The 2005 Chicagoist Holiday Gift Guide
By Rachelle Bowden in Miscellaneous on Dec 6, 2005 4:15PM
Since the 2004 Chicagoist Holiday Gift Guide was so fun to do and such a hit, we decided to continue it on this year and lend you hand in selecting gifts for the holiday season. This year we've broken the guide down into the categories of people you may be shopping for (Music Lover, Foodie, Sports Fanatic, etc) to make it even easier for you. Before you proceed, get your credit card out because all of the ideas we've suggested include links to sites where the gifts can be purchased! Cha-ching! And if we've missed any must-haves of the season, feel free to add them in the comments section.
Let the shopping begin (after the jump)!
For The Music Lovers on Your List
Though we’ve been staunch defenders of the big audio dork headphones we’ve been known to cart around, we’ve also grown weary of worrying that someone will sit on them when we’re out and about. Being both an audiophile and a cheap bastard is usually a lost cause, but since the Sony MDR-EX81 LP bud-style headphones have been out for a year now, you can get them at Amazon.com without speanding crazy money. They’ve received great reviews for their sound quality and if you’re still using the ear-buds Apple gave you, then this will be a wonderful introduction to something we like to call: bass.
~ Scott Smith
Since most lovers of music consider themselves self-styled critics, you could consider putting your money where your favorite music lover’s mouth is (we know that sounds dirty but it’s not supposed to) and give that person a gift certificate to Old Town School of Folk Music. Maybe they’ll be less likely to criticize your drunken iTunes purchase of Lindsay Lohan’s album when they realize they can’t play guitar any better than she can.
~ SS
And speaking of iTunes and iPods, we’ve decided to give a gift to YOU this season. Well, four of you. We’re giving away four $25 gift certificates to RipIt Digital, a Chicago company that takes your CDs, rips them into MP3 files and gives you the files on DVD for quick loading into your favorite audio player, playa. Sign up for your chance to win and read all about our experience with RipIt Digital here.
~ SS
Spin's 20 Years of Alternative Music collection of writings. A fun group of essays on music. Chicago connections: Jim Derogatis on the Smashing Pumpkins. Uncle Tupelo/Wilco and the Alt-Country genre, Ministry and Wax Trax. Non- Chicago reasons: Chuck Klosterman and Dave Eggers (well not Chicago now) - both hysterical writers and do a fantastic job of writing about music.
~ Julene McCoy
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For the Sports Fans on Your List
White Sox fan could hardly believe it when the Southsiders won their first World Series title since 1917. The 2005 World Series DVD details the magical October run and will provide video evidence for our grandchildren that once upon a time, a Chicago baseball team did win the World Series.
~ Benjy Lipsman
Who wouldn't want to wear the jersey of the best player on the NFL's baddest defense? And it's orange!
~ BL
And, not really having to do with Chicago, but we hear that Kobe Bryant tights are this year's Furby for everyone athletic. Must have!
~ Rachelle Bowden
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For the Foodies & Cooks on Your List
For the friend who really wants to cook, doesn't and isn't married and therefore did not receive this during a bridal shower which he or she totally would have: The 10-piece Glass Bowl Set. If you're going to cook, you need mixing bowls. These bowls, while not fancy and certainly stupidly heavy, are perfect for mixing cookie batter to holding chopped ingredients during prep. And a steal at $29.
~ Erin Johnson
For the friend who loves to cook, has everything and gets off on stupidly impractical items: The red, 3-piece personalized spatula set. Chicagoist loves silicone spatulas. Every home cook should have silicone spatulas. Spatulas are a lame gift, to be sure, but they're a good stocking stuffer and somehow by virtue of monogramming the handles, they make sort of a cute gift. For $14, it's not a bad deal.
~ EJ
For the friend who loves to cook but really needs to stop using his or her parent's hand-me-downs: The Wusthof Classic 7-in. Santoku Asian Chef's Knife. When is a knife not just a knife? When it's this mother. It's $80 but it's worth every penny. Good knives are a must and while everyone has their favorite brand, Chicagoist is partial to Wusthof. This is a knife that can be used for just about everything.
~ EJ
For the friend who loves to cook and whose pants your dying to get into: KitchenAid Limited-Edition 6-Quart Stand Mixer. Nothing says, "No, seriously, I really do know how to cook" like a KitchenAid mixer. And nothing makes a person who loves to cook more excited than the prospect of owning this $370 piece of kitchen electronics. Chicagoist has had the Artisan version for three years and has done everything in it from ground chicken to bake red velvet cakes. Buy this puppy and you're in.
~ EJ
The OXO mandoline is Chicagoist's must have kitchen gadget of the year. We've always wanted a mandoline, but thought that a couple of hundred
dollars for a good one was a bit steep, but our friends over at OXO came up with a reasonably priced, well designed mandoline. It's easy to use, easy to clean, sturdy and safe. Our favorite features are the non slid feet, the compact 'fold for storage design' and the food holder (the part that you push the ingredients across the blade with) that snaps onto the bottom for storage, so that you don't loose it when it gets separated in the back of the cabinet or pantry. We got one for our birthday and have been using it as often as possible since.
~ Kevin Gryzb
The Grateful Palate is a one-stop source for artisan foods, crafts, and sauces. They also have monthly wine clubs and the previously mentioned Bacon of the Month Club, which at $140/year for 1 package and $215/year for 2 packages of artisan bacon is a steal.
~ Chuck Sudo
Spice House has an Ethnic Chicago Neighborhood Spice Blends Gift Box with flavors that represent many of the city's diverse ethnic communities. Chicagoist can personally attest that the Bronzeville rib rub rocks!
~ BL
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For the Freaks & Geeks on Your List
If you've got a friend or relative who, like Chicagoist, spends too much time in front of a computer, this handy little device may help them relieve their desk-bound frustrations. This Nerf-like missile battery hooks up to your computer's USB port and is controlled with included software. Or get one for yourself and few more for your office and have your boss watch in horror as you and your coworkers reenact "Wargames" as that crucial deadline approaches.
~ Chris Karr
Nerds don't get outside much, but when they do they get cold like the rest of us. Keep them warm this winter with this hand-crocheted scrollbar scarf. It even has a repositionable scroller!
~ RB
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For the Politically-Minded on Your List
Need to get something for that annoying conservative in your life? Why not buy them this fabulous W in '08 t-shirt, and see how long it takes them to get the joke. Hours of fun for all!
~ Amy Hart
Café Press has tons of other political t-shirts and other gear, suitable for both Republicans and Democrats, for your shopping pleasure.
~ AH
If you can't figure out what size to buy, how about a nice book? Chicagoist is hoping to find copies of Who Leads Whom?, Team of Rivals and Our Endangered Values under the tree for us this year.
~ AH
Then again, you can never go wrong with a donation to charity in the recipient's name. It makes you feel good, and it is fun to see them squirm when they don't get a gift, yet know they have to act all happy about it. You probably will want to stay away from The Human Fund, but GuideStar will point you in the right direction.
~ AH
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For Anyone and Everyone on Your List
PostSecret, the site where people mail-in their secrets annonymously on one side of a homemade postcard, was huge this year. Just in time for the holidays, they've got a book available. So, if your artsy little sister is too cool (or poor) for the internet or if there's someone you need to have a laugh or make feel better, grab them a copy of this book. Makes a great stocking stuffer!
~ RB
Everyone loves Chicagoist, right? So why not surprise them with a Chicagoist tshirt? Boys sizes, girls sizes, kids sizes. Get one for the whole family!
~ RB