The 2015 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
The countdown is on and the gift guides are here.
Below are some of our favorite Selects for this holiday season for everyone on
your list from tweens to techies, foodies to travelers.
Happy Shopping!
SOME NEW GIFT IDEAS
I thankfully get new ideas almost daily for great gifts, so here are a few that didn't make it into the Gift Guide on the first go 'round, perfect for anyone on your list.
LEGACY BOX, prices vary
We literally just learned about this incredible service. Basically, you order a box (there are different sizes), fill it with all of your memories: tapes, film, pictures and audio files and send it back to them. In a few weeks time, they send it back to you with everything preserved on DVDs and / or an optional thumb drive. The perfect gift for anyone who talks about organizing their memorabilia but never does it. It's high up on our list, for sure.
NIXON A-10 BACKPACK, $175
Backpacks are back, or so we hear. Seriously, though, they make travel so much easier, especially when carrying a laptop. This one from Nixon makes it so much more stylish.
TOM DIXON BREW CAFETIERE, $185 and BREW ESPRESSO CUPS, $130
Everything Tom Dixon designs is truly incredible, and his copper French Press and espresso cups are no exception. They might even be too beautiful to actually use, but they're the perfect gift for anyone who takes their coffee seriously.
MONOPOLY PLUS 4, $99.99
You'll never have to worry about a rainy day again with this 4 games in 1 Monopoly board. It's an elevated wooden board that features Monopoly as well as Chess and Checkers, as well as playing cards and poker dice.
BLURB PHOTO BOOKS, prices vary
There's nothing worse than scrolling through the millions of pictures trapped inside your phone or computer, and feeling the guilt you have from keeping them locked up. But I promise that Blurb will change all of that with incredibly professional looking, coffee table-worthy photo books that are a cinch to make. We do at least one a year, and the results are amazing. Perfect for family photos, gifts for grandparents, wedding albums, travel books and everything in between. Order by December 17 for Christmas Eve delivery!
MANGO INK CUSTOM CARDS, prices vary
I know - there are so many websites that make custom cards (holiday or otherwise), but our personal fave is Mango Ink for their fantastic customer service, beautiful designs and quick turnaround times. It's not too late to order personalized invitations, cards, thank you notes or stationary! And if you still need a holiday card (yes, a Happy New Year card is totally acceptable), this is your spot.
TRAVEL SETS FROM VIOLET GREY, prices vary
I am obsessed with Violet Grey, and I will be adding the site to Glow at some point, but in the meantime, her travel sets are the best gifts I have ever seen. All TSA approved and chock full of makeup essentials, hair and skincare, scents and more. Perfect for the travel enthusiast or the sample lover on your list.
BEST HOODIE EVER MADE, $89 (men + women)
Rumor has it that this heavyweight, double lined hoodie sold out within minutes when it first debuted. They are available now, and are apparently like a magic sweatshirt.
FOR ANYONE + EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST
THE TEXTURE APP BY NEXT ISSUE, $15 per month
Hundreds of magazines on your iPhone or iPad. It’s seriously the best app on the planet and good for anyone and everyone on your list.
FOR TWEEN GIRLS
IMPOSSIBLE INSTANT LAB UNIVERSAL PHOTO PRINTER, $169
With this awesome portable printer, she can take all of the photos from her cellphone and turn them into Polaroid picks in an instant.
LUMEE CASE FOR IPHONE, $49.95
She'll up her selfie game with this phone case that has LED lights running up both sides of the face, making sure that she's always in a soft, glowy light.
CRIMSON HEART UMBRELLA, $38
Just because, how could it not make her happy to carry this on a gloomy day?
IPSY, $10 per month
Michelle Phan, a well-known beauty You Tuber amongst the tween girl crowd, started Ipsy to help girls figure out what the best beauty products are for them. When your tween becomes a member, she'll get a monthly Glam Bag chock full of deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products from companies such as Urban Decay and Smashbox. Plus, she'll be able to watch video tutorials to go along with each month's bounty.
INSTA WATCH, $44
She can design her own watch using images from her Instagram or Facebook account. It’s also totally customizable with different band options, case and watch arm colors.
ARCHETYPE PERSONALITY FRAGRANCES, $64
Choose from 12 different perfumes “inspired by who you are,” from caregiver, to rebel, to performer to visionary.
FOR TWEEN GUYS
SWAGWAY, $399.99
By now we've all seen them, and while I would prefer we all use our legs to get around, I'm just not sure this is a battle I'm ever going to win. The Swagway, a cross between a hoverboard and a skateboard, moves at a maximum speed of 10 MPH (Wall Street to Yankee Stadium in an hour), comes in 7 colors, is equipped with a "learning mode" and, according to their website, is "a great alternative to taking the bus." Please note, if you live in NYC, these are now ILLEGAL, and riding one on the sidewalk could run you up to $500 in fines.
VINTAGE IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT ONE STEP CAMERA KIT, $180
When Polaroid ceased production of instant film in 2008, the Impossible Project stepped in and took over in the hopes of keeping instant photography alive. This kit will give him a glimpse into your past and may just make him a believer in the tangible photo. This kit is super limited edition, though – once it’s gone, that’s it – so order yours now!
GO PRO HERO HD WATERPROOF CAMERA, $130
He’ll never miss a minute of the action with this waterproof, wearable camera. Awesome for the water, the slopes or the skate park.
PRO MINI HOOP MIDNIGHT XL, 44.99
Padded to protect your doors, this basketball hoop is awesome not just because it’s shatterproof and is super easy to install, oh no. It’s awesome beacause it's GLOW IN THE DARK. I mean, come on.
FOR GUYS
THE APPLE WATCH, $349-$17,000
Come on, you knew it was coming. The perfect (?) gift for the guy (or girl, really) who has everything. Or who’s too lazy to take their phones out of their pockets.
THE BOND BOOT, $350
Walk in James Bond’s shoes. Literally. These Danner Mountain Light II boots are the EXACT ones Daniel Craig sported in Spectre.
VECTOR LUNA SMART WATCH, prices vary
Another option for those who want a techie watch that will alert them to emails and texts without turning to Apple. These are certainly a more stylish option, and also a bit easier on the wallet.
ZORAAB SOCK OF THE MONTH, $20-$45
There are quite a few websites that offer sock of the month subscriptions, but this one is my fave. Here you can choose socks only or socks plus accessories (think bowties and pocket squares), and you can also choose your style: laid back, strictly business, fashion statement or walk on the wild side. Subscriptions are offered at 2, 3 or 5 pairs per month and run $20, $29 and $45 per month respectively. The socks are made from cotton, nylon and spandex. A great way to accessorize any man in your life.
SKIP BARBER RACING SCHOOL, prices vary.
I dare you to find a guy who wouldn't think driving a race car around a professional track is the coolest thing ever.
WASHED LEATHER GLOVES, $99
These gloves are the perfect balance of refined sophistication and broken-in comfort. And they come in a bunch of great colors.
FOR WOMEN
J.CREW CRACKLED METALLIC SUEDE MOCCASINS, $55
Because they're cozy. And they're gold.
JENNIFER FISHER KNOT CHOKER, $495
Everything she designs, I covet. This choker from her brass collection is one of my everyday faves and brings a bit of edge and style to even the most casual of outfits.
RINGLY DAYDREAM TECH RING, $195
The women’s answer to the Apple Watch, this ring will let her know when she gets a call, email or text. How cool is that?
FRENDS LAYLA LEATHER HEADPHONES, $150
These ultra chic headphones are really comfortable and come in awesome colors – rose gold and white, iridescent or black and gold. You can also answer your phone with them.
THE FAUXTEGA, $60-$150
Who doesn't love the classic Bottega Veneta basketweave tote bags and wallets? And who doesn't hate the price? Enter these perfectly perfect rubberized bags that I have lovingly named The Fauxtega. They come in dozens of colors (including a reversible option), are incredibly affordable and make a great beach tote as well. I'm a little unclear as to where they really come from, but if you email Stacie, she will get them to you. The mystique is part of the appeal.
LYNDON COWL SCARF, $65
Because it’s winter and we all need something cozy to keep us warm.
FITBIT FLEX JEWELRY, prices vary
The Fitbit is a great piece of equipment for exercise management, but it’s hardly doing much for fashion. This Fitbit Flex jewelry collection comes to the rescue with some super cool bracelets that conceal the device. We love the Stud Wrap and Cone Cuff the best, but they’re all pretty cool!
FOR THE TRAVELER
EMILIA CASHMERE TRAVEL SET, $395
The coziest cashmere travel blanket and eye mask ever. And when you reach your destination, just fold them up and put them back into their own cashmere zippered pouch.
THE GOOP FLIGHT PACK, $185
Four pouches full of everything you could ever need for in-flight comfort from in-ear earphones to lip balm. Each pouch is stamped with a “G” (for Goop? Gwyneth?) so probably best for those whose names begin with that letter …
THE NEW YORK TIMES: 36 HOURS WORLD, $68.75
I have always loved this NY Times column, and this collection of 3 volumes covering 365 destinations is the perfect gift for anyone who suffers from wanderlust.
COMPRESSION SOCKS, prices vary
Don’t laugh. I just had a friend who suffered some pretty serious blood clots from flying to Europe, and the doctor swore that wearing these less-than-sexy socks could have prevented it from happening. A cautionary tale, for sure.
FOR THE TECHIE
NORMAL (CUSTOMIZED) EARPHONES, $200
These custom fitted, 3D-printed earphones are guaranteed to fit you (and only you) perfectly and will never fall out. And you can do it all through the accompanying app.
UNIQFIND MACBOOK SKIN, $25
This won’t change the way you work, it won’t make you more efficient or lessen your workload, but it will make you very happy every time you look at your laptop.
THE KEYBOARD WAFFLE IRON, $85
Choosing the correct category for this (Foodie? Techie?) was difficult, but who really cares. It’s a keyboard waffle iron, and that’s really all that matters.
STYLE CORDS CHARGE SYNC CABLE, $29.99
Because who wants a plain white charging cable when you can have snakeskin or rose gold?
TOUCH GLOVES, $28
Keep your hands warm without missing a minute of texting.
MINIMAL CHARGING DOCKS, $50-$120
These minimal charging docks will clear the clutter off your desktop and will show off the beauty of your smartphone or Apple Watch. There’s even a version made out of marble.
for the foodie
SEASON WITH AUTHORITY: CONFIDENT HOME COOKING, $25
The perfect cookbook for anyone who loves food. And no, I'm not biased.
PERSONALIZED SRIRACHA, $9
I don’t know about you, but I’m addicted to this stuff. Now you can send personalized bottles to all of your friends and make some for yourself, too. No one will ever steal it out of the office fridge again.
CHEF MING TSAI’S 8-PIECE GOURMET HARD-ANODIZED HEALTHY COOK SET, $129.95
So I recently discovered The Home Shopping Network and this incredible cookware set. Seriously, I have never cooked on anything better or more non-stick. A great set for any type of cook.
ANYTHING FROM MOUTH.COM
The BEST site for hundreds of incredible gifts, gift baskets, monthly food subscriptions and more, from mostly local, small batch makers. I’m partial to the Marc Murphy Chef Kit ($146), but honestly everything is great and so well done.
STAUB CAST IRON VERTICAL ROASTER, $99
Cooking your chicken upright will ensure it’s crispy and juicy and cooked evenly. But without the help of a beer can to hold it up (see our recipe for Beer Can Chicken), it’s something of an impossibility. Unless, of course, you have this vertical roaster.
FOR THE FITNESS FANATIC
MANDUKA YOGITOES TOWELS, $48-$57
These towels, which have grippy stuff on one side so they stick to your yoga mat, are a cool, hygienic way to sweat through a yoga class.
NUTCASE HELMETS, prices vary
Protect your brain with these thankfully cool helmets that will make even the most vain of teenager give in to wearing one.
94FIFTY SMART SENSOR BASKETBALL, $164
A smart basketball that works with an app to analyze ball-handling and shooting. It also provides a bunch of skill-based workouts.
