The Essential New York Times Book of Cocktails ($29.95)
This unique collection of cocktail recipes from across the globe, compiled by the “A Quiet Drink” columnist Steve Reddicliffe, makes a unique gift for everyone. Whether the recipient merely uses it as a coffee table book to impress their hipster guests or scours the stores trying to find particular ingredients for one of the 350 drinks detailed, this book is sure to impress. It includes classic drinks recipes and new generation concoctions, as well as essays and bartending tips from favorite New York Times journalists. And if you want to spend a little extra, throw in a bottle of your favorite booze or some fancy tumblers to go along with it.
EuroCave Wine Art ($399.00)
Now you can experience fine wine by the glass right in your own home. This great dispenser by EuroCave stops the oxidation process and thereby preserves wine for a full 10 days after the bottle has been opened. The dual compartments not only let you have a variety of wine at the touch of a button but also keep the wine at its optimum serving temperature. Now you don’t have to put off opening that special bottle out of fear that what you don’t drink tonight will turn. No more waste. This gift will pay for itself.
The Butter Mill ($19.95)
This is a great gift for anyone who has ever been frustrated by trying to spread cold butter on a cracker or anything else for that matter. According to Cooks Innovations, who makes the butter mill, you can “store your real butter in the mill in the fridge and simply pull it out and twist it to grate your cold butter into a soft spread. You can also get creative and mix-up a sweet honey butter … a savory garlic infused buttery blend or a sharp cascade of seasonings mixed with a creamy butter.” Pull it out, twist up some spread, put the top back on and stick it back into the fridge. Cold butter has met its match.
Moscow Mule Mugs ($45.99 for a set of 4)
For some reason, no one really knows why, drinking a Moscow Mule (or Kentucky Mule or any variation of liquor mixed with ginger beer, lime and mint) tastes better out of copper. But really, it does. Or maybe it’s just the booze. Regardless, these mugs are classy, chic, trendy and terrific, making the perfect gift for just about anyone who imbibes. Plus, these classic cups are versatile and can be used to drink anything else in your fridge too. Good for the whole family, I’d say.
Back to the Roots AquaFarm ($59.99)
Fish are cool. Plants are cool. But you know what’s even cooler? Fish and plants! That’s why you should go out immediately and buy the Back to the Roots AquaFarm. The fish tank is self cleaning, and not only serves as a home for your beloved fish, but also as an herb and vegetable garden.
The fish gets to eat the plants, and in turn the plants clean the water. The tank works through aquaponics where the fish waste serves as fertilizer for the plants. Enjoy some fresh produce and some fish company with a tiny ecosystem on your counter.
Pac-Man’s Arcade Party ($2,895)
If you’re sick of playing Candy Crush until your thumbs bleed, it’s time for a new game. Don’t download another new fangled app, it’s time to go old school. Turn your living room into a vintage arcade with Pac-Man’s Arcade Party. Grab the joystick and feel like a kid again, running away from ghosts and gobbling those little white dots for a high score. It’ll surely brighten up any living space and make for hours of distraction. Blast some ’80s tunes, pop open a can of new Coke, throw away your smart phone and enjoy Pac-Man in the only proper way to do so.
Garden Igloo ($950.23)
Create a whole new world in your backyard or garden with the Garden Igloo. It’s got two seasonal covers, one to provide shade when it’s too hot and another to keep out the cold while you’re waiting for summer to arrive. Use the igloo as a play area for children, storage area, garden shelter, greenhouse, jacuzzi cover or pavilion. The Garden Igloo is weatherproof, rust resistant and 100 percent recyclable. The geodesic dome design sustains a better airflow and temperature than regular shaped rooms, and it provides for maximum solar gain as sunlight is always transmitted at right angles. The makers claim it can be set up without tools in just two hours.
Circle Swing Rocking Chair ($900)
Take your rocking chair game to the next level with this posh chair by Polish designer Iwona Kosicka. The oak plywood frame is 110 centimeters in diameter, with a seat that measures 33.5 centimeters. Its sleek design is given added luster with a linseed oil finish. A stainless steel mount with a carabiner hole allows you to hang this piece in a number of settings. This chair is sure to add sophisticated charm to any room, patio or garden.
Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper ($19.99)
Hey, who doesn’t like popcorn? No one, that’s who. And what’s more fun than giving the gift of popping corn at home on a stovetop kettle? That’s why the Wabash Valley Farms Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper is such a great gift. It makes six quarts of movie theatre-style popcorn, and it possesses a patented swirling mechanism that keeps the corn from burning or sticking. That ensures you pop every kernel! And there’s nothing worse than biting into a handful of popcorn only to crack your tooth on a hot, unpopped kernel. So gift the Whirley-Pop this year and send a loved one to Flavortown, USA.
Cuisinart PerfecTemp 1.7- Liter Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Kettle ($84.99)
Is someone you know tired of overboiling water and ruining the delicate tea steeping process? Is someone you know oddly specific about the temperature of their hot water? Then they need a Cuisinart electric kettle. This bad boy has six preset heat settings that’ll help folks steep tea or coffee to the right temperature.
There’s a memory function and some keep-warm technology that makes this electric kettle super functional and fun! If it’s “Tea Time” for a loved one in your life, then get them this robot kettle this holiday season.
