreme Court justice. I enjoyed the book and found it equal parts cheerful and solemn; read the NYT review here.
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| Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg via Amazon |
Another book that I am gifting this year is An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments. It is the perfect coffee table book (takes < 30 minutes to read and is accessible enough for children) and the illustrations are adorable. The book is available online for free here.
For someone really special, you might consider getting them the Complete Calvin and Hobbes box set, now available in paperback.
A (fairly dependable and inoffensive) gift that I got some colleagues (and had gotten for past Secret Santa) is the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug. It is (imo) the best travel mug out there and is also easy to re-gift should the gift recipient find no use for it.
I also like gifting food items because they are impermanent and everyone (to various degrees) eats. When I feel really anxious I like to browse Amazon’s Grocery & Gourmet Food section and use my Prime membership to buy something new and (kind of) absurd. I have been eyeing this jumbo 10-pound Toblerone for weeks and may get one as a gift for myself the next time I do something unexpectedly kind for someone else.
And while I am not a child, this Gummy Candy maker looks like pure fun.
For other overgrown children, the LEGO Architecture Studio set will likely be the best gift that they receive this holiday season. For those who may need a little help getting started, include the LEGO Architect with the set.
Happy shopping, all!
