5 Must Haves: Gifts for Holidays 2010

Meet Lindsay. She's one of my besties and I have to say she's absolutely one of the coolest, smartest, wittiest, most beautiful and fabulous friends a gal could have. She's infinitely thoughtful and caring, and one of the most driven women I know. While she's all these things by day, at night she morphs into a no-nonesense television reporter in Seattle. PS: as a gal bloggin' from South Florida, could she move any further away from me?! Just sayin').

I'm honored to have her as my friend and to have her contribute her 5 must have... gifts to give your loved ones this holiday season. I love that this is her 5 must haves topic... she always gives good, thoughtful gifts appropriate for the person. And, this list is no exception... check out her awesome ideas for every type of person in your life.


Without further ado, here's Lindsay's 5 must have... gifts to give this holiday season, in her words.

Preface: if you're anything like me, you have friends and family that are tough to buy gifts for. They either have everything - or don't want anything. The way I try to get around this: anytime I see something great from January - November -- either in person, at a party, or in a magazine -- I make a note on the notepad on my iPhone. Then, when the holidays roll around, voila! Instant gift-giving guide.

Here are a few things I'm loving as gifts this holiday season:

Roll-up Keyboard... or something for less tech-savvy

For the techie in your life: the Spi roll-up keyboard. Great for the businessman, the traveler, your brother who's a consultant who's racked up a million frequent flier miles this year. Plus, it's totally portable and connects easily to a laptop via USB. At $20 - $23, it's completely affordable, too.

A little less tech-savvy? Say, still holding on to those slides from the 1980's (like, my dad)? I love the idea of a slide converter. My dad spent my entire childhood creating those carousels filled with family memories, and this is an easy way for him to upgrade them for the 21st century. Bonus: the VuPoint Solutions slide converter is both Mac and PC compatible, and costs less than $100! (Hope you're not reading this, Dad!)

The "Callet" (... keep reading)

For your best girlfriend: hate carrying a cell phone plus a clunky wallet when you're out for a night on the town? Remember that Letterman segment "If They Mated?"

Well, if these two had a kid, it'd be The Callet. It's a cell phone case with a wallet built into it... and only $15. Cheaper than a cocktail on South Beach! Brilliant.





CREATIVE GIFTS FOR BEER, VINO FAN

For your brother, brother-in-law, or that boss of yours who loves a good microbrew: Beer Wars (the movie) and a six-pack of your favorite microbrew (I love Northwest holiday brew Jubelale: http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/splash/default.aspx). You will never look at your Bud Light the same after seeing this movie. It's "Food Inc." for the beer industry, reminding you why it's important to support the small brewer, on both a business and taste level. Pair it with your favorite microbrew, and, voila! Instant gift.

On the same token, for someone who is more into cocktails, I love pairing a Bartender's Guidebook with a classic cocktail shaker. It's an inexpensive gift, and for a personal touch, put the recipe for your favorite cocktail in the card.

ROCKIN' SHIRT

For that rockstar kid in your life: how about the t-shirt that plays music? Check out this kids rock star guitar shirt that actually plays music. One of my coworkers wore this to the office and played "Smoke on the Water." I was instantly in love! I know my 4 year old nephew - who is learning to play guitar - will love this (and yes, it really works!)

TAGG comment: ummm, awesome! Can they make one in purple because we totally want to rock this! Seriously. Ok, now picture running into me in the mall... do you run the other way or ask to play my shirt?? ;)

FUN-SHAPE SANDWICH CUTTERS
For the mom with young kiddies, I love these puzzle-shaped sandwich cutters. These are dishwasher safe and BPA free, and cost less than $15. Love, love, love. Making lunchtime fun!




Happy holidays, everyone! May your December be merry and bright.