There’s been a lot of Christmas talk these past few weeks, but it seems like we’ve left someone out. I don’t want you to think that we forgot about the little one in your life! Today, we’re going to focus on what your daughter, niece, cousin, or really any child with an affinity for sweets would like this holiday season. I think the best thing about tasty holiday treats, besides how delicious they are, is their festiveness. Although a holiday cupcake’s high level of festivity tends to drastically decrease its lifespan, it’s still a good thing (maybe not for the cupcake).
The Mini Cupcake Maker (Perpetual Kid, $29.99) is basically an Easy-Bake oven, but so much cooler. For one, you’re not cooking with the heat of a light bulb so it’s a lot faster – think just five minutes for each batch. Also, you don’t have to use those expensive specially packaged ingredients. Instead, you can pick your baking materials at whim, creating cupcakes, muffins, and even brownies in just about any flavor you can think of. My favorite part? The whole thing is covered in a nonstick coating, so cleaning up is amazingly easy. That’s right, easy cleanup is exciting to me. Deal with it.
Ok, so while this would be a great gift for a child (supervised, of course) or tween, I think adults would really enjoy it as well. I say that mostly because I love cupcakes and would be more inclined to make them if it was this easy. Kids, now you know what to get your mother for Christmas.
4 out of 5 easy baking stars.
Specs:
-Makes 7 cupcakes at a time
-Takes only 5 minutes to bake
-Nonstick baking tray
-Also great for muffins and brownies
From geeks and techies to home decor and personal well being, we’ve covered quite a few gift ideas for this holiday season. However, if you’re still desperate for some ideas, check out last year’s December archive. Since there’s only 9 days left until Christmas, I thought I would take one topic and break it down for you, namely Christmas hats. So without further ado, here’s a Top 10 List – Christmas Hat Edition, courtesy of Amazon’s wonderful Christmas hat selection:
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Starting off our countdown is the Green & Red Santa Claus Helper Elf Christmas Sequin Hat ($7.99). Right away, you should be able to tell that this is an exceptionally terrible Christmas hat – just look at the super long name. I mean, how many Christmas buzz words could they throw in there? All that’s really missing is “Rudolph” or “Frosty” because, let’s face it, nothing about this hat really screams Christmas, much less Santa or Elf.
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Next up is the Tree Hat with Presents ($3.50), which is slightly better in that it actually pertains to the holiday in question. Upon closer inspection, it’s a little light on the holiday spirit. I mean, it’s a pretty sad looking tree if you ask me. Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree had more holiday spirit than this hat.
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The Felt Elf Hat w/ Bells ($6.99) actually isn’t that bad. Here’s a Christmas hat that someone could actually wear without feeling, or looking, like too much of a tool. Alas, that is not the point of this list. I mean, you’re gonna look like a tool, so why not go all the way? You can do better than a curly hat with a few little bells on it!
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Ok, you got me, Rudolph’s Holiday Flashing Reindeer Nose ($2.99) isn’t actually a hat. It is a headwear accessory though, so I’m counting it. And it’s my list, so I can do whatever I want. I personally love this flashing nose because it’s pretty much minimal effort, but there’s no way that anyone is gonna pass by you without noticing your flashing red nose. Then why is it all the way down at #7? It’s been pointed out that wearing a flashing nose strapped to your face can be a touch uncomfortable, and while the perfect Christmas hat should ruin your social stature, physical pain is not required.
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Actually, I was wrong, the title of most minimal effort headwear has to go to the Christmas Holiday Reindeer Antlers Headband ($1.99). Pretty much anyone can pull this look off, regardless of age, gender, or intelligence. But height is one possible hurdle to overcome when wearing this, especially if you’re tall. You’ll have to duck through doorways to make sure you don’t knock this beauty off your head, and let’s be honest, you look ridiculous enough already.
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Rounding out the Top 5 is the Plush Santa Chimney Hat ($9.99). Silly? Yes. Slightly adorable? I have to agree that yes, yes it is. I really don’t have anything sarcastic to say about this hat. Sure, you’ll look like an idiot wearing it, but no more so than if you wore a traditional Santa hat.
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If you want to look like a total imbecile, then the Deluxe Rasta Santa Hat ($21.99) is the way to go. First off, was there a regular Rasta Santa Hat that just wasn’t cutting it so they had to create a “deluxe” version? Also, who’s paying almost $25 for a hat this terrible? The whole hat with dreads look is so not attractive, not to mention completely dated. If you purchase this, please let the only reason be a gag gift.
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Remember how that last elf hat wasn’t cutting it? The Elf Hat with Ears ($6.49) may not have bells, but it does sound a lot more appealing. In case you missed that clever pun, I’m talking about the ears. Elf ears will always trump bells. You could put bells on anything and it’s not necessarily Christmas, but throw some elf ears on there, and we’re in business. Yes, it’s a little less flashy than most hats on this list, but I prefer to think of it as understated elegance, with elf ears.
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8 words: Red Santa Pimp Hat with White Fur Trim ($9.48). 2 more words: Freaking Ridiculous. I have more than a few questions about this hat. Seriously, who’s wearing this? Are pimps wearing this? Are pimps known for being particularly into Christmas? How in the name of Rudolph is this girl smiling while wearing this hat? If you were looking to show up to Christmas dinner wearing something wildly inappropriate and blatantly stupid, I do believe you’ve found it.
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Here we are, at the #1 Christmas Hat: the Springy Mistletoe Headband ($7.99)! This hat is the epitome of Christmas spirit – I mean, what’s better than portable mistletoe? Ok, so it’s totally absurd, but in a completely positive way. There’s no way you thought that you were gonna fly under the radar while wearing a Christmas hat, but it’s important to pick the right one. This one is full of holiday cheer, easy to wear, adequately priced, and you might even get some action while wearing it. Hands down, the winner.
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Remember a few days ago when I said it was important to take some time out during the hectic Christmas season and attend to yourself? Today is another example of that. And don’t worry all you do-gooders out there, it’s not gonna be all about you. Because Christmas is essentially about the spirit of giving, I thought I’d find a product that you could buy for yourself that would also benefit those around you. And I don’t know of any better way to accomplish that than with food. I mean, who would turn down a hand crafted dish? Alright, so it depends on the person making it. But how about cookies? Cookies are virtually impossible to mess up, and if you should end up burning them, just get out a glass of milk and everything is all better.
So what’s even better than a homemade batch of cookies? A homemade batch of cookies in the shape of a Christmas tree, a la the Cookie Tree Kit (Miles Kimball, $3.49). See, you can have your cookies, and eat them too! This set comes with 10 graduated size star cookie cutters, three icing bags, and two decorating tip – basically, everything you need to create a totally boss cookie tree. Although the idea can be somewhat daunting, there’s no need to panic because this tree is mega easy to make. All you have to do is bake cookies the way you normally would, except you use these special star shaped cookie cutters. Once they’re cool, you can give them a nice coating of green icing to give them that tree look. Then you arrange them in this tree pattern and you can decorate the outside just like you would your own Christmas tree. Once fully assembled, you’re left with a cookie tree that is 11 inches tall. I mean, if that’s not spreading the Christmas spirit, then I don’t know what is.
Deck the halls with plates of cookies,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Better make extra for the Wookies,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our waistbands elastic,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Enjoying Christmas treats fantastic,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
5 out of 5 delicious Christmas tree stars.
Specs:
-Forms 11″ tall tree
-Includes 10 graduated size star cutters, 3 icing bags, and 2 decorating tips
-Easy to assemble
-Hand wash
-Made of plastic
Wowza, there’s only 11 days left until Christmas! I really hope you’ve started your Christmas shopping, or at the very least starting thinking of gift ideas because time is just going to fly by from now on. Unless you’re a child under the age of 10, then it will pass slower than molasses in January. Now, I know we talked about maybe different kinds of gifts for the varying types of people in your life. One such type is that of the terrible gift giver. Year after year, this person gives you the worst gifts humanly possible. You would just as soon receive nothing than have to figure out what you’re going to do with a talking yard gnome or yet another ugly Christmas sweater. What’s even worse than getting a bad gift? Getting a bad gift from someone that you bought an extremely awesome gift. Not only did you spend precious time and money on these gifts, but you really thought about what your recipient wanted for Christmas. Whereas they just scrounged around the “Half Off” bin, thus explaining your gift last year of footie pajamas. It’s time to take a stand against thoughtless gift giving!
I’m all about making sure the gift suits the person receiving it, but sometimes you’ve got to go all out to teach someone a lesson. The Christmas Yule Log DVD (Walter Drake, $14.99) is sure to get your point across this holiday season. Sure, on the surface there’s nothing wrong with a good ole fireplace on TV, but let’s delve a little deeper. What does this gift say about the recipient? That they love fireplaces? That they’re too poor/cheap to afford an actual fireplace? Do they think a fireplace DVD is the perfect cost-effective way to heat their home?may surface during the 80 minute DVD, but chances are you’ll all be too busy listening to the 29 Christmas songs to address them.
Now, I’m not advocating buying someone a present with the hopes that they’ll hate it. That’s not the point at all. What I’m saying is, why waste time worrying about what to get someone who clearly isn’t doing the same? Who knows, you might even get lucky and find someone who absolutely loves video fireplaces. Like a woodstove salesman.
5 out of 5 faux fire stars.
Specs:
-Duration: 80 minutes
-Plays 29 songs These questions and many, many others
It’s always hard to buy a gift for someone when you’re either not sure what they already own or you know that they own just about everything. You’ve got to pick out something unique, but that can be pretty tricky. You’re walking a fine line between interesting item that they’ve always wanted but never realized and totally ridiculous piece of crap that they’ll throw away the minute you walk out the door. Like I said, it’s a very fine line. So your best bet is to find something both interesting and useful that not everyone already has. Challenge accepted!
The Fruit Infusion Natural Fruit Flavor Pitcher (Wrapables, $24.95) isn’t particularly flashy or exciting, but it is an interesting concept. With the whole push to be healthier, a lot of us are trying to do something as easy as drinking our daily allotted amount of water. Guess what? It’s kinda hard. I mean, I’m a pretty big fan of water, but there are just some times when it’s like, really, more water? One of the ways you can make water more appetizing is to flavor it. Sure, there are tons of prebottled versions of flavored water out there, but this is a recession. Buying bottled water is expensive, not to mention it hurts the planet. With this pitcher, you can make your own flavored water at home, thus being healthier while saving money. The removable center container is outfitted with tiny holes that allow whatever fruit you choose to infuse the water without getting nasty pulp or seeds into your drink. Simple, yet clever, no?
For those of you out there who are staunchly against drinking healthy beverages, relax. You can also use this pitcher for alcoholic drinks, like infusing vodka or sangria. See, something for everyone!
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 10″
-Capacity: 92oz
-Holds 2.9 quarts
-Removable fruit container
-Fruit container has open holes to allow flavor infusion
-Made of clear acrylic
