Oy, the family, the officemates, those gift exchanges at every holiday party. I’m as stumped about what gifts to buy as you are, yet I’ve found a few new ones that will make people happy. Here are my five latest finds. They’re all fab, practical (more or less) and affordable.
Dog bandanas
Dog not included
I’m a canine cheapskate. My dogs have never had any bandana other than what the groomer puts on for free, and those floppy bits of fabric last three days tops. Yet today, ready to splurge on Hanukkah-themed bandanas for my two pups, I happened across these beauties with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s likeness. Out went the menorahs and in came the political statement – in case my neighbors don’t hate me enough for the rainbow-hued Orlando United sticker on my Prius. Or for my Prius. Lavender Menace Designs sells a huge selection of bandanas at the Orlando area’s Winter Garden Farmers Market, from flowers and Christmas trees to college teams and dolphins. It personalizes each dog bandana too, which is a bonus. You can order any type online at personalizeddogbandanas.com. They come in several sizes. Shipping is free. From $14.
College Admission Cracked: Saving Your Kid (and Yourself) from the Madness
If you have a kid in high school and he/she/they/ze/zir is on the college track, buy this book. College Admission Cracked: Saving Your Kid (and Yourself) from the Madness will rescue you from untold hours of the kind of agony that comes from wondering about all the info you can not easily find clear answers to. What schools will take my teen? Who should s/he ask for recommendations? Are college tours worth the time and price? What is superscoring? How are high school guidance counselors useful? What do college admissions people think? Does blah-blah-blah matter? The author, Jill Margaret Shulman, spells it all out for you, and she does that in a light, readable way that feeds you what you need to know in palatable chunks.
Her approach is playful and personable, so you’ll never have information overload. Shulman totally gets what kids and their parents need to know, and how they’d like that overwhelming information presented.
I know Jill, but that’s not why I recommended this book. Jill is a long-ago colleague who, over time, became both a college essay tutor (she advised both my sons, and trust me her services did not come cheap but she was worth the price – and I’m a writer so I’m as choosy as they come), and she assisted with admissions decisions at Williams College, a tippy-top liberal arts school. That means she knows the college admissions game from both sides – three sides, actually, because her own two kids are undergrads themselves. From $10.39
Radical Pan
Frying pans aren’t glamorous, but this one is at least fun. The Radical Pan is a nonstick pan that looks warped. One side – the side far from the handle – curves upward, way over the rest of that pan. That keeps food in when, say, you’re folding an omelet, and when you’re stirring stuff around.
I’m offered dozens of free items around holiday time, as the makers and their reps hope I’ll write about each product. I ignore just about every email. When this one’s public relations gal wrote, “The lip of the saute pan has an extended height on one side forming a backboard that makes it easy to flip food with a spatula against it, or you can shake the pan and flip the food around with ease just like a professional chef,” I couldn’t resist. Good call. If it didn’t like this pan, I would not be writing about it. #orlandohonestly, right?
I only use nonstick pans for eggs, so I requested the 8.5-inch version, not the 10- or 12-inch models. Then I cooked an omelet. First I tried to fold the cooked eggs over the short side (bottom left photo, above), and the egg started falling over the edge. (Not one bit stuck to the bottom, by the way). Then I took my spatula in the other direction. The omelet moved up up up, yet it stayed fully inside the pan (bottom right) because that side is so tall. Success!
The Radical Pan was designed by a Chef Oren (no surname provided), a husband, parent and surfer in Malibu, California. His creation can go into a hot oven, which I believe is unusual for nonsticks, has a “Cool Stealth” handle and can live through dishwasher cleanings too. It’s free of PFOA, PTFE, lead and cadmium, which can’t be bad. Each pan comes in a beautiful box with a minibook full of info and recipes. Each also has a lifetime warranty.
Buy it through the website, or on amazon.com. From $89.99.
Let’s Eat Bob T-shirt
Here’s an unplanned addition. My kids surprised me with this T-shirt for my birthday. I posted the pic above on Facebook and my friends went wild. So, for the punsters and grammar gurus in your life, I present a really fun wardrobe addition. Mine is from a Seattle retailer. I have no idea if the version you can buy here is good quality or just funny. I think its worth the risk. $16.99
The Perfect Tights and Leggings
I am so embarrassed that I bought these I’m scared to recommend them. They’re tights. Or leggings. For the price of five others at Ross Dress for Less. But hear me out: Every Monday, the New York Times has a little fashion-advice bit on the bottom of Page 3. Twice now (that I’ve seen), the author has recommended Wolford tights as being the it tights, the ones that all the New York City fashion editors wear.
These tights fit snugly. They don’t rip, or bunch, or drag, or fall down, and, so far for me at least they pop out of the washing machine (on delicate cycle) in as-new shape. I’m beginning to think that one pair will come out less expensive than five junk pairs, plus they are aggravation-free. I now own two sets of tights, and two sets of leggings, which complete an outfit with a knee-length dress. I wear them again and again, and haven’t stressed once, except when I looked at the amazon bill.
They’re splurgy for oneself, but as a gift? Not so bad. From $44.
Need more ideas? Click here to see loads of my favorites. Also, here’s my list from two years go, Five Gifts for a Practical Woman.
Honesty notice: I’ll make a few cents from amazon if you buy some of these items there. I’ve never received a check yet, but it could happen one day.