More than Just Gifts – Holiday Gift Guide 2010
Even in light of slight economic recovery this holiday, value is a word most appreciated by many American consumers. As I traveled the country in search of the best gifts to bring readers, I was happy to see a continuing theme of items that perform double duty: Eco friendly and beautiful, affordable and utilitarian, convenient and technologically advanced – it was a joy to find selections that were not only unique and interesting, but fit a purpose as well. This gift guide is a continuation of suggestions to be given at my NBC 9News appearance at four o’clock today and – from kids to fitness buffs, luxury lovers to practical panache – I believe the two combined will provide great suggestions for everyone on your list. Enjoy!
Fun for Everyone
Inspired by old Hollywood glamour, Hwood Teas fuse global tea traditions with modern day distinction. I especially love the limited edition custom painted black jars that – you’d never guess – are glass. They look like exquisite tin, but don’t be fooled as the luxurious container is a prelude to the ancient tea goodness contained within. Most of the blends are said to provide a medicinal or beautification property along with their unique flavor twists. For instance, Peppermint Anise promotes detoxification, Gingergrass encourages energy, Green Apple is for anti-aging. At $29 retail, the six original and decadent flavors pack an affordable yet expensive-looking holiday punch. www.Hwoodtea.com
One of my favorite gifts of all time is SmartBox, which takes “experiences” like gourmet retreats, adventure vacations, charming getaways and fun family activities and allows you to gift them to individuals. All the legwork is done for you, without the stress. Housed in a 6 x 6 x 1″ box, the receiver gets a full color guidebook that shows myriad locations to redeem their prize. The box comes with a plastic gift card that is used to pay for the get-a-way on-site at your chosen destination.
For this holiday, I recommend the brand new Zagat Table for Two giftbox. It specifies a number of Zagat-rated restaurants and provides three to four courses available to each person in a couple at any of the featured restaurants. The user decides exactly what dish he or she wants from available courses as outlined in the guidebook (starters, pastas, main course, desserts) and uses the gift card for payment. (Note: Tips are not included, but definitely encouraged, so this cost would be at the user’s expense.) The Zagat Smartbox currently is available for Chicago, Los Angeles, New York or San Francisco, making this is a perfect gift for a weekend getaway, business colleagues and travelers or for friends and family living in any of those cities. Each box is good for one use. $99 at www.smartbox.com/us (The site also provides a page-by-page preview of each guidebook.)
For Her
Eco-friendly and gorgeous Real Jewels are made of fully-recycled precious metals, conflict-free diamonds and fair trade sustainable gems. The intention is to satisfy a passion for beauty while respecting human and natural resources. Not a jewelry fanatic myself, the Real Jewel designs blew me out of the water! I found it tough to choose just one item to suggest – so I settled on one of the five collections, which include “Real Spirit,” “Real Me,” “Real Light,” “Real Sweet” and “Real Charming.”
My choice, the “Real Spirit” collection, intends to guide wearers through life’s tribulations with wisdom and power. Each piece ships in a beautiful origami-inspired package, with its jeweled treasure nestled alongside an inspirational quote inside. With pricing starting at $35, the Real Jewels collections have something to fit most every budget. www.Real-Jewels.com
Gayle King and her team at O, The Oprah Magazine have done it again. Their latest book publication, “Love Your Life,” truly lives up to its subtitle as a handbook for your best today and tomorrow. I love what Ms. “O,” Oprah Winfrey herself, had to say about it:
When the O team pulled together this year’s brightest of the bunch – the stories that most thrilled and inspired us – we had just one thought in mind: ‘You.’ This book is meant to help you let your own life shine. And when your dreams grow dim (at some point, they always do) and you’re low on gusto (I’ve been there, too), I hope you’ll use this compendium as a guidebook to get back on track.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. The fifth publication in O Magazine’s book series retails for $29.95. Available at www.Amazon.com and booksellers nationwide.
For Him
Colorado’s own Vonda Sisneros is a talented artist who specializes in sports. From paintings done in acrylic, to lifelike pencil drawings, each piece seems to capture the heart and the heat of its subject. Sisneros’ client list boasts some of history’s greatest athletes, including local favorites like eight time Denver Bronco Pro-Bowler Champ Bailey, recent NFL Hall of Fame inductee Floyd Little and Colorado Rockies pitcher Jorge de la Rosa; plus All Star pitcher Brian Fuentes, Heisman Trophy winner Steve Owens and many more. Sometimes also available as notecards, Sisneros’ work is available in prints of various sizes – if you’re lucky, you might be able to snag one of her limited editions complete with the athlete’s original signature. Prices start at $15 – www.authenticsportsart.com
“What are you doing, trying to heat the whole block?” This father mantra – yelled countless times to kids who leave the door open in the dead of winter – will be a thing of the past once the family gets hold of this useful gadget! Dad can control the household energy bill and teach the family to be eco-conscious by plugging everyday devices into the Conserve Insight energy use monitor.
Make it a game by having family members guess the cost, CO2 production and watts used by a regular lightbulb vs. a fluorescent lightbulb. Compare television energy usage and viewing habits from week to week – (after seeing how much it costs in time and cash, maybe it’ll encourage a reduction of time in front of the boob tube and increase family activities together.) Show the “vampire effect” of plugged in devices that still draw energy when items aren’t in use by plugging Conserve Insight into a cell phone charger and comparing use with the charger alone to watts used when the phone is being powered. This simple gadget does triple duty by helping reduce costs, increasing awareness about the environment and educating family members on the impact of individual choices. $29.99 at www.Belkin.com
Stocking Stuffers
I’ve seen many different foldable, rollable shoe-slippers intended to relieve tired feet after a night on the town, eventful wedding day or just after a hard day’s work; and in my opinion SweetSlips are the most stylish and most well-put-together of the lot! Created by Colorado native Cinder Trout, these comfy ballet-type slippers have a non-slip pattern on the bottom and come in an array of fashionable looks. They arrive housed in a “ball-bag” that fits in the size of your hand, yet opens up to be a reusable carrier for the shoes you were wearing. And the price? A sweet $15 at www.Sweetslips.com
Who wouldn’t want to indulge in chocolate but forgo some of the calories? A new European-style bar does just that, but with a twist. Bubble Chocolate is available the standard varieties: Milk chocolate and 60 percent dark chocolate, but these bars are anything but standard. Featuring “bubbles wrapped in chocolate,” this delightful candy actually does what the packaging claims and “tickles the tastebuds.” It’s like a mild sensation of “pop-rocks” on the tounge -unexpected and slightly thrilling. The infusion of air provides the indulgence, but not the same caloric value of a similar sized (2.8 oz) chocolate bar. Pure heaven with almost zero guilt. $10 for four bars at www.Bubblechocolate.com
Doni Luckutt is a lifestyle expert who believes by enhancing interpersonal connection, we can stop simply living, and become Simply Alive! If you have a suggestion on what brings you to life, connect with her on Twitter @SimplyAlive, via email Doni@SimplyAliveWorld.com or on her blog: www.SimplyAliveWorld.com/Blog.
