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Holiday Gift Guide

By Kelly Kempf

Gift giving can feel great, but gift shopping is another story. From Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day it feels like the holidays never end. Don’t get your mistletoe branches in a twist this year. We have some simple and creative ways to get your holiday gifts done and dusted with a little twist on holiday wrapping.

If you’re looking for something for the spirits lovers in your life go for a mini oak whiskey barrel from Macy’s or Amazon. This is a great idea for whiskey nerds that want to age their booze in style. For your sippers, tasters and craft beer a cionados you can purchase a ight set. It’s the same kind you’ll see in many craft brewing locations that allows you to try a few beers off tap and not get stuck with a pint of something you won’t like. For wine loves there are whimsical and useful cork or bottle cap collectors sold at Target (and online) that allow you to pop bottles and save memories.You can nd plenty of variations from online stores as well. For those who are on the crafty side and have a large store of corks this December, look into creating a holiday themed cork wreath. All you’ll need is a hot glue gun, craft story pinecones, holly springs and ribbon and you can add this classy addition to your holiday decor.

For those who have a sports fanatic in mind, we have found a few options that may hit it out of the park. Fans who are always home on a Sunday the game might like a book on the history of their favorite NFL team. If you’re dealing with a baseball lover you could go the extra mile (and the extra dollar) for a blueprint of their favorite stadium. With a golf loving wife or husband that also loves a stiff when the green hasn’t treated them well, look no further than golf ball whiskey chillers. If they’re not into whiskey, but you still can’t seem to nd a tting golf themed gift take a look at custom golf link toppers. You can get their name, initials and phone number monogrammed so they won’t ever be fear of losing a club on the green.

You may have a travel obsessed friend, child in college or neighbor that has recently moved to a new city and is missing their hometown or favorite place. If this is the case but you can’t seem to think of a good gift for them you’re in luck. There are companies that have created great products for your giftees. Businesses like The Uncommon Green make an assortment of drinking glasses, slate plaques and cutting boards that can be adored with city maps, states and international spots. In the same vein there are jewelers like Talia Sari who take the city maps and create necklaces, rings and broaches. So, whether it’s the city they have moved from, a new state or country you can give a gift that allows them to appreciate their new surroundings or daydream about their old ones.

If you like the idea of jewelry, hand-crafted arts or handmade products be sure to look locally and you’re guaranteed to nd some gems. Buying from a local artisan who understands their craft and has a passion for their work means you’ll be supplied with quality goods that outstrip products bought from the big retailers. There are plenty of boutique shops to nd cute and cozy winter wear, creative and unique artwork or functional pieces like ceramic wear. A business called Taylor Made Polish, in Easton, Pennsylvania, has recently caught our attention. They’re a small business that is a great option for custom made nail polishes that can be made to match any out t, personality or event color palette.You can make a solo appointment, or book a small party, to mix your own pigments and be the creator of your own personalized nail colors.

Whether you’re an online shopper or prefer to nd local, handmade goods, hopefully you have a better idea of what direction you’re going to take for your gifts this holiday season. Yet, while we may have helped you brainstorm ideas that doesn’t mean you should slack on your gift wrapping. Keep yourself off the naughty list and skip the overpriced holiday wrapping. Swap those tired designs and colors for creative and memorable wraps that will have your recipient smiling before they even tear open their parcels. Whether it’s eight days of gift giving or a pile of presents for the entire family, this year allow yourself to spread your wings and tap into your creative outlets. If you don’t think you’re creative, no worries! We have a few ideas to help you get those pistons ring on all cylinders.

For a chic and fancy look, wrap your gifts in royal purple with silver ribbon bows or navy and gold ribbon so that even if the gift is a budget restricted coffee mug meant for a Secret Santa, it will look like a million bucks before it’s even opened! If you’re wrapping gifts for relatives get the kids involved, or even the dog, and work with butcher’s paper to create your own wrapping paper. Simple brown butcher’s paper can turn into some truly terri c wrapping with the help of markers, stamps and little helping hands with big creative brains. Try ink pads and puppy paws for cute prints to decorate your wrapping. You can use glue, glitter, markers, or crayons. Go wild or stay mild but it’s 100% up to you and your imagination! If brown doesn’t work with your concept, you can substitute butcher’s paper for stencil paper to give your gifts a white base color.

Paper itself isn’t completely necessary when wrapping presents. For other out-of-the-box options you could forget the box (and the paper) and instead raid your cupboards for mason jars. Fill them with the dry ingredients for a holiday cookie mix, wrap the jar with a simple bow and string on an instruction card! Leftover fabrics are a great soft-to-the-touch option and for unusual name tags, skip the card-stock normality and try tiles from an old Scrabble set. Arrange your letters, glue them vertically or horizontally on top of a ribbon and then tie to your gift. Additionally, any old atlases or maps lying around could make great wrapping for any geography or travel nerds. With smartphone apps directing us everywhere, who is really going to miss those paper directions? Now that you’re better prepared, don’t let gift panic get you this year, spread your holiday cheer!